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Former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan in Seattle mayor’s race

In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 29, 2014, U.S Attorney for Western Washington Jenny Durkan smiles as she speaks with a reporter in her office in Seattle. Durkan on Friday formally announced her candidacy for Seattle mayor. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
Associated Press

SEATTLE – Jenny Durkan, the former U.S. attorney for Western Washington, is running for Seattle mayor.

Durkan formally announced her candidacy on Friday. The 58-year-old has long been a fixture in Democratic politics in Washington state.

She was known as a formidable litigator before being picked in the first wave of President Barack Obama’s U.S. attorney appointments. She was on the team that successfully represented the state Democratic Party when Republicans challenged the results of the 2004 gubernatorial election, which Chris Gregoire won after two recounts.

Durkan and the Justice Department pushed Seattle into a settlement that overhauled the police department’s training, procedures and record-keeping, all aimed at reducing unnecessary uses of force and curbing biased policing.

Incumbent Mayor Ed Murray was expected to easily win re-election, but he announced this week he wouldn’t run again following allegations by four men that he sexually abused them as teens. Murray has vehemently denied those claims.

In addition to Durkan, other high-profile candidates include former Mayor Mike McGinn, community activist Nikkita Oliver, urban planner Cary Moon, state Sen. Bob Hasegawa and state Rep. Jessyn Farrell.