'There was only one right choice': Mayor Durkan announces she won't run for reelection in Seattle

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced she does not plan to run for reelection and will instead focus her efforts over the next year on the coronavirus pandemic and other challenges facing the city.

In a video, Durkan talked about some of the accomplishments she has had during her time in office, before explaining her decision not to run for office again.

"We know stopping the spread of the virus, protecting jobs and focusing on the economic recovery — especially for downtown — is going to take everything we’ve got," Durkan said in the video.

"As Mayor approaching the last year of my term, that meant a choice. I could spend the next year campaigning to keep this job or focus all my energy on doing the job. There was only one right choice for our city: doing the job. I have decided not to run for reelection because Seattle, we still have some tough months ahead."

Durkan first became mayor in 2017. Over the past several months, she has faced pushback for not doing enough in response to demands from protestors to cut funding to the Seattle Police Department and reinvest those funds in the community. She also faced a number of calls to resign over her handling of the protests that started over the summer fighting against police brutality and systemtic racism.

In the video, Durkan highlighted steps the city has taken since the start of the pandemic to help businesses and residents, including providing relief for businesses, opening free citywide testing sites and putting into place a moratorium on evictions.

Durkan said in the months ahead, she will put her efforts into helping to rebuild the city stronger.

"I will focus on leading our city as we plan to reopen and distribute a vaccine, support our workers and small businesses, continue reimagining community safety, and addressing challenges like the West Seattle Bridge, homelessness, and climate change," Durkan said.

"Together, we can get through this, and come back stronger, better and more equitable."

Gov. Jay Inslee in a statement praised Durkan for her work.

"Jenny has led through tumultuous times and made difficult decisions with grace and dignity," Inslee said in a statement. "She was a great partner through the COVID-19 pandemic and helped make Seattle a world-class place to live."

Council President M. Lorena González said she understood and respected the mayor's decision not to run for another term. González said she would continue working with Durkan over the next year to serve Seattle residents.

"During these unprecedented times, the Mayor and I have worked diligently to put City government on a path of productive and collaborative policymaking," she said in a statement. "Even during Mayor Durkan’s transition year, the Legislative and Executive branches will continue to work together to effectively address the most pressing issues facing the people of our city as we look to recover from COVID-19 and build an equitable, just, and climate-resilient Seattle."