OLYMPIA, Wash. — For the first time in 12 years Washington voters will select a new state Supreme Court justice.
They have two distinct candidates to choose from. Federal Way Municipal Court Judge Dave Larson is facing-off with longtime attorney Sal Mungia.
Larson, who has run for the state Supreme Court before, has been critical of the court’s rulings on COVID-19 vaccine mandates, determining the state’s capital gains tax was legal, and the decision to throw out the state’s drug possession law in 2021.
Mungia, an attorney for 40 years, said the state’s high court made the right call on the capital gains tax and the drug law.
The position is non-partisan, and neither party has formally endorsed a candidate, but state Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh said the party is recommending voters support Larson.
A spokesperson for the state Democratic Party said it is supporting Mungia’s candidacy.
Both candidates said they would rule without being biased toward a party.
“My whole position as a lawyer has always been to represent my clients. As a judge, I will remain neutral. I have to do that. That's the position,” said Mungia.
Larson agreed, “When something gets in the judiciary, there should be a sigh of relief that it's in a place that's not political, and it's going to make decisions that will help people move on and solve problems."
Mungia is proud to have received the endorsement of eight of the nine sitting judges.
“Sal should be the guy,” said Mungia, summarizing the majority opinion of the justices.
But Larson said those endorsements weren’t necessarily a negative for his campaign.
“Are the people going to select who the justices want or who the people need?,” asked Larson.
Current Justice Susan Owens is stepping down from the bench because she has reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.