Gig Harbor councilmember will run for Pierce County Council to replace Derek Young

Gig Harbor City Councilmember Robyn Denson will announce a run for Pierce County Council in January, she confirmed last week.

Denson, in her first term on the City Council, will be a candidate to replace Derek Young in the 7th District seat, which includes the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsulas and the North End of Tacoma. Young has reached the end of his term limit.

“I gave it a lot of thought, and I decided earlier this year to go for it,” Denson told The Gateway. “Derek and his colleagues on the County Council have been getting a lot of positive results in areas like housing, broadband and the environment, and I want to help keep that momentum going.”

Two other candidates, Randy Boss and Marty McClendon, both Republicans, have also indicated their intention to run for the position. Boss, a Gig Harbor property manager, ran unsuccessfully for the state Legislature in 2018, losing in the primary. McLendon is a conservative radio host and former Pierce County Republican Party chairman.

Denson said Young approached her last year about running to replace him. County councilmembers are limited by charter to two consecutive four-year terms, and Young is nearing the end of his second term.

“I definitely encouraged her,” Young said last week. “Robyn is a unique talent in local government. I have been super impressed with her for a long time. She would hit the ground running.”

Denson said she was at first taken aback by the suggestion.

“I took about six months to think it through,” Denson said. “It was not part of my plan. I was perfectly happy to remain on the Gig Harbor City Council.”

But in June, she filed as a candidate with the Public Disclosure Commission and started a website. A kickoff event is being planned for Jan. 29.

“As your County Councilperson, I’ll be focusing on issues you’ve told me are most important,” she wrote on the site. “Issues like homelessness and affordable housing, transportation and broadband, public safety and mental/behavioral health, COVID recovery and economic development and, of course, one of my key passion areas, protecting and conserving our beautiful Pierce County lands and waters.”

Denson said she wanted to start her campaign early because “it’s a large district, and there are a lot of issues to learn about,” and she’ll have to introduce herself to the North End of Tacoma, where she’s not yet well known. The 7th district includes about 125,000 people.

So far, she has collected endorsements from Young, U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, former County Councilman Terry Lee, state Sen. Emily Randall, House Speaker Laurie Jinkins and three other county councilmembers, Ryan Mello, Jani Hitchen and Marty Campbell.

Denson said she plans to remain on the Gig Harbor council until the November 2022 election. Young, 45, said he hasn’t decided what he will do after leaving the council. He is a former graphic artist.

A real estate agent and mother of two, Denson, 47, served four terms on the Gig Harbor Parks Commission before her election last year to the City Council. She previously worked for several nonprofits and for five legislative sessions as a nonpartisan housing analyst. She is president of Communities in Schools Peninsula and serves on several volunteer committees.

On the Gig Harbor council, she’s best known for environmental advocacy. She was instrumental in getting the city and the Puyallup Tribe to cooperate in acquiring a wooded 11-acre site along North Creek as a nature preserve.

Young said Denson’s many community connections, environmental activities, and especially her background as a legislative analyst should serve her well on the council.

“City and county governments aren’t identical — it’s not the same, but it rhymes,” Young said. “We had some pretty long conversations, and I’m sure she’ll pick it up quickly. The analytic part of her skill set, especially, will serve her well.”

Denson joked that it’s a good thing the County Council is a full-time job; it will help her focus.

“Right now, I’m going in a lot of directions,” she laughed.

This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.