Opinion: Northwest Asian Weekly endorses the following candidates:

King County Executive
Dow Constantine

We are endorsing Dow Constantine because of his proven record of reforming King County. He brings with him experience and education. Constantine has the credentials: a law degree and a degree in urban planning.

His opponent, Susan Hutchison, lacks  experience, has been vague about her affiliation with the Republican Party, and has failed to answer critical questions about how she would lead King County.

Though Hutchison is articulate and ran a good campaign — we like her stance on fixing the county’s budget — NWAW thinks we need someone with a broader vision like Constantine, who will be able to build King County in multiple ways. Hutchison is limited in her political scope and has not addressed important issues, an example being environmental issues.

Perhaps what is most important to the Asian American community in Seattle is the fact that Dow Constantine has been an ally and a friend. He is no stranger to community events and has a record of listening to many groups’ concerns and interests. He is a candidate that truly values diversity and reaches out to all points of view. Hutchison, on the other hand, is limited to a comfort zone and is less likely to be a representative for all like Constantine would.

King County Assessor
Lloyd Hara

We are endorsing Lloyd Hara for King County Assessor, not because he is Asian American, but because he has the most relevant experience for the position of King County Assessor. Out of five candidates for this position, only Hara has developed and run complex public agencies dealing in financial matters and has managed hundreds of employees.

Currently a Port of Seattle Commissioner, Hara has been King County Auditor and City Treasurer.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 3
Rob Holland
We are endorsing Rob Holland for Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 3 because he is an individual who not only values community building and diversity, but is also forward-thinking and committed to social justice. He strives to help the Port become a green, clean, and energy efficient port. Holland has more experience with the Port than his opponent, David Doud, and received the highest rating of any candidate in Position 3 from the King County Municipal League.

Seattle City Mayor
Joe Mallahan

We are endorsing Joe Mallahan for Seattle City Mayor over his opponent Mike McGinn because we believe Mallahan is more capable of bringing the global spotlight to Seattle.

Though McGinn is an experienced lawyer and a compassionate person, Mallahan, as a T-Mobile vice president, brings a mind for business and an aptitude for managing people to Seattle’s city government, something we see as the change needed to move the city forward. What was troublesome about McGinn to us was his narrow stance against the replacing of the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel. Though he has since said he’d honor the City Council’s decision to move forward with the project if elected, we worry that McGinn may become overly consumed with one issue and could be an obstacle at times when he needs to be a leader.

At NWAW’s candidates forum, both candidates seemed earnest about their commitment to diversity. However, Mallahan had a slight edge over McGinn in terms of his vision for the city. He was able to give more concrete examples of how he has and will foster trade relations between Seattle and Asia. Mallahan also earned a master’s degree from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington and has conducted research on economic development during his fellowship with the Japanese Ministry of Education.

Mallahan has what it takes to make Seattle a strong player in the global arena.

Seattle School District No. 1, Director District No. 7
Wilson Chin and Betty Patu

We were torn over who to endorse for Seattle School District No. 1, Director District No. 7. That is why we are endorsing both Wilson Chin and Betty Patu. We believe either candidates would serve the district well.

Chin would bring a fresh set of skills as well as a pragmatic approach to the position. He has logged in more than 500 volunteer hours at Kimball Elementary, and has provided data reports and analysis addressing academic disparity at Kimball. Chin is a research scientist, someone who will build up the quality of education for our students, especially in the sciences.

Patu is a dedicated educator. She has worked for Seattle Public Schools for 32 years and has been committed to serving underrepresented minorities like Asian and Pacific Islanders. We believe her hands-on experience with students and school administrations makes her a great candidate for this position.

*Updated to correct information on Hara