Socialist Katie Wilson won Seattle's 2025 mayoral race with 55% of the vote, defeating incumbent Bruce Harrell.

Katie Wilson, a self-described socialist and political newcomer, won Seattle’s 2025 mayoral election with 55% of the vote, defeating incumbent Bruce Harrell. Her victory, fueled by a grassroots campaign that rejected large donations, focused on housing affordability, homelessness, and wealth inequality. Wilson, a former busker and construction worker, advocated for redirecting vacant subsidized units, expanding social housing, and higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations like Amazon. Despite a financial disadvantage and opposition from establishment Democrats and business leaders, she gained support by framing Harrell as beholden to elite interests. Her win reflects a national trend of progressive upsets, particularly among younger voters skeptical of high-budget political ads. Wilson, who will earn $230,000 annually, announced she will no longer rely on her parents for childcare, marking a personal milestone.