The 5th Brings Back The Mullet

Issaquah businessman Mark Mullet will continue to represent Washington's 5th Legislative district in the state senate.  Sources report that opponent Chad Magendanz has conceded in one of the closest races in the state.  Mullet becomes the first Democrat to be reelected in the relatively recently formed 5th.  In the 1990s, Kathleen Drew was elected to the senate but was defeated in her bid for a second term by Dino Rossi.
Magendanz, tried to portray Mullet as too liberal for the 5th, which by tradition has voted Republican.  Mullet emphasized his ability to compromise and to reach across the aisle.  Democrats has good showings in the two house of representative races, showing the 5th may be getting closer to being a swing district. 

Cantwell Issaquah Visit II

US Senator Maria Cantwell poses with 41st LD State Senate candidate Lisa Wellman (left),  41st State House member Tana Senn, and 5th District State Senator Mark Mullet.  Cantwell headlined a Meet And Greet fundraiser at the Issaquah Brewhaus last Sunday.

Candidates For Legislature Will Debate Thursday

While the Clinton-Trump debates have been taking up the most attention, Maple Valley will get to see local candidates for 5th District Legislature.  The Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber Of Commerce will hold a candidate forum this Thursday, October 20th at 6:45pm at the Rock Creek Elementary School gym. 
Candidates for senate, Democratic Mark Mullet (top) will face off against Republican Chad Magendanz (bottom) who currently serves in the house.
Also Democrat Jason Ritchie will challenge long time Republican house member Jay Rodne.
Democrat Darcy Burner will face Republican Paul Graves for the house seat that is being vacated by  Magendanz.
This is a chance to support your candidate or for undecided voters to learn about these candidate's who potentially hold the future of our region in their hands.

Mullet Address The Dems

 State Senator Mark Mullet explains the goings on in the legislature to the 5 District Democrats during their monthly meeting in Issaquah.  Mullet, the first Democrat that the 5th has elected in nearly 20 years, will surely face a tough reelection in 2016.
The 5th also endorsed Port Commissioner Courtney Gregoire for reelection and State House Member Zack Hudgins for County Elections Director, which has recently become an elected position.

Martin Chaney Chosen Chair At 5th Dem Reorganization Meeting.

Martin Chaney (above) is the new chair of the 5th Democrats.  The body, which helped elect it's first Democratic legislator in almost 20 years in 2012 when Mark Mullet won a state senate seat, chose Chaney over sitting chair Jim Baum.  Chaney was chair of  the 45th until  he was redistricted. Former 8th district congressional candidate, Darcy Burner, also a member of the 5th by redistricting was voted secretary.  I kept my position of  state committeeman , although by a one vote margin. Jennifer Sutton, who had stepped down from her position as state committeewoman a couple years ago, was elected to return to that positon.
Konrad Roeder was reelected as treasurer. In addition, Essie Hicks was chosen as first vice chair, Barb Olson as 2nd vice chair. Colin Alexander and Ava Frisinger were chosen to represent the 5th at King County. Thank you to 8th CD candidate Jason Ritchie placing my name in nomination.

Senator Elect Mark Mullet

Issaquah City Councilman Mark Mullet has been a elected to the state senate, he becomes the first Democrat to represent Washington's 5th Legislative district in 20 years. Mullet, a former Bank Of America executive, is owner of  Zeke's Pizza and Ben And Jerry's Ice Cream franchises in the Issaquah Highlands.  He was written about in the Seattle Times a few years ago for being the first Washington resident to purchase a Tesla, an all electric car.

Mark Mullet For State Senate

Mark Mullet is the right choice for State Senator from Washington's 5th Legislative District.  Mark is a small business owner and an Issaquah City Councilman who bill himself as a fiscal Conservative and a social Liberal, those qualities define the make up of the 5th District.  Mark has an across the board apeal that can potentially bring together all sides.  Mark's opponent Brad Toft comes across as an ideologue with no experience of bringing sides together.  He was flung into the process when incumbent Cheryl Pflug left the Senate after taking a job with the State Growth Management Board,  anger by district Republicans at Pflug's sudden departure from the race hardly cannot be seen as confidence in Toft's ability to serve in that position.

Seattle Times Endorses Mullet For Senate

Washington's 5th Legislative District, one of the last of the totally red districts in King County, could be electing a Democrat for the first time in almost 20 years.  Incumbent Cheryl Pflug, a Republican, has left the race and endorsed what would have been her Democratic Opponent Mark Mullet, an Issaquah city councilman.  Mullet was also endorsed by the usually right-leaning Seattle Times.
Mullet own's a Zeek's Pizza franchise, along with a Ben And Jerry's Ice Cream franchise in the Issaquah Highlands.

Cheryl Pflug Leaving Senate

 Republican Senator Cheryl Pflug from Maple Valley, who has represented the 5th district in the state legislature for almost as long as I have resided here, is moth-balling her campaign signs and leaving her position to take a job on the State Growth Management Board.  Pflug began her legislative career in 1998, when she replaced Phil Dyer in the Washington House Of Representatives.  She may have lost support amongst many in her own party when she became one of only 4 Republican senators to support marriage equality.
Pflug was appointed to her new position by Democratic Governor Cristine Gregoire.  It could open up an opportunity for the 5th to get it's first Democratic Representative since  Senator Kathleen Drew was defeated in 1996.  Issaquah City Council Mark Mullet has launched a strong campaign in what was to be an attempt to defeat incumbent Pflug.  Snoqualmie businessman Brad Toft is the lone Republican running for the Senate in the 5th.

Mullet Kicks Off Senate Campaign

So either Issaquah Councilman Mark Mullet's campaign for State Senate in the Washington's  5th Legislative District is off to a great start or Issaquah Highlands residents wanted free pizza.  A packed house gathered at Issaquah's Blakely Hall to meet Mullet, who is challenging Republican Cheryl Pflug for the position.  Mullet says that he is a fiscal Conservative and a social Liberal making him a good fit for the 5th  As the owner of two local franchise's, Ben And Jerry's and Zeke's Pizza, he has a good understanding of what it takes to run a small business.
The 5th district has been represented solely by Republicans since Democratic Senator Katherine Drew was defeated in 1996 by Dino Rossi.  Rossi at the time became the rising star in his party.  No doubt, if Mullet can defeat Senator Pflug, he would be a candidate to watch in the Democratic Party.

Mullet Will Challenge Pflug For Senate Seat

In 2009, Mark Mullet was elected to the Issaquah City Council without opposition, now Mullet would like to represent the new drawn 5th Legislative District in the State Senate and will have to face a twice elected incumbant.
The Issaquah Press reports that Mullet, a Democrat, has announced that he will challenge two term Senator Cheryl Pflug.   Pflug is a Republican in what is widely considered a conservative leaning rural district.  It will not be the first time that Pflug a Maple Valley resident and an RN, has faced an elected official.  In 2004, Pflug defeated Sammamish Mayor Kathy Huckabay.  Sammamish will no longer be part of the 5th if the state's new redistricting plan is implemented. 
Mullet is the owner of a Zeek's Pizza Franchise in the Issaquah Highlands, he also owns a Ben And Jerry's. He is  a former manging director for the Bank Of America.  His Father, Steve, was formerly the mayor of Tukwila.