Pete Serrano (R) and Nick Brown (D) advanced from Washington’s top-two primary for Attorney General

Pete Serrano (R) and Nick Brown (D) advanced from the top-two primary election for Attorney General of Washington on August 6, 2024. Three candidates ran in the election: Serrano, Brown, and Manka Dhingra (D).

Incumbent Bob Ferguson (D) is running for Governor of Washington, leaving the office open for the first time since 2012. According to the Washington State Standard, Ferguson “prides himself on the number of cases he’s brought, and won, against former President Donald Trump,” with the outlet reporting that candidates’ willingness to sue the federal government was possibly an important policy point for voters. During a debate, all three candidates said they would sue the federal government if necessary regardless of who the president is.

As a top-two primary, the two candidates who received the most votes advanced to the general election in November, regardless of party. According to The Cascadia Advocate, Democratic support for Brown and Dhingra was split, while Republican support for Serrano was unified. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) and former Washington Gov. Gary Locke (D) endorsed Brown, while Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs (D) and U.S. Rep Pramila Jayapal (D-Wa.) endorsed Dhingra.

Since Washington first held elections for attorney general using the state’s top-two primary system, candidates of opposing parties advanced to the general elections.

Serrano was an attorney and member of the Pasco City Council who assumed office in 2018 at the time of the election. He also served as mayor of Pasco, Washington, a position the city council nominates and elects. As mayor, Serrano said he had addressed drug usage and supported law enforcement to promote public safety and that he would continue those efforts statewide if elected. Serrano said he would “provide a much needed check on government overreach” and defend the Constitutional rights of Washington citizens, citing his support of accessing firearms. Referring to his experience as an environmental lawyer, Serrano said he would advocate for using clean energy in Washington and understood “the delicate balance between environmental conservation and effective regulation.” The Washington State Republican Party endorsed Serrano.

Brown was a lawyer who had served as the U.S. Attorney for Western Washington and general counsel for Inslee at the time of the election. He previously served as an officer in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Iraq. Brown said he would promote public safety by targeting gun violence, drug trafficking, and discrimination. Brown said that “we’ve seen the very foundations of our democracy come under attack” across the country and that he would protect voting rights. Brown said that “women’s health care is under particular attack in our country” and that he would defend abortion access.

Dhingra was a member of the Washington Senate who assumed office in 2017 at the time of the election. She previously worked as an attorney for King County, Washington, before being elected to the Legislature. Dhingra said she fought for public safety by defending survivors of human trafficking and by prosecuting violent crimes during her time as a prosecuting attorney. Dhingra said she supports workers’ rights and that she would “hold corporate polluters accountable [and] defend workers from unsafe conditions.” Dhingra said she supports a right to abortion access and would oppose efforts to change that, saying “all Washingtonians have the right to make our own healthcare decisions.”

Since 2021, Democrats have held the offices of governor, attorney general, and secretary of state in Washington, meaning the state has a Democratic triplex.

Ten states are holding elections for attorney general in 2024. As of July 2024, there were 27 Republican attorneys general, 22 Democratic attorneys general, and one independent attorney general.