In the race for Washington Supreme Court, Position 2, one leading candidate has mostly Democratic endorsements and the other has mostly Republican nods. That’s disappointing because the job is supposed to be nonpartisan and justice is supposed to be blind.
That’s not to say that Sal Mungia, the Democratic endorsement magnet, and Dave Larson aren’t qualified and committed to jurisprudence and public service. They are, but their paths have been different. Voters are lucky to have a choice between candidates who each have demonstrated contributions to the legal system and their communities, but Mungia earns the endorsement. He is endorsed by eight of the current nine Supreme Court justices.
Though never a judge, Mungia has been a high-powered lawyer at the Tacoma firm of Gordon Thomas Honeywell with stints as president of the Washington State Bar Association and the Western States Bar Conference. He’s passionate about civil rights and ensuring all people have access to legal counsel. He has been a cooperating counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union. And he has been a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs.
Dave Larson has been a municipal court judge since 2008 after practicing mostly civil law in state and federal courts for 23 years. Before becoming a judge, he was the president of the Federal Way School Board. His passion has been making courts work better for people. He is a member of the Therapeutic Courts Committee of the District and Municipal Court Judges Association. He played a role in writing legislation that improved how people who had proceedings in different lower courts could better navigate the system.
The two other candidates, by comparison, do not have near the breadth of experience.
The Times editorial board recommends Sal Mungia for Supreme Court, Position 2.
