Ferguson Takes Lead Over Dunn For Attorney General

Two members of the King County Council waged an aggressive battle for the Washington Attorney General’s Office. Initial results show Democrat Bob Ferguson with a nearly six-point lead. His opponent, Republican Reagan Dunn, says he’s still “in the hunt.”

By the time all the votes are counted, Dunn will likely be welcoming a new baby to his family as well.

Bob Ferguson and Reagan Dunn have had to work together on the King County Council while challenging one another for the Attorney General’s Office, in a race that attracted outside money and bitter attack ads.

The Republican State Leadership Committee spent nearly $3 million in attack ads against Ferguson. They criticized his work on behalf of a death row inmate.

A Democratic group, the Washington Committee for Justice and Fairness, responded by attacking Dunn for negotiating plea deals as a federal prosecutor.

Speaking to supporters on election night, Ferguson was jubilant over his lead in the face of the attack ads. “I want it written on my tombstone, ‘He defeated a Karl-Rove multi-million-dollar Super PAC attack!’” Ferguson said.

But Dunn told his supporters that he’s still in the race and needs to see more votes counted. Speaking to reporters, Dunn said he and Ferguson get along well and respect each other despite running tough campaigns.

“The national groups that we aren’t allowed to consult with had those pretty brutal ads back and forth,” Dunn said.

But Dunn’s wife Paige, who is pregnant with their second child and due any time, had to interrupt his election recap to say she was having contractions. “We have to go,” she informed him.

Dunn tried to quickly finish the interview, but a reporter gestured at Paige and said, “You’re having a baby!”

“I know, it’s right now. Right now,” Dunn answered before heading out with his family.

Dunn has already announced that their second child is a girl and that they plan to give her the middle name Jennifer after his mother, the late Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn.