OLYMPIA, Wash. — Democrat Nick Brown is the projected to be Washington’s new attorney general, based on his lead over Republican Pete Serrano in early results.
Brown’s legal career spans 22 years. He’s worked as a private attorney, as a judge advocate general officer in the U.S. Army and as lead council for Gov. Jay Inslee. Brown has also been a U.S. attorney for western Washington.
On social media, Brown thanked supporters on Wednesday.
"Thank you, Washington, for giving me the opportunity to further serve this incredible state," he wrote on X. "As your Attorney General, I promise to work every day to keep people safe, and protect our state from anything that threatens our values and rights."
Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday said Brown will "be a dynamic attorney general."
"Washingtonians have only seen a preview of Nick’s potential as a fighter for justice," Inslee wrote in an official statement.
The attorney general is the chief legal officer of Washington state. The AG is responsible for serving as legal counsel to the governor, state officials and state boards, and defending state officials for actions taken in office, among other duties.
Brown has said his priorities are to address the state’s housing shortage and to improve police morale statewide, Brown said.
Serrano is the mayor of Pasco and has served on the city council since 2018. He has sued Inslee and the federal government for pandemic-related restrictions and mandates, and founded a nonprofit to challenge Washington’s gun laws.
If elected, Serrano promised to advocate for legislation charging fentanyl dealers with felonies and up the penalties for adults who allow their children access to illegal drugs.
Outgoing attorney general Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, is projected to be Washington’s next governor, defeating Republican Dave Reichert.
All elected state executives serve a four-year term.