Mayor-elect Katie Wilson turned down numerous invitations for national television appearances over the past week, telling Seattle Nice, “That is not my job.” But she took time out of her busy transition planning to speak with us (and you!). With assistance from our amazing Patreon supporters, and other listeners, we took advantage of the opportunity to pose the incoming mayor of Seattle questions on a wide range of topics, including the following:

• WHat concrete actions is she going to take to tackle affordability?
• How does she plan to deal with the City Council's adoption of a budget proviso requiring her to fund the Unified Care Team, which sweeps encampments?
• How, specifically, does she intend (as she has promised) to get 4000 homeless people into shelter or housing in her first term?
• What’s her response to Donald Trump calling her a "very, very liberal slash communist mayor" and does she consider herself a soccer fan like Zohran Mamdani?
• Given her opposition to the use of CCTV surveillance, what is her approach to ensuring fan safety and security during the World Cup?
• What’s the role of market capitalism in solving Seattle’s problems, given her commitment to socialism?
• Along with being Seattle's socialist mayor, does she accept the mantle of being Seattle's urbanist mayor, and what does that mean to her?
• As a City Hall outsider, how does her conception of politics differ from that of Bruce Harrell, the veteran incumbent she improbably vanquished?

And much, much more!

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

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Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

The votes are in and a new era begins in Seattle politics. In this episode:

• The Concession and the Controversy: Was Bruce Harrell’s concession speech gracious enough?
• The Affordability Referendum: Wilson’s focus on pocketbook issues—housing, rent, and the rising cost of living—was the centerpiece of her campaign. Why didn’t Harrell’s response work? How will she deliver?
• Campaign Attacks: Were the Harrell camp’s attacks on Wilson (e.g.,"millennial socialist who still lives off parents’ money") unfair? Sexist?
• Shifting Politics: The cultural shift away from identity politics toward "bread and butter economic issues." Have white progressives changed their tune?
• Road Ahead for Mayor-Elect Wilson: We analyze the challenges for an outsider promising to deliver on affordability. We also discuss the importance of her upcoming staff appointments, possible difficulties posed by Harrell's budget, and Wilson’s plans for housing, progressive taxation, and homeless encampment policies. Is Katie Wilson going to govern like Boston's progressive Mayor Michelle Wu?

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

Support the show

Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

We discuss and debate last night's election and the big progressive wins here in Seattle. Why did moderates lose? Why is the mayor's race between Bruce Harrell and Katie Wilson so tight? We also ponder the future of Seattle's political landscape. Could this end up being the most progressive Seattle government, ever?

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

Support the show

Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.