Conrad Lee is an institution in Bellevue, as a city leader and a venerated member of the immigrant community. First elected to the City Council in 1994, voters have returned him to office ever since.
And The Times editorial board has endorsed his reelection many times. But in this cycle, the board is recommending voters elect his challenger, Naren Briar, a child of refugee immigrants, Meta executive and community volunteer.
While Lee, 86, promises consistency, such as his reliable vote for business and low taxes, Briar presents a vision for tackling some of the city’s priorities, including public safety, transportation challenges and affordability. In an editorial board interview, she notes that Lee sometimes has not been part of the city’s solutions, including initially voting against the controversial men’s shelter. Though Briar is young, at 27 she has a sophisticated view of the role of local government in serving community, not taxing it to death. She noted wryly she is happy to accept the potential benefits of jobs moving into Bellevue because of Seattle’s more aggressive taxation.
While Briar was well-informed about many of Bellevue’s issues, Lee stumbled when discussing the city’s Transportation Benefits District, saying it was fully funded by hotel-motel taxes. In fact, it is established but not funded.
During her campaign, Briar has garnered a number of key endorsements, including U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, and the state insurance commissioner and lawmakers. Although Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson has not formally endorsed Briar, she contributed $1,200 to her campaign, the maximum allowed. With a nod to Bellevue’s importance as a regional leader, the mayors of Redmond and Kirkland have also endorsed.
Meanwhile, Lee has been endorsed by the influential Eastside Business Alliance, the Bellevue firefighters, the American General Contractors and King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn.
One interesting note is that Lee contributed $50,000 to President Donald Trump’s inauguration committee, which entitled him to face-time with some administration members. Lee said that was consistent with his yearslong commitment to representing Bellevue at all levels. He did not contribute to former President Joe Biden’s campaign, he said, because he already knew him.
Bellevue residents owe a lot to Lee for his abiding work on behalf of the city and larger community. But Briar also poses an opportunity to help build on that legacy to keep Bellevue robust and thriving.
