Intriguing polling in the 5th LD

Plus AG candidates weigh in on the public disclosure and some recommended reading

A reader out in East King County passed us a poll this week that turned out to be a medium-deep dive into how voters in the 5th Legislative District—which includes Issaquah, Snoqualmie, and swathes of forest land—feel about the candidates for three seats in the Legislature on the ballot this fall. 

The 5th was once solid Republican territory—Dino Rossi launched his almost-successful 2004 bid for governor from the Senate seat—but the district has been trending D since moderate Democrat Mark Mullet won it as Rossi headed for the exit in 2012. Democrats flipped both House seats in 2018, which was a really bad year for Republicans. Democrats held those seats in 2020, but here’s an interesting wrinkle: Republicans stayed out of Mullet’s reelection fight and let him defend the seat against a challenger from the left. So exactly how safe it is for Democrats is a little murky.