Seattle Mayor McGinn embraces underdog role in fight for re-election

From the polls to the pundits, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn remains a heavy underdog in his bid for re-election. And the mayor is embracing it.

“Here’s the deal: the pundits don’t decide the election. Neither does money, thank God. If money had decided elections I would have been clobbered every time,” said McGinn in an interview Monday with Jason Rantz on KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show.

McGinn trails state Sen. Ed Murray on nearly every count, especially in the amount of money raised.

“The piles of money going to my opponent are amazing. The Chamber of Commerce poured over $50,000 into his campaign,” McGinn lamented.

And Murray continues picking up key endorsements, including Monday’s backing by the Seattle Fire Fighters union. But McGinn emphasized he’s got plenty of strong backing from a number of important groups.

“I’ve been endorsed by hotel workers, restaurant workers, grocery store workers, communities of color, neighborhood leaders. And I’ll go with the people not the dollars,” he said.

While both are considered extremely liberal, McGinn said he’s clearly the more progressive candidate, as evidenced by his work opposing coal trains, pushing transit, green buildings, paid sick leave, increasing the minimum wage and other issues. But he insisted despite the business community getting behind Murray, he’s not anti-business.

“I like to say I’m pro-business, I’m just not pro-business as usual.”