Seattle Council Incumbent Lewis talks priorities before election

SEATTLE — Seattle Council member Andrew Lewis defends his voting record, and accusations of flip-flopping, as he made his case for a second term in office.

In a lengthy conversation with KOMO News Senior Reporter Chris Daniels, Lewis said “I don’t always accept the bicameral or the two choices that are put in front of the Council, because sometimes there is a solution that can reconcile a bigger coalition."

Lewis sat down with Daniels in the first of 14 individual conversations with candidates for the seven open seats. He is facing off with first-time candidate Bob Kettle, who had made public safety policy his top talking point during the campaign to represent District 7 that includes downtown. That district has had an uneven share of issues regarding homelessness, drug addiction, and crime.

Lewis is one of three council members seeking re-election, and also received the fewest votes of any incumbent during the primary.

In the wide-ranging interview, Lewis defended his votes to pledge cutting police funding, and initially voting against a drug possession law, saying “We have a better policy as a result of that,” and on policing, “I don’t think that there’s been a connection with the rising crime in the city.”

Lewis also talked about what he views as his legislative successes in the more than 20-minute discussion which you can view in its entirety in the player above and on YouTube.

Ballots will be arriving in voter mailboxes this week ahead of the election on Nov. 7, 2023.