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Candidates outline different priorities at Washington attorney general forum
Summary
At a League of Women Voters forum at WSU Tri‑Cities, Pete Serrano, Nick Brown and Manka Dhingra presented competing visions for the attorney general’s office, focusing on public safety, transparency, consumer protection and enforcement of state rights against federal actions ahead of the August primary.
A League of Women Voters forum at Washington State University’s Tri‑Cities campus on March 2 brought the three candidates for Washington attorney general before a live audience and streamed viewers to lay out how they would use the office.
Moderated by Matt Loveless of Washington State University and Northwest Public Broadcasting, the hourlong forum followed League‑vetted questions and gave each candidate a minute to answer on issues ranging from prosecuting police misconduct to defending the state against federal policies. Mary Coltrane, president of the League of Women Voters of the State of Washington, opened the event and thanked local partners.
Pete Serrano, a Pasco mayor and former Department of Energy attorney, said transparency and individual rights are central to his campaign, noting past environmental litigation in which he represented local governments. “Transparency and also to protect individual rights as the government's overreached,” Serrano said, arguing the AG should back local prosecutors and make sure officials have the resources they need.
Nick Brown, who served as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington and as general counsel in the governor's office, emphasized public‑safety priorities and defending civil liberties. Brown said the AG must assess whether a lawsuit is in the people’s interest, whether the AG is the proper party, and whether there is a viable case. “If those three things line up, then I will aggressively litigate on behalf of the people of the state of Washington,” he said.
Manka Dhingra, a senior deputy prosecuting attorney and state senator, emphasized consumer protection, data privacy and mental‑health advocacy. She urged resolution of the Trueblood lawsuit, which she framed as an urgent mental‑health and justice issue, and cited legislation she authored to improve data privacy and services for people with special needs.
On federal challenges, all three said they would be prepared to sue or otherwise resist federal actions that infringe Washingtonians’ rights. On firearms, Brown defended state gun‑safety laws — including work on Initiative 1639 — and said they save lives; Dhingra said the AG must provide resources and training to ensure extreme‑risk protection orders and safe‑storage rules are enforced; Serrano stressed constitutional protections and criminal prosecution of offenders.
Candidates also addressed prosecutorial misconduct, tribal sovereignty, dams and energy policy, and staffing in health care. Dhingra highlighted “Nothing About Us Without Us” approaches to disability policy and cited past legislation creating a tribal crisis line. Brown highlighted the AG’s civil‑rights and consumer‑protection roles; Serrano described representing hospital workers and urged clear, implementable policies for use‑of‑force and other enforcement tools.
The forum concluded with one‑minute closing statements and reminders about the primary election: ballots will be mailed by July 19, the primary is Aug. 6, and voters can find details at vote411.org. The top two finishers in the primary will advance to the Nov. 5 general election.
