Washington state Sen. Joe Fain concedes to Democratic challenger Mona Das

OLYMPIA – In a tough campaign season for King County Republicans and with the cloud of a rape allegation hanging over him, Washington state Sen. Joe Fain on Friday night conceded the 47th District election to Democratic challenger Mona Das.

In Friday’s updated vote tally, Fain, first elected in 2010, trailed Das on 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent.

In a Facebook post Friday, Fain congratulated Das, described a rewarding career in Olympia and called for more compromise in politics.

“During my time in office, I tried to be a bridge between parties and ideologies,” he wrote. “Our modern political culture creates plenty of partisan warriors but far too few diplomats. For our State and Country to thrive, we must start listening to one another with open minds and open hearts.”

Fain did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

A Republican from Auburn, Fain built a reputation as a moderate and influential lawmaker, playing a key role in the passage of Washington’s paid-family leave law.

But in late September, a Seattle woman stepped forward to say that Fain raped her while they were both in Washington, D.C., one night in 2007.

Fain has denied the allegation, and both he and the woman, Candace Faber, have said they want an investigation.

A state Senate committee Thursday commissioned an outside investigation into the allegation – but it’s unclear if that will go forward given his defeat.

Fain also faced an election year in which voters went for Democratic challengers and unseated several other King County Republicans.

Das owns a mortgage business and lives in Covington. She has campaigned on a platform of working for affordable housing and using new revenue to reduce car-tab fees for low-income people.