After canceled debate, Mosqueda leads in King Co. District 8 race against Duda

Incumbent Teresa Mosqueda leads political newcomer Nick Duda in the latest returns for the King County Council District Eight seat. Current results show Mosqueda with 69.73% of the vote, compared to Duda at 29.55%.

What is significant about this race?

Although Mosqueda is running for re-election to her current elected position, the King County Council race is notable because the only public debate scheduled between the two candidates was canceled weeks before the election.

“It’s a bad day for democracy here in Seattle,” Duda said on Kiro Newsradio’s “The John Curley Show.” “Three and a half hours before our first and only debate, my opponent Teresa canceled, citing unexpected communication issues.”

Duda pointed out the debate had been scheduled for almost two weeks, and some voters would cast ballots before the candidates could meet again.

Mosqueda’s campaign

Mosqueda previously served as the District Eight representative from 2024 to 2026. In her re-election campaign, she noted her key priorities: public health and safety, investments in additional workforce and green housing, and ensuring working families gain access to stable childcare, transit, and living-wage jobs.

She previously served two terms as a Seattle City Councilmember and calls West Seattle home. Her ideals are rooted in eradicating causes of poverty and improving community health, as she has served as chair on both the Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee and the regional Board of Health.

“I am committed to defunding the police and using most of that money, 50%, ideally to invest back into communities that we fail,” Mosqueda said in 2020 while discussing police funding, as reported by KIRO Newsradio.

Duda’s campaign

Duda ran for the King County Council District Eight position with goals such as investing in public safety, treatment and recovery goals for those experiencing homelessness, and creating reliable transit that supports whole neighborhoods.

Duda wrote on his campaign website, “My opponent has been elected to office for 9 years. During her time, open-air drug markets have grown exponentially in the CID, trafficking flourished on Aurora, businesses left our region, and hundreds of millions of dollars were spent.”

Duda is originally from Detroit and labels himself as a “Seattle moderate” or “non-ideological liberal.”

Washington’s county-level election results must be officially certified by Nov. 24. according to the Secretary of State website.

Read more of Regan Gallo-Fenz’s stories here. Submit news tips here.