Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan won't seek reelection, months after CHOP controversy
In a video message to residents, Durkan said her decision was driven by a desire to focus on ongoing recovery efforts during the pandemic
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said Monday that she will not seek a second term after a tough tenure in office in which she faced widespread criticism over her handling of several crises, including the establishment of an “autonomous zone” amid civil unrest in the city last summer.
In a video message to city residents, Durkan said her decision was driven by a desire to focus on ongoing recovery efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. She touted several accomplishments during her time in office, including the establishment of tuition-free college, $1.7 billion in funding toward affordable housing works and free COVID-19 testing.
“We know stopping the spread of the virus, projecting jobs and focusing on the economic recovery ... is going to take everything we’ve got. As mayor approaching the last year of my term, that meant a choice – I could spend the next year campaigning to keep this job or focus all my energy on doing the job. There was only one right choice for our city – doing the job.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A former federal prosecutor, Durkan, 62, took office in 2017 with a pledge to combat economic inequality in Seattle. She has faced criticism from leading progressives who accused her administration of not doing enough to curtail income disparities in the business hub, which is home to companies such as Amazon and Starbucks.
Durkan told Q13 Fox that she has had “no conversations” with President-elect Joe Biden’s team about a potential role in the administration.
“I will focus on leading our city as we plan to reopen and distribute a vaccine,” Durkan added.
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Criticism over Durkan’s leadership intensified during widespread protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May. Opponents accused the Seattle mayor of failing to curtail the use of tear gas and pepper spray to disperse crowds.
Later, Durkan drew criticism from President Trump and other prominent Republicans after protestors established the police-free autonomous zone, known as Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) or Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), which took over several city blocks in June. Trump threatened to pull federal funding if Seattle did not intervene.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In September, the Seattle City Council overturned Durkan’s attempt to veto legislation that cuts funding for police.