Jenny Durkan received the endorsement of more than 15 environmental advocates from Seattle and across the country, making her the clear leader for environmental issues in the mayoral race.
If elected, Jenny would be Seattle’s first openly lesbian mayor and one of only two openly lesbian mayors serving major U.S. cities.
In an open letter, 16 environmental attorneys, specialists and activists called Jenny “a principled, collaborative leader” who will take bold action on environmental issues at a time when the Trump administration is ignoring and denying climate change.
Lisa Jackson, the EPA director in President Obama’s first-term, said that Durkan would be “an environmental champion” as Seattle mayor.
Jenny, a fellow Obama appointee, became the first openly lesbian U.S. Attorney in 2009, and she spent part of her term pursuing charges in environmental crime cases.
The Seattle mayoral primary is August 1, but voting begins via mail in less than three weeks. Durkan is standing out in a crowded race in part because of her progressive values on issues like the environment.
