Attorney General
Election Results
Candidate | Votes | Pct |
---|---|---|
Bob Ferguson (D) | 1,792,793 | 67.56% |
Joshua B. Trumbull (L) | 860,922 | 32.44% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
About The Race
After a hard-fought battle for the attorney general position four years ago, incumbent Democrat Bob Ferguson didn’t even draw a Republican opponent this year. Instead, he’s facing Libertarian Joshua Trumbull, an Arlington attorney at a small firm. Trumbull is the first member of the Libertarian Party to be on the general election ballot for a statewide office since Washington went to the top-two primary system in 2008.
Ferguson has been in the news regularly, for major consumer protection cases against Comcast and Johnson & Johnson, a complaint against the U.S. Department of Energy challenging worker safety at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, and a major campaign finance case against opponents of the 2013 genetically modified foods initiative. He recently announced that he would push for legislation next year to ban the sale of semi-automatic military style rifles and large magazines.
Trumbull contends focusing on gun violence is the wrong way to go. Instead the state should focus on all violence and look at things that he said contribute to it, such as violent movies, television shows and video games. But he conceded that efforts to restrict those would become tied up in freedom of speech disputes, just as an assault weapon ban would generate a Second Amendment debate.
Asked how he would make the jump from a small practice to running what’s essentially the biggest law firm in the state, with more than 1,000 employees, 13 offices and 25 divisions, Trumbull said he believes good people are already in place. “I would set the direction and tone and rely on smart people to implement it.”
The Candidates
Bob Ferguson
- Party:
- Democratic
- Age:
- 59
- City:
- Seattle, Washington
Education: Graduated from Bishop Blanchette High School in Seattle in 1983. Earned bachelor’s from the University of Washington and law degree from New York University.
Work experience: Former law clerk for U.S. District Judge Frem Nielsen in Spokane and 8th Circuit Court of Appeals; attorney at Preston Gates Ellis.
Political experience: Elected King County Council 2003, re-elected 2007. Elected attorney general in 2012, re-elected 2016 and 2020.
Family: Married to Colleen Ferguson. Has two children.
Joshua B. Trumbull
- Party:
- Libertarian
- Age:
- 42
- City:
- Arlington, WA
Education: Snohomish High School, 2000; Everett Community College, A.A. finance; University of Washington B.A.; Seattle Univerity, MBA; Gonzaga University, law degree.
Work experience: Worked in auto parts store during college, sold cars while in law school; teller at Wells Fargo; real estate investor; intern, Spokane County prosecutor’s office; full-time practice in Arlington since 2012.
Political background: First run for office.
Complete Coverage
Federal judge in Seattle halts Trump immigration order
A federal judge in Seattle halted major portions of President Trump’s immigration restrictions Friday afternoon.
Washington sues to block Trump immigration order
Washington sued the federal government in an effort to block President Trump’s executive order restricting immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries.
Spokane area car dealership admits to sexual harassment, will pay $280,000
Spokane area car dealership Greenacres Motors agrees to pay fines and penalties after admitting that allegations of a pattern of sexual harassment by its former owner and employee, Monte L. Masingale, are true.
Kim Wyman to pay $10,000 over campaign finance violations
Secretary of state fined more than $10,000 for failing to report campaign contributions on time.
Legislature asked to abolish the death penalty in Washington
Bipartisan coalition seeks to end the death penalty in Washington
New office could offer free legal help to military, vets in Washington
Military members would get more access to legal help and stronger consumer protection under a pair of proposals the Legislature is considering.
Washington’s gun background check system needs fix, report says
Washington state’s system for conducting background checks on someone trying to buy a firearm is fragmented and “specific improvements” are needed.
Report: 450,000 residents impacted by data breaches
A new report from Washington state’s Attorney General’s Office says nearly a half a million residents were impacted by data breaches between July 2015 and July 2016.
Secretary of State Kim Wyman accused of campaign finance violations
Attorney General Bob Ferguson says that the campaign of Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman has violated the state’s campaign finance laws by failing to file disclosure reports on time.
Spokane Valley could become a Second Amendment sanctuary city under councilman’s proposal
A city councilman wants Spokane Valley to declare itself a Second Amendment sanctuary city and symbolically proclaim the city’s support for its citizens’ right to keep and bear arms.
AG Ferguson has experience edge
Bob Ferguson came into office promising to be a staunch protector of consumers, and he has taken on some powerful entities. He has also followed through on his vow to advocate for open government.
Libertarian hopes to wrest Washington AG’s office from Democrats
Democrat incumbent Bob Ferguson is running for a second term against Joshua Trumbull, an Arlington attorney and Libertarian.
Attorney general won’t file charges in police shooting case
The state on Thursday closed its investigation into the shooting death of a Mexican national by Pasco police, and concluded that no charges would be filed against the three officers involved.
Attorney general calls for ban of assault weapons
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is seeking legislation to ban the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, saying such weapons are designed for killing people and have no place in civilian use.
Man pleads guilty to murder in death of girlfriend along I-90
Manuel Argomaniz Camargo pleads guilty to grisly murder on Interstate 90
Washington attorney general’s office opposes Vancouver oil terminal
The Washington Attorney General’s Office has come out against a crude oil terminal being proposed in Vancouver.
VW to pay Washington $26 million for deceptive marketing of cars
VW to pay Washington, other states for deceptive marketing of “clean diesel” vehicles.
Supreme Court rejects Washington pharmacists’ appeal of Plan B rule
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court is allowing Washington state to require pharmacies to dispense Plan B or other emergency contraceptives, rejecting an appeal from pharmacists who said they have religious objections to providing the drugs. The justices’ order on Tuesday leaves in place rules first adopted in 2007 following reports that some women had been denied access to emergency contraceptives that are effective when taken within a few days of unprotected sex. Pharmacies must fill lawful prescriptions, but individual pharmacists with moral objections can refer patients to another pharmacist at the same store.
Washington, California sue over pelvic mesh implants
Washington state is suing Johnson & Johnson, saying that for more than a decade the company misrepresented the risks of vaginal mesh implants it sold.
GMO food labeling case ruling sought by attorney general
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is asking a judge to find that an Iowa-based group violated state campaign disclosure laws as it backed a 2013 food labeling initiative.