Ed Murray will leave House, run for Senate

OLYMPIA — Democratic Rep. Ed Murray of Seattle is leaving the House and his powerful position as chairman of the House Transportation Committee to run for the state Senate against a longtime incumbent.

Murray, who represents the 43rd District, said he can be more effective in the Senate in taking on issues such as transportation, education, and marriage equality for gays and lesbians.

"I recognize it as a huge risk, and potentially ending my political career. But I feel so strongly about the issues and about having a gay or lesbian person in the Senate ... that I'm willing to take that risk," said Murray, a gay lawmaker. "Politics is not just about being safe."

He's running for the Senate seat currently held by state Sen. Pat Thibaudeau, D-Seattle. It's unusual for incumbent legislators from the same district to fight over an office.

But it's not the first time Murray and Thibaudeau have faced off.

The two lawmakers ran for the same Senate seat in 1995 after the death of former state Sen. Cal Anderson, a friend and mentor of Murray's. Thibaudeau won and Murray went on to run for the House.

The 43rd District — which includes Capitol Hill, Wallingford, the University District and parts of Fremont — is overwhelmingly Democratic. Winning the primary is tantamount to winning the election.

Thibaudeau said she wished Murray wasn't running against her, but added that "he told me some time ago he was going to run. I wasn't surprised. Everybody has a right to run.

"He's done a good job in the House. I think I've done a good job," she said.

Thibaudeau, 73, was first elected to the state House in 1992 and has been in the Senate since 1995. She serves on five committees, but currently does not chair a committee.

Murray, 50, has served in the House since 1995 and worked his way to become chair of the Transportation Committee, one of the most powerful positions in the Legislature.

Murray was a key player in pushing through an $8.5 billion transportation tax package last year, which included the largest gas-tax increase in state history.

He's also considered the lawmaker largely responsible for pushing through a gay-rights law this year, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. Murray championed the law for more than a decade, picking up where Anderson left off.

"I think Murray is at the top of his game right now. He's done about everything he can do in the House. So for him the timing is probably right, but whenever you take on an incumbent it's an uphill battle," said Sen. Erik Poulsen, D-Seattle, a friend of Murray's who has worked with him in the Legislature since 1995.

"Murray will have to work harder than he's ever worked in his life to win that seat," Poulsen said. "It's no slam dunk. He could very well be out of the Legislature by the end of the year."

Murray said he expects most of the Senate Democrats to support Thibaudeau "because that is the usual custom."

Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, said that "as a basic philosophy we stick with our incumbents."

However, Prentice noted the situation "is very difficult because both of them are good friends. That's as far as I care to go."

House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, commended Murray for everything he has accomplished in the House, but also said she had mixed feelings about the race. "It's difficult to see him run against Pat Thibaudeau," she said.

Already, a half-dozen Democrats have lined up to run for Murray's House seat, and the highly sought Transportation Committee chairmanship is now up for grabs.

Thibaudeau said Murray poses the most serious challenge she's had for her office. Murray has shown in the past he's capable of raising large sums of money for his campaign. He currently has about $35,000 in contributions, according to state records.

Thibaudeau has about $2,900, but said, "I think I can raise money. I've talked to people who are very supportive and have a fair amount of resources to contribute."

She also said she's planning to put her own money into the race.

Murray said he's running for the Senate because the chamber has often been a barrier to legislation he's advocated, such as gay rights. Senate Republicans repeatedly blocked the law until this past session.

If an openly gay lawmaker had been a member of the Senate "then the civil-rights bill would have passed years ago," he said.

Andrew Garber: 360-943-9882 or agarber@seattletimes.com