Ron Sims
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Ron Sims, born in 1948, is currently the King County, Washington Executive. He has twice run unsuccessfully for higher office: United States Senator in 1994 and Governor of Washington in 2004.
He was appointed to the position in 1996 after the previous holder of the office, Gary Locke, was elected governor of Washington. He was elected to the position in 1997 and again in 2001. Before becoming the county executive, he sat on the King County Council from 1985 to 1996.
Sims was born in Spokane, Washington to Reverend James C. Sims Sr. and Lydia T. Sims. He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and attended Central Washington University in Ellensburg, where he earned a B.A. in psychology. Between graduation and his election to the King County Council he worked in the office of the Washington State Attorney General, for the Federal Trade Commission, for the juvenile offenders program of the city of Seattle, and as an aide in the state senate. In 1994, he ran against Slade Gorton for the United States Senate and lost.
Nine years later, on July 29, 2003, he announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination for Washington state governor in the 2004 elections. Sims made news in the campaign when he proposed replacing the state sales tax with an income tax. In the primary election held on 14 September 2004, Sims lost to state Attorney General Christine Gregoire.
Sims serves as president of the National Democratic County Officials.
Sims and his wife, Cayan Topacio, live in the Mount Baker neighborhood of Seattle. They have three sons: Douglas, Daniel, and Aaron.
External links
- King County Executive (http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/)
- Candidate Website (http://www.ronsims.com)