Incumbent Kathy Lambert on Monday conceded to challenger Sarah Perry in the contested race for King County councilmember.
In a statement, Lambert, who has held her position for approximately two decades, thanked her constituents for their support.
“It has been an honor to serve District Three for the past 20 years and it is wonderful looking back at all of the things we were able to accomplish together – from the development of the department of local services, judicial reform and child protective programs – King County and district three have a history of proactively leading from the front and being a model for our nation,” Lambert said.
“I would also like to thank all of our supporters for their kind words and encouragement throughout this campaign and to our dedicated volunteers who put their own valuable time into this campaign because of their passion for our county and our future.”
Lambert’s campaign faced an uphill battle after she distributed a campaign mailer to her constituents. The mailer connected her opponent to Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Councilmember Girmay Zahilay
Progressive members of the council denounced the activity and accused King of racism.
“Councilmember Kathy Lambert sent the mailer below to thousands in her district. Given that every police-related policy I’ve supported has had majority Council approval, I wonder why she singled out and used her only Black colleague’s face for fear mongering on the East Side,” tweeted Zahilay at the time.
Councilmember Kathy Lambert sent the mailer below to thousands in her district. Given that every police-related policy I’ve supported has had majority Council approval, I wonder why she singled out and used her only Black colleague’s face for fear mongering on the East Side. pic.twitter.com/ckXHmSmuVQ
— Girmay Zahilay (@GirmayZahilay) October 6, 2021
Throughout the rest of her campaign, Lambert faced criticism, despite the fact that she apologized for the mailer and terminated her contract with the consultants who constructed the ad.
“I am hopeful that our next County Councilmember will have success while navigating the many issues currently facing the county, and will do so in a way that represents all voices – from our largest cities to our most rural and unincorporated areas,” Lambert added.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Sarah Perry” by Sarah Perry. Background Photo “King County Council Meeting” by AvgeekJoe. CC BY-SA 2.0.
