Rep. Mike Pellicciotti (D-Federal Way) announced Friday he will challenge Republican state Treasurer Duane Davidson in 2020.

Pellicciotti previously beat a Republican incumbent by nearly nine points in 2016 to secure a one-vote Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, according to his campaign. He was re-elected in 2018 with a 22-point margin against the same opponent.

Before joining the Legislature, Pellicciotti managed a state Medicaid fraud unit that took on the misuse of tax dollars in health care, returning over $30 million to taxpayers and protecting the safety of seniors, according to a campaign press release. A self-described champion of government transparency, he was the first legislator to oppose the Legislature’s attempt to hide its public records while voluntarily providing his own. He also passed new campaign finance laws that shined the light on “dark money” in politics and required greater transparency by political action committees (PACs).

As state representative, Pellicciotti wrote, introduced and passed into law the Corporate Crime Act, which for the first time in nearly a century increased and modernized criminal financial penalties against corporations convicted of crimes in Washington, according to his campaign. He has also introduced legislation to ensure that Sound Transit taxpayers are taxed on the accurate value of their property.

As treasurer, Pellicciotti has said he will work for retirement security for Washingtonians, invest more tax dollars in Washington, and provide greater transparency and awareness of public investments and unclaimed property in our state.

Pellicciotti said he has been a leading voice to get corporate money out of Washington politics, and said he is one of the only state elected officials who has rejected all corporate campaign donations since first running for public office. As a candidate for statewide office, he will continue to reject corporate campaign donations.

“One of the top jobs of the treasurer is investing Washingtonians’ hard-earned tax dollars, and I want to make sure we are doing that in a way that best serves retirees and the people of Washington, not special interests,” said Pellicciotti in the press release.

“I am starting this campaign early so that I can meet with Washingtonians in all 39 counties of our state, taking this campaign to people in every corner of Washington,” Pellicciotti said. He personally knocked on over 15,000 doors in his first House of Representatives campaign in 2016.

“Mike is one of the smartest and hardest working people in elected office today – he is a progressive who will serve us well as Treasurer and represents the next generation of leaders for Washington,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson in the release, who endorsed Pellicciotti for treasurer on Friday.

Congresswoman Kim Schrier also endorsed Pellicciotti, saying, “Mike’s leadership to get corporate campaign money out of politics and his commitment to transparency in government will make him an independent State Treasurer, who will fight for the interests of all the people of Washington.”

Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-Anacortes) said in the press release, “Mike will bring his great integrity that he’s earned as an attorney and lawmaker to the Treasurer’s Office, which needs someone like Mike who will have a focus on policy detail and will bring a progressive voice in a way that will best grow and protect the state today and for the future.”

Pellicciotti has teamed with NWP Consulting, Blue Wave Politics and Abbot Taylor for consulting services.

He also enters the campaign for state treasurer with the endorsements of over two dozen state elected officials from throughout Washington.