Dave Upthegrove leads race for WA commissioner of public lands

Dave Upthegrove , a Democrat, leads Republican challenger Jaime Herrera Beutler in the race for Washington commissioner of public lands in the November 2024 election .

As of 5:10 p.m., Upthegrove is leading with 53.3% of the vote, while Herrera Beutler has 46.7% of the vote.

The Washington commissioner of public lands is elected every four years, and is responsible for overseeing the state's Department of Natural Resources, which manages environmental protection efforts.

Upthegrove is a member of the LGBT community, works as Chair of King County Council and was recently honored as Legislator of the Year by the Washington Conservation Voters. He has also spent 12 years representing the working-class suburbs of South King County in the State House of Representatives.

Herrera Beutler, Upthegrove's opponent, served in the U.S. Congress from 2011 to 2023 and gained recognition for her work in forest management, wildfire prevention and wildlife habitat protection. She also served in the Washington State House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010.

Upthegrove says he's committed to providing dedicated leadership for the management of the state's six million acres of public lands. He emphasized the importance of protecting forests, coastal areas and recreational spaces to enhance quality of life and combat climate change.

Upthegrove spent months engaging with grassroots conservation leaders to discuss a forward-looking climate protection agenda and has drawn on his experience as a lifelong environmentalist and advocate for social justice. He aims to be a candidate with strong environmental values and relevant experience, focusing on the needs of Washington's public lands rather than using the position as a stepping stone to higher office.

In the primary election, Upthegrove was in a tight race against Republican challenger Sue Kuehl Pederson to advance to the general election. The disparity between the two was originally 51 votes, making it the closest primary race in state history.

After a 39-county manual recount, Upthegrove ended up winning by just 49 votes. He now leads in the general election race by over 170,000 votes. The Associated Press has not yet called the race.

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