Sign up here to receive The Yappie‘s weekly briefing on Asian American + Pacific Islander politics and support our work by making a donation.
Bruce Harrell will become Seattle’s first elected mayor of Asian descent, the Associated Press said Thursday, a victory that will see him return to a job he briefly held on an interim basis.
The former City Council president and lawyer, who is Black and Japanese, dominated in early returns, leading the council’s current president M. Lorena González (D) by more than 20% on Tuesday and Wednesday. González conceded Thursday evening.
After Ed Murray resigned in 2017, Harrell served five days as Seattle’s first Asian American mayor.
The lifelong Seattleite, 62, grew up in a redlined neighborhood. Harrell’s mother had been incarcerated at an internment camp during World War II, while his father grew up in the South in the Jim Crow era.
Harrell was first elected to the City Council in 2007 and served until 2020. During his tenure, he successfully led a campaign to pass a “ban the box” law that bars employers from asking about applicants’ criminal history.
The mayoral contest was defined by heated debates over policing, homelessness, and skyrocketing housing costs—pitting Harrell’s more moderate vision against González’s more progressive plans. Harrell drew support from the city’s business community, while González was backed by many of the region’s labor unions.
But the race turned ugly after an ad released by González was decried as racist by some Asian and Black community leaders. González pulled the commercial and later apologized to “members of our communities of color for missing the mark,” but not before Harrell told the Northwest Asian Weekly last week that it made him “sad and angry.”
More than 200 Asian community members signed an open letter slamming the ad for invoking racial stereotypes and politicizing victims of sexual violence, KUOW reports.
“I want to run on issues and I would rather debate on policies with my opponent,” Harrell said. “It’s a poor display of leadership.”
The Yappie is your must-read briefing on AAPI power, politics, and influence. Make a donation, subscribe, and follow us on Twitter (@theyappie). Send tips and feedback to [email protected].
