Rantz: Burien voters rejected Seattle homelessness extremism and politicians

Voters in Burien resoundingly rejected Seattle extremism during last week’s election.

Homelessness was a top issue this election cycle. The city has been grappling with a growing crisis made worse by activists opposing sweeps. But the city has pursued a more measured approach with a camping ban that they’ll enforce against those who refuse offers of assistance. Burien City Council’s most radical member Cydney Moore, the lead voice aligned with activists, failed in her re-election campaign to nonprofit consultant Linda Akey. Candidates with similar viewpoints were also trounced like Moore.

Krystal Marx, a controversial former council member, was again rejected by the voters who previously booted her from office. When she was last in office, she allied with Moore to take the council in a radical direction. Small business owner Alex Andrade will now have the seat. And incumbent Kevin Schilling, who supported the camping ban, staved off opponent Patricia Hudson, a proponent of the failed housing first strategy.

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‘Election results were humbling’

Councilmember Stephanie Mora, who wasn’t up for re-election, is a moderate voice helping to lead the way on homelessness policy. But when dealing with recalcitrant activists on the council, the job isn’t easy. Now, she’ll presumably have two more allies as colleagues.

“The election results were humbling; I felt a significant weight lifted off my shoulders,” Mora told The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “It affirmed that everything I’ve been working towards is precisely what Burien wants – a move away from political ideologies, back to basics, back to common sense. For me, this signifies a slowing down of the influences from Seattle and King County, allowing us to put up boundaries and provide our homeless with the services they need to reclaim their lives. Our community can once again feel safe, knowing that the crime typically associated with encampments will decrease significantly.”

For Mora, the results proved that “a significant majority of voters are tired of the status quo and extreme political ideologies.”

The council still has its share of far-left activists with Sarah Moore and Huge Garcia. But now Mora is in a strong moderate majority, which should cut down on the in-fighting and dysfunction.

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A bellwether election?

This election may very well be a bellwether for things to come statewide.

These election results will not mean that the state suddenly turns red. And not all cities are ready for a more moderate approach to issues. Election results in Tacoma and Spokane indicate voters there are fine taking a hard left. But they will suffer a severe price for adopting Seattle-style politicians and policies.

But the Burien campaigns were focused almost entirely on two of the most significant issues facing the state: Homelessness and crime. And voters said ‘no’ to the politicians who you could see representing the most radical activists in Seattle. In fact, even Seattle voters said no to Seattle-style politics, with voters delivering a moderate majority to the council.

Mora now believes that “due to election results things can actually change for the better in Burien.” And the same will hopefully soon be the case for Seattle.

If voters start rejecting radical left candidates, that can only benefit the state. And it can also offer a roadmap to get more moderate Republicans into office in districts that have been traditionally difficult or too-close-for-comfort for Republicans.

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Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Check back frequently for more news and analysis.

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