If you’ve lived in Washington for more than five minutes, you know that our politics usually follow a pretty predictable rhythm. But the Washington state attorney general election of 2024? That was different. For the first time in over a decade, we weren't just checking a box for Bob Ferguson. With Ferguson moving upstairs to the Governor’s mansion, the seat for the state’s "top cop" was wide open, and the fight to fill it was, frankly, a lot more intense than people expected.
The race basically turned into a referendum on what an Attorney General (AG) should even do. Is the office a legal shield for the state's liberal policies? Or should it be a strictly "by the book" advisory body?
The Reality of the Nick Brown Victory
Nick Brown won. It wasn't a nail-biter in the end, but the 56% to 44% margin over Republican Pete Serrano tells a story about a state that is deeply divided along the Cascades. Brown, a former U.S. Attorney for Western Washington, stepped into the role in January 2025 as the state's 19th Attorney General.
Honestly, his resume is kind of wild. He was a JAG officer in the Army, a Harvard Law grad, and—the trivia fact everyone loves—a contestant on Survivor: The Australian Outback. But in the world of the Washington state attorney general election, his most important credential was his time as general counsel to Governor Jay Inslee.
Brown campaigned on a platform that felt like a direct continuation of the Ferguson era. He talked about defending abortion access, doubling down on gun control, and using the office to sue the federal government if it overstepped. For voters in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, that was exactly what they wanted to hear.
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Why Pete Serrano Made it Close
Pete Serrano, the Mayor of Pasco and a lawyer for the Silent Majority Foundation, didn't just fade into the background. He actually led the primary with 42% of the vote. That sent a shockwave through the Democratic establishment. Serrano’s pitch was simple: the AG’s office has become too "activist."
He argued that the office should focus on advising state agencies rather than picking fights in DC or pushing for new legislation. He leaned hard into his opposition to Washington's strict gun laws, like the ban on "assault weapons," which he’s actively fought in court.
Even though Serrano lost the general, he won the vast majority of Washington's counties. If you look at a map of the Washington state attorney general election results, it’s a sea of red with a few deep blue islands. Those islands just happen to be where all the people live.
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The Big Issues That Decided Everything
Public safety was the big one. Everyone is tired of the fentanyl crisis and the rise in retail theft. Brown and Serrano both talked about it, but their solutions were worlds apart.
- Gun Control: Brown supported the state’s current bans and wanted more "common sense" legislation. Serrano viewed these laws as unconstitutional and basically promised to stop defending them in court.
- Abortion Access: This was a huge "litmus test" issue. Brown promised to use the AG’s power to protect out-of-state patients seeking care in Washington. Serrano, while personally anti-abortion, said he’d treat it as "settled law" but wouldn't necessarily use state resources to fight other states' bans.
- The Worker Rights Unit: One of Brown’s first big moves after taking office in 2025 was launching a dedicated Worker Rights Unit. This was a core promise during the election—to go after wage theft and corporate "bad actors" more aggressively than before.
A Historic First
We should probably talk about the fact that Nick Brown is the first Black person to ever hold this office in Washington. In a state that prides itself on being progressive, it’s a milestone that took a long time to reach. During his victory speech at the Seattle Convention Center, he made it clear that "the people's advocate" isn't just a title—it's how he intends to run the 800+ attorneys under his command.
What Most People Get Wrong About the AG
A lot of folks think the AG is just the state's lawyer. Sorta true, but it's more complicated. They represent over 230 state agencies. If the Department of Ecology gets sued? The AG handles it. If the Governor wants to know if a new law is constitutional? They ask the AG.
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In the Washington state attorney general election, Serrano argued that the AG shouldn't be a "policy maker." But the reality is that in Washington, the AG has historically used the Consumer Protection Act to bring in millions of dollars in settlements from big pharma and tech companies. Brown has no intention of stopping that.
Actionable Insights for Washingtonians
The election is over, but the impact is just starting to hit the ground in 2026. Here is what you need to keep an eye on:
- Watch the Courts: Since Brown is committed to defending the state’s gun and environmental laws, expect a lot of high-profile litigation to continue in the 9th Circuit.
- Consumer Protection: If you feel like you’ve been scammed by a company, the AG’s office is more active now than ever. You can file complaints directly on their website—they actually read them.
- The Shield Law: If you're involved in reproductive healthcare, know that the "Shield Law" (which protects against out-of-state subpoenas) is being vigorously defended by the current administration.
- Local Impact: If you live in Eastern Washington, the tension between local law enforcement and the state AG’s office isn't going away. Watch how your local sheriffs interact with state-level mandates on things like police pursuits and drug enforcement.
The Washington state attorney general election wasn't just another race on the ballot. It was a choice between two completely different philosophies of law. With Nick Brown now a year into his term, we’re seeing that "activist" or "advocate" label play out in real-time through every lawsuit and policy memo that comes out of Olympia.