Check out West Seattle Herald's story on Michael Heavey's candidacy on March 20:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/03/20/news/candidate-mike-heavey-…

Mike Heavey has announced his candidacy for State Representative from the 34th Legislative District, Position 2, the seat currently held by State Representative Sharon Nelson, who will run for the open State Senate seat in the same district this fall to be vacated by Joe McDermott. McDermott will try for Dow Constantine’s vacated King County Council seat which has been temporarily appointed to Jan Drago, who Heavey works for, as director of Outreach and Constituent Relations. He is Drago's lead policy person on law, justice, safety issues and an advocate for the South Park Bridge replacement, which he calls "a hot button issue." Heavey was an active volunteer on Dow Constantine's victorious King County Executive campaign.

Heavey, an Alki resident, sat down with the West Seattle Herald at the Alki Bakery Saturday, March 20, to discuss why he is jumping into the race. So far he will run against Sabra Schneider (has since dropped out), Marcee Stone, Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy, and Nelson's aide, Joe Fitzgibbon.

"Running for office has always been in the back of my mind," said Heavey, 30, a Democrat. "It started back with the Obama campaign, and this reengagement brought back that notion of civic duty and service, which has always been there in my family."

"I'm very proud of my family’s strong tradition of representing this area," said Heavey. "Growing up in that environment and being exposed to it as a young person will help (...) my efforts in this campaign. Undoubtedly my father is certainly more of an asset than a liability," he said with a grin.

The younger Mike Heavey's middle name is "James," and his father is Mike "John" Heavey, and said he is therefore he is not designated as "Mike Heavey, Jr.," even though some call him that. His father represented the 34th District for 14 years, first in the State House, then State Senate. He is now a King County Superior Court Judge.

"Now there is a huge opportunity to influence how business is done. We need a strong, energetic person to got to Olympia and fight.The legislature's responsibility is to provide a safe environment for families and create living wage jobs, not minimum age jobs."

Heavey sites Representative Hans Dunshee's (D- Snohomish) new jobs bill which involves retrofitting schools, creating 39,000 jobs and make schools more energy efficient, saving money. He points to the building and trade sector unemployment rate, much higher than the overall unemployment rate.

"With the new jail question looming we have an opportunity to reexamine how we do business in the crminal jusctice system, For so many years it was 'lock 'em up. Throw away the key.' People don’t want a new jail, and are open to alternative incarceration programs. We have so much yet to learn in the criminal justice field. The cool thing is that the best formula hasn’t been determined and that’s what excites me about it."

Heavey is disappointed that the current bridge has deteriorated without a new bridge being funded by now. King County was just turned down for a $99 million TIGER stimulus Federal grant to help pay for the new $156 million bridge plan.

"I'm proud that Jan (Drago) was able to procure $32 million from the Puget Sound Regional Council which is a good first step. It's going to take city, county and state all on the same page to get a solution. The South Park Bridge is critical not only to the community there but to the region. Imagine dumping all the traffic onto the 1st Avenue South Bridge when the South Park Bridge closes. That’s the pain point when people outside that area will care."

"I think he's a hard worker, real bright, has a far better temperament than I have, and mature, which I am not some of the time," said Judge Heavey, obviously proud of his son's run. He added that beyond that he can't say too much as he is a judge and must be impartial.