Who'll finish Sims' term? Maneuvering begins

Ron Sims' announcement that he has accepted a job in the Obama administration set off a fresh round of political maneuvering Monday over who should succeed him as King County executive.

The first fight will be over whom the County Council appoints to finish out Sims' term — through the end of the year — and whether that person should simply be a temporary caretaker or someone who wants to campaign to keep the job for the next four years.

Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Phillips, who formally announced his candidacy for county executive last week, said at the time he would seek the appointment if Sims left.

But political rivalries could make it impossible for Phillips to get the five-vote council majority he needs.

Democratic Council Chairman Dow Constantine — who hasn't ruled out running for executive himself — said Monday he's heard from a majority of council members that they'd prefer to appoint a competent manager who only wants the job temporarily.

"I think the demands of the job this year would make it very difficult for a full-time candidate to be a full-time executive," Constantine said. "That will leave it to the citizens of King County to decide who should represent them as their executive for the next four years."

Sims, who has chafed at fellow Democrat Phillips' increasingly aggressive criticisms over the past few months, also came out in favor of a temporary caretaker for his office. He told reporters that appointing someone who plans to run in November would give that candidate an unfair "head start" in the election.

Sims had a strikingly different view back in 1996, when as a County Council member he campaigned to be appointed county executive to succeed Gary Locke, who had been elected governor. Sims got the appointment and won election the next year to his first full term.

"It is interesting that Ron would try to control this a little bit on the way out the door," Phillips said.

Washington State Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz called the "caretaker" idea a cop-out.

"We need someone who is chosen because they are able to govern, not because they agree not to govern for too long," said Pelz, a former County Council member who was appointed to replace Sims on the council when Sims moved up to the executive job.

In any case, Phillips is likely to have more competition in the election now that Sims has decided to step aside.

Democratic County Councilmember Bob Ferguson said he will decide within a few weeks whether to run. But he has 11-month-old twins and may pass. Ferguson also has been mentioned as a possible candidate for state attorney general in a few years if Republican Rob McKenna runs for governor.

Another possible candidate is state Sen. Fred Jarrett, D-Mercer Island, who said he has been approached by people who want him to run. Jarrett, who switched from Republican to Democrat in 2007, would be at a short-term disadvantage because he can't raise campaign money while the Legislature is in session.

County Councilmembers Julia Patterson, a Democrat, and Republican Kathy Lambert, and state Sen. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, also have been mentioned as possible candidates for the job, which will become nonpartisan because of a change to the county charter.

Details about how the County Council will choose an immediate successor to Sims have not been announced. Constantine said Monday that council members will meet with business, labor and political leaders to get suggestions. (Sims' appointment is subject to U.S. Senate confirmation, and he will not resign until that occurs, a spokeswoman said.)

While the appointee will face a public hearing at some point, Constantine said it's not likely the council would throw open the job to a cattle call as the Seattle City Council did to fill a vacancy in 2006. That vacancy attracted nearly 100 applicants, a list whittled down over several weeks before Sally Clark got the appointment.

Constantine declined to speculate on who might be a likely caretaker appointment for Sims' job.

Names such as former Seattle Mayor Charles Royer were already being floated Monday.

Royer said he was not actively seeking the appointment but acknowledged the notion "tickled me a little bit."

He added: "I'd be perfect for the job in one respect — there is no way I would run for office."

Jim Brunner: 206-515-5628 or jbrunner@seattletimes.com