In Seattle council race, Rinck leads incumbent Woo by a wide margin

Seattle City Councilmember Tanya Woo continues to trail challenger Alexis Mercedes Rinck in results from last week's primary election , setting up a tough battle for Woo to retain her seat in November.

Why it matters: Woo's lackluster primary performance could signal voter dissatisfaction with the new council majority , which took office in January and is more conservative and business-friendly than the previous council.

By the numbers: In the latest vote counts from the Aug. 6 primary, Rinck was ahead of Woo by more than 11 percentage points, winning just over 50% of the vote.

• Woo had about 38% of the vote as of Tuesday.

What they're saying: In a written statement , Rinck said she was "honored and humbled" by the results.

• "Our movement is uniting Seattle to ensure our city is safe, affordable, and welcoming for all," said Rinck, an assistant director of policy, planning and state operations in the University of Washington's budget office .
• Neither Woo nor her campaign responded to requests for comment this week.

Catch up quick: The City Council appointed Woo to fill its vacant Position 8 seat in January, replacing Teresa Mosqueda, who left to join the King County Council.

• Woo's appointment to the citywide seat came two months after she lost the District 2 council race to incumbent Tammy Morales, a more left-leaning candidate.

Between the lines: An incumbent like Woo finishing under 40% in a primary "sets off alarm bells for sure," Democratic political consultant Sandeep Kaushik told Axios.

• Crystal Fincher, a political consultant who works with Democrats, told Axios it's a sign that Rinck's progressive campaign is resonating with voters.
• "I think people are unhappy with the council and very happy with the alternative that they have now," she said.

Yes, but: Kaushik said it would be "premature" for progressives to celebrate as if Rinck's victory in November is assured.

• He said that's because in Seattle races, the less progressive candidate's performance often improves between the primary and the general election — something that happened in the race between Woo and Morales last year .

Zoom in: Rinck has talked on the campaign trail about taxing corporations and the wealthy to pay for human services and housing programs.

• Woo, an advocate for the Chinatown-International District, has been more reticent about raising tax revenue to help solve the city's budget shortfall .

What we're watching: Whether outside money flows into the citywide council contest between now and November, and whether that changes the race's dynamics.

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