It’ll be back to Olympia next year for Des Moines Democrat Dave Upthegrove as the new state Commissioner of Public Lands after leaving the Legislature a dozen years ago to become a King County Council member.
Upthegrove defeated Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler with 52.88% (1,836,388 votes) to 46.89% (1,628,286 votes), according to results released Nov. 11 by the Washington Secretary of State.
Upthegrove has represented District 5, which includes parts of Kent, on the county council since 2014. Voters elected Upthegrove to a third, four-year term on the council in 2021. He defeated Shukri Olow, of Kent, with 63.9% of the vote. Prior to council, he represented the 33rd District, which includes parts of Kent, in the Legislature from 2002 to 2013…