Judge Dave Larson (Retired) officially announced his campaign for Position 5 on the Washington State Supreme Court today, Monday, Feb. 23, following the retirement announcement of Justice Barbara Madsen. Larson enters the race with massive statewide momentum, having earned over 1.6 million votes and coming within 0.61% of a seat on the state’s highest court in 2024.
After serving nearly 18 years as a trial judge, Larson is coming out of a short retirement driven by a deep sense of duty to the people of Washington.
“In discussions with people about the direction our Court is taking, I decided that I just can’t walk away at this time,” said Judge Larson. “There is too much work left to do when it comes to making the court system more responsive to the needs of the people of our state. I want to be the voice of common sense on the Supreme Court so we can build a justice system that can be trusted by our trial judges and the people of this state to make decisions based on solid legal principles and what works for our communities.”
A Proven Leader in Criminal Justice Reform
On the issue of public safety, Larson has been a leader in implementing effective solutions. “We don’t need to be tougher or softer on crime; we need to be smarter on crime,” Larson noted. A recognized national leader in reform, in retirement he will be helping communities across the nation better respond to crime through proven effective strategies.
Restoring Trust in Government
Larson is also a recognized leader in civics education and is an advocate for changing the way we elect judges. He has proposed a process that will make judicial elections more understandable and meaningful for voters. He believes his candidacy arrives at a symbolic moment for the nation as we navigate through these times of conflict and discord during the year we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
“I want to breathe life into the principles of justice, fairness, and government accountability to the people as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,” Larson added. “We need to find ways to come together to solve the problems we face, and the justice system should be the model by resolving the disputes we see in court in a way that shows us that we can all pursue life, liberty, and happiness peacefully together.”
For more information or to support the campaign, visit: www.larsonforjustice.com.
Source: Larson for Justice
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
