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Seattle activist Cary Moon enters race to unseat Mayor Murray

caption: Cary Moon in downtown Seattle.
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Cary Moon in downtown Seattle.
KUOW photo/David Hyde

There’s another new candidate this week in the Seattle mayor's race: activist, landscape designer and engineer Cary Moon.

But Moon said her decision wasn’t influenced by a lawsuit accusing Seattle Mayor Ed Murray of sexually abusing a teenager back in the 1980s.

"All the issues are coming out,” she said Wednesday after announcing her candidacy. “No one knows what's true and what isn't true yet. And we need the legal system to tell us that."

Earlier this week former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn got into the race, too.

At one time McGinn and Moon were political allies who opposed the deep-bore tunnel to replace the waterfront viaduct.

But Moon said she has a different political style than McGinn. And she predicted that they will disagree about the high cost of housing.

"This housing affordability crisis was set in motion awhile ago, and he did not see it coming," she said.

And Moon said new taxes on real estate speculation would help – similar to what Vancouver, B.C., did to address its soaring housing costs.

Several other candidates have also gotten into the race, including attorney and activist Nikkita Oliver.

In comments later Wednesday at a city event, Murray appeared ready to take on what the newcomers dish out.

“I relish the opportunity to have that debate,” he said.

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