Not Just New York: Seattle's Own Mamdani Has Residents Worried

While national attention has focused on New York City’s incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani, Seattle has been quietly preparing for its own leftward turn, following the election of self-described democratic socialist Katie Wilson as mayor.

Wilson, a progressive activist and head of the Transit Riders Union nonprofit, narrowly defeated incumbent Democratic mayor Bruce Harrell on Election Day, making him the fourth consecutive Seattle mayor to serve only one term. Like Mamdani, Wilson has openly embraced the socialist label, while insisting she is not driven by ideology alone. “Yes, I am a socialist,” she said earlier this year. “I’m not out here waving a socialist flag… but yes, I’m fine with being called a socialist.”

Wilson’s policy agenda closely mirrors proposals gaining traction among progressive leaders in other major cities. She has floated the idea of government-run grocery stores, endorsed higher taxes on businesses and wealthy residents, and argued that voters “want to tax the rich.” She has also pledged to “Trump-proof” Seattle by expanding protections for immigrants and LGBT communities.

A central pillar of her platform is the creation of city-owned apartment blocks, funded by new tax revenue and modeled after Vienna’s social housing system. Wilson has also called for universal child care and promised to add 4,000 new shelter units as part of an expanded approach to homelessness.

Public safety remains one of the most contentious issues surrounding her election. Wilson has a history of harsh criticism of policing, including a 2020 op-ed in which she argued there was “a strong argument for simply disbanding police departments and starting over.” During the mayoral campaign, however, she walked back calls to defund the police and said she would maintain funding and continue officer recruitment incentives introduced under Harrell.

At the same time, Wilson has expressed strong support for Seattle’s Community Assisted Response and Engagement program, which sends social workers to handle certain crisis calls. She has said she wants the program to operate independently, rather than alongside police officers as required under the current police union contract.

Wilson was also sharply critical of Harrell’s approach to homelessness, particularly his aggressive use of encampment sweeps. Harrell oversaw more removals than his four predecessors combined. Wilson has said she would significantly scale back those operations.

Her victory capped a broader progressive sweep in Seattle. Progressive candidates won all three city council seats up for election, and Erika Evans defeated incumbent city attorney Ann Davison in a landslide, removing the city’s only Republican holding citywide office.

Supporters see Wilson’s win as a mandate for transformative change. Critics warn it signals another turn away from enforcement-based governance in a city already struggling with crime, homelessness, and public disorder. With Seattle set to host World Cup events in 2026, the new leadership’s approach will face an early and highly visible test.