Seattle CM Mosqueda aiming to leap over to King County Council

Seattle Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda will run for a seat on the King County Council this year.

Mosqueda told KUOW that she hopes to bring the issues she has worked on at the city over the past six years to the larger county level.

"I've been focused on worker protections, expanding access to good living wage jobs, increasing access to child care, building housing, but we really need to build that out for the broad and diverse population that lives across our region," Mosqueda said. "The issues that we're seeing play out in Seattle are not just restricted to Seattle's borders and if I can work at the county in partnership with the County Council, the executive, or state legislative team, we can braid together funding and programs and services to support residents of Seattle and more broadly, the county and District 8 residents."

While others who are exiting the dais at Seattle City Hall cite a toxic political atmosphere, Mosqueda says that is not the reason she is attempting a run for the county council.

“I am running for King County Council District 8 to improve the opportunity for working families to be healthy, housed and resilient,” Mosqueda said in a statement. “We can do this by investing in greater behavioral health and public health supports, expanding housing and displacement efforts that make it possible for people to stay stably housed, and investing in what working families and small businesses need — affordable childcare, accessible transit, and good job opportunities.”

Her campaign says she wants to work on these issues by creating "local, regional, and state partnerships." Mosqueda describes herself as a "labor Democrat." She previously worked on statewide policies for the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and the Children’s Alliance.

“Throughout my career, I have brought diverse coalitions together to pass landmark policy changes,” Mosqueda said. “From passing historic investments in housing, to leading the statewide minimum wage raise and implementing Apple Health healthcare for all Washington children, I have united diverse interests and voices to get things done. I’ll bring that commitment — and experience working at the local and state levels — to solve problems, make a difference, and support our communities across the County.”

Mosqueda is aiming for the King County Council District 8 seat that Councilmember Joe McDermott is vacating. McDermott opted not to run for re-election this year. His term concludes at the end of 2023.

Mosqueda is currently a Seattle City Council member and represents Position 8, an at-large seat. She first entered office in 2017 and was re-elected to the role in 2021 with 59% of the vote. If she is elected to the county council, Mosqueda would exit her role at the city before her current term ends in 2025. This would leave an open seat to be filled for the remaining year of her city council term. The City Council would then appoint a replacement member.

She is also pointing to her record on the city council, such as establishing protections for hotel workers, sick leave for gig drivers, small business grants for women and people of color, affordable housing investments, and reproductive rights.

Mosqueda's campaign is boasting endorsements from about 100 local officials, including County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, the Seattle Port Commission. She says she can "work with a broad array of people."

"I listen to folks, I organize, and I help put forward solutions to these really tough problems," Mosqueda said. "I've been able to rise above that fray, pull people together and pass significant historic legislation. And I want to do that at the county level to layer upon some of the improvements that we've made, to really helping working families, small businesses and our diverse communities. That's what's driving me to the King County Council."