Photo: Rachel La Corte/AP

Former Democratic Rep. Jessyn Farrell of Seattle: She's just captured a much-sought endorsement from the Boeing Aerospace Machinists, sign of a campaign that is moving.

Former Democratic Rep. Jessyn Farrell of Seattle: She's just captured a much-sought endorsement from the Boeing Aerospace Machinists, sign of a campaign that is moving.

Former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn gets a lot of name recognition in the polls, but is showing little support at endorsement meetings of activists.

Former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn gets a lot of name recognition in the polls, but is showing little support at endorsement meetings of activists.

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant announces her endorsement for Nikkita Oliver for mayor. Oliver is an attorney, educator and Black Lives Matter activist, a first time candidate but an impressive presence in the contest.

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant announces her endorsement for Nikkita Oliver for mayor. Oliver is an attorney, educator and Black Lives Matter activist, a first time candidate but an impressive

Putting her money where her candidacy is: Activist and urban planner Cary Moon has invested $40,000 of her own funds in Seattle Mayor bid.

Putting her money where her candidacy is: Activist and urban planner Cary Moon has invested $40,000 of her own funds in Seattle Mayor bid.

Mayor Ed Murray announces that he will not be running a write-in campaign and endorses mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan to be his successor, Thursday, June 29, 2017 at the Paramount Theater.

Mayor Ed Murray announces that he will not be running a write-in campaign and endorses mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan to be his successor, Thursday, June 29, 2017 at the Paramount Theater.

Connelly: Farrell gets sought-after Boeing Aerospace Machinists backing

The Seattle Mayor's race took on new clarity on Thursday, with two endorsements that count and a rumored candidacy finally, for-sure abandoned.

The big news was incumbent Seattle Mayor Ed Murray declaring support for former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan, and saying he would not mount a write-in campaign to retain his job. The news was trumpeted by news outlets that had speculated how Murray could run.

RELATED: Seattle mayor back in race? Not quite

The day saw a second endorsement and one which counts.

The Boeing Aerospace Machinists, Lodge 751, gave their sole endorsement to former State Rep. Jessyn Farrell.

"In this crowded race, Jessyn stands out as the strongest candidate with a record of achieving results for the working families united under IAM 751," said Larry Brown, the union's political/legislative director.

Those words sure won't help State Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-11, who has relentlessly stressed his background as a Teamsters Union reformer, and even hinted that lessons from his work at Teamsters Local 174 will be applied at City Hall.

It's hard to handicap an election being held during a season when Seattle (and Washington) tunes out politics.

The 2017 primary election is on August 1, during THE week of the year in which the Emerald City is most likely to experience clear, warm weather.

Still, Durkan and Farrell have "the big Mo" -- momentum.

Durkan has so-far reported raising $286,695. She has backing from the political arm of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Murray depicted Durkan as the adult in the room among 21 candidates, and took a telling shot at former Mayor Mike McGinn, who is seeking a comeback.

"There is one candidate in the current field who has the leadership skills to ensure that City Hall does not fall back into the paralysis and divisiveness that we've seen in the recent past," said Murray, a reference to the administration of his predecessor.

McGinn brings name recognition to the race. He hasn't raised much money, however, and is showing very little support in Democratic endorsement meetings. He is greeted politely but the atmosphere is very different from the candidacy that caught on eight years ago.

Farrell is moving, is impressively in control of her campaign message, and is seeking to define herself as the credible progressive in the race.

She has big name support -- three statewide elected officials including Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib -- and has won endorsements from several big unions. The Boeing Machinists' backing was preceded by Teamster Local 117 and United Food & Commercial Workers Local 21.

Farrell helped win the Machinists by sponsoring legislation tying Boeing's big tax breaks to its willingness to keep jobs in the region. Of course, such legislation will never go anywhere as long as Republicans control the Washington State Senate.

Very much the old shoe labor leader, Hasegawa has shown up well at some Democratic meetings. He copped a dual endorsement with Farrell on her home turf of the 46th District in northeast Seattle, which she has represented in the Legislature for the past five years.

Hasegawa won backing from King County Democrats this week. The party endorses -- often after feuds -- despite the fact that legislative districts back candidates on their own, and deliver the campaign workers.

In that she is not a Democrat, educator/lawyer/Black Lives Matter activist Nikkita Oliver is not allowed to compete for Democratic endorsements. She is, however, a formidable personal presence in the race.

A consequential Democratic activist, Michael Maddux, heard Oliver speak at his daughter's middle school graduation. "I was inspired by her words and hope the kids were as well," Maddux posted on Facebook. He went on, however, to fault Oliver for ignorance of issues facing the city.

Cary Moon has the largest amount of personal money into the campaign, $40,000 of a war chest just under $90,000. The urban planner, a leader in the Peoples Waterfront Coalition that opposed the deep bore tunnel, has matched her donors' money.

The race for the 7th floor of City Hall will see another shoe drop on Friday. The Municipal League of King County will come out with its candidate ratings.

The ratings have credibility, enhanced by denunciations by candidates who do not fare well and media outlets on the city's far left.

The Muny League gave a boost to Ed Murray in 2013, and its tepid rating helped show 12-year Seattle City Council member Jean Godden the door in the 2015 primary.

If Durkan and Farrell do well, expect support to gravitate their way.

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