Tight contest in King County Council primary for an unoccupied position
The 2025 Washington state primary election has seen a competitive race for the Metropolitan King County Council District No. 5, with three candidates vying for the open seat. As Tuesday's vote tallies reveal, the top two candidates are expected to advance to the November general election.
Leading Candidates
Peter Kwon, a Korean American SeaTac councilmember, is currently leading with about 28% of the vote. Kwon, a political independent, is known for his accessibility to voters and his focus on affordable housing and public safety initiatives to improve the quality of life in the district.
Steffanie Fain, a Korean American lawyer and president of the Harborview Medical Center board of trustees, is in second place with 24.6% of the vote. Fain emphasizes healthcare, accountability, and community safety, advocating for transparent governance. She has called for more resources for law enforcement and alternative, non-police first responders to address issues like mental health crises.
Other Notable Candidates
Kim-Khanh Van, a Vietnamese refugee and Renton councilmember, is in third place with around 21% of the vote. Van, who is currently in her second term on the Renton City Council, stressed the national political environment, calling the actions of the Trump administration a crisis. She advocates for opportunity, transparency, and safety, supporting workforce development, living wages, reducing the cost of living, and expanding holistic crisis response.
Angela Henderson is another notable candidate, known for championing affordable and resilient housing, environmental quality, gun violence prevention, homelessness solutions, and supporting working families. She emphasizes lived experience and grassroots support in her campaign.
District and Previous Representative
The district covers Des Moines, Kent, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, and Tukwila, areas with diverse communities and needs, reflected in the candidates' focuses on housing, safety, healthcare, and economic opportunity. The seat was previously represented by Dave Upthegrove, who stepped down after being elected state Lands commissioner.
Impact on November Election
Tuesday's vote tallies could set up competitive races for the Washington Legislature in the November election. The race for three Seattle City Council seats is ongoing, and the primary election for Seattle city attorney has a challenger leading in a significant way.
In summary, the top two candidates advancing are Peter Kwon and Steffanie Fain, both Korean American, with competing platforms around housing, safety, and healthcare. Kim-Khanh Van remains a significant candidate emphasizing immigrant rights and economic equity. Other notable candidates like Angela Henderson advocate strongly for housing affordability and social support systems. The general election in November will determine the final outcome for this closely watched race.
[1] Source: King 5 News
[2] Source: Seattle Times
[3] Source: Angela Henderson Campaign Website
[4] Source: Kim-Khanh Van Campaign Website
[5] Source: Peter Kwon Campaign Website
- The Metropolitan King County Council District No. 5 primary election in Washington state has seen Peter Kwon, a SeaTac councilmember, and Steffanie Fain, a Korean American lawyer and president of the Harborview Medical Center board, leading with 28% and 24.6% of the vote, respectively.
- The current focus of Kwon's campaign includes affordable housing, public safety initiatives, and district quality of life improvements, while Fain emphasizes healthcare, accountability, and community safety, advocating for transparent governance and resources for law enforcement.
- Kim-Khanh Van, a Vietnamese refugee and Renton councilmember, currently in third place, emphasizes national political issues, calling the Trump administration's actions a crisis, and advocates for opportunity, transparency, and safety with a focus on workforce development, living wages, and expanding holistic crisis response.
- Angela Henderson is another notable candidate who champions affordable and resilient housing, environmental quality, gun violence prevention, homelessness solutions, and supporting working families, emphasizing lived experience and grassroots support in her campaign.
- Running for the seat previously held by Dave Upthegrove, who stepped down to become state Lands commissioner, these primary elections could have significant implications for the Washington Legislature's November election, particularly for three Seattle City Council seats and the Seattle city attorney race.
