Republican Capitol Hill icon to challenge Harrell in mayoral race
Feb 13, 2025, 4:09 PM | Updated: Feb 18, 2025, 2:22 pm
Seattle, including the Space Needle, and Mount Rainier can be seen on a sunny, dry day in January 2025. (Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
(Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
Capitol Hill icon and business owner Rachael Savage has officially entered the Seattle mayoral race, adding her name to a growing list of challengers to incumbent Bruce Harrell.
Savage’s candidacy is part of a wave of Capitol Hill-based contenders emerging ahead of the August primary
On her Savage Citizens website, Savage explains why she’s running as a Republican, emphasizing that her decision goes beyond just seeking attention.
“We can save Downtown, the International District, Capitol Hill, First Hill, Queen Anne, Pioneer Square and Ballard if we dramatically change the way that we have tried to help the addicted and the mentally ill,” Savage said.
“We can have a city free from the death, dereliction and cruelty that current policy is creating,” she continued.
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She argued that Harrell hasn’t delivered results and that the Democratic Party can’t solve the city’s problems.
Savage, who has owned The Vajra, a shop on Broadway, since 1998, has gained attention for her vocal opposition to the city’s approach to addiction treatment and supportive housing, particularly in relation to the proposed Downtown Emergency Service Center facility on Belmont Ave.
This is a far cry from the spiritual and awakening-focused shop she has run for decades. Back in 2014, when The Vajra celebrated 25 years in business, Savage described the shop as a place for people seeking comfort and enlightenment.
“Everything in the shop is picked for its spiritual or awakening value,” she told The Capitol Hill Seattle Blog at the time.
“When people come in here, they’re seeking: They’re seeking comfort, they’re seeking enlightenment, and sometimes they don’t even know what they’re seeking, but they’re drawn in,” she added.
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Now, her mayoral platform has shifted to a more hardline approach. Savage promises to tackle the city’s addiction and mental illness crisis with a major crackdown, calling for police and prosecutors to arrest, charge, and convict anyone committing crimes on Seattle’s streets.
Alongside Savage, another Capitol Hill-connected candidate, Ry Armstrong, is making his bid for mayor. Armstrong, a former District 3 city council candidate, has entered the race and is the only challenger besides Harrell to report campaign contributions — just over $8,000. Armstrong, a labor leader, has made housing his top priority under the banner of “Armstrong for All.”
As the 2025 local elections approach, Harrell has announced he is seeking a second term. His reelection campaign focuses on themes of “common values.”
These values are “public safety solutions,” and “proven leadership to stand up for said values,” Harrell added.
