Derek Stanford To Replace Palumbo In WA State Senate

KIRKLAND, WA — Democratic state Rep. Derek Stanford was chosen on Monday by the King and Snohomish county councils to replace Guy Palumbo in the state senate. Palumbo stepped down from the state Senate at the end of May to become head lobbyist for Amazon in Washington.

Stanford has been in office since 2010 serving the area that is now the 1st Legislative District, which crosses county lines and includes pieces of Kirkland, Woodinville, and Bothell.

"Thank you to the King County Council and Snohomish County Council for the unanimous vote to appoint me to the State Senate seat in the 1st Legislative District. I appreciate your confidence in me and I will do my best to live up to it!" Stanford tweeted on Monday morning.

Palumbo was first elected in 2016, defeating Republican Mindie Wirth. Bothell Deputy Mayor Davina Duerr was picked to replace Stanford, although she did not get votes from King County Council members Larry Gossett, Dave Upthrgrove and Pete von Reichbauer.