The race for Seattle City Attorney is turning into one of the more interesting races to watch after yesterday’s primary. The importance of this position cannot be overstated. The city attorney is responsible for ensuring that criminals are prosecuted. As KOMO News put it,  “concerns about crime, safety and repeat offenders are a driving force in the Seattle City Attorney’s race.”

According to the Seattle Times, “three-term Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes is in deep trouble, as challengers to his right and left ran strong. In Tuesday night returns, challenger Ann Davison, a Republican who accuses Holmes of being soft on street crime, led with nearly 35% of the vote. Holmes was in second place — barely — with nearly 33%. Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, a former public defender who favors halting most prosecutions, was at 32%.”

The crime plaguing Seattle will continue if criminals know they are unlikely to face consequences for their actions. Seattle Police, already facing a staffing crisis, will continue to leave in frustration that the people they arrest are often released without action. No matter who serves in this critical position, it’s time to be clear that there will be consequences to committing theft or violence. We will be watching this race closely.