Dave Larson to Run for Washington State Supreme Court Again

Retired judge cites duty to state in deciding to campaign for open seat

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Dave Larson, a former Federal Way municipal court judge, has announced his intention to run for a seat on the Washington State Supreme Court. Larson, who retired at the end of 2025, cited a deep sense of duty to the people of Washington in deciding to come out of retirement to campaign for Position 5 on the state's highest court, following the retirement announcement of Justice Barbara Madsen.

Why it matters

Larson has consistently positioned himself as a reformist outsider in previous campaigns for the Washington Supreme Court, emphasizing the role of a judge to apply the law as written in the Constitution rather than imposing personal opinions. He has also advocated for publicly financed judicial elections to eliminate the influence of private and special-interest money, which he claims raises conflict-of-interest concerns.

The details

Larson lost a close race in November 2024 to Tacoma trial attorney Sal Mungia for an open state Supreme Court seat. He also ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the state's highest court in 2016 and 2020, and in 2000 but did not advance beyond the primary.

  • Larson retired as a Federal Way municipal court judge at the end of 2025, having served nearly 18 years as a trial judge.
  • Larson announced his intention to campaign for Position 5 on the Washington State Supreme Court on Monday, February 23, 2026.

The players

Dave Larson

A former Federal Way municipal court judge who is coming out of retirement to run for a seat on the Washington State Supreme Court.

Barbara Madsen

A retiring justice on the Washington State Supreme Court, whose open seat Larson is seeking to fill.

Sal Mungia

A Tacoma trial attorney who defeated Larson in a close race for an open state Supreme Court seat in November 2024.

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What they’re saying

“In discussions with people about the direction our Court is taking, I decided that I just can't walk away at this time. There is too much work left to do when it comes to making the court system more responsive to the needs of the people of our state. I want to be the voice of common sense on the Supreme Court so we can build a justice system that can be trusted by our trial judges and the people of this state to make decisions based on solid legal principles and what works for our communities.”

— Dave Larson (thereflector.com)

The takeaway

Larson's decision to run for the Washington State Supreme Court again highlights his commitment to judicial reform and his belief that the role of a judge is to apply the law as written in the Constitution, rather than imposing personal opinions. His previous unsuccessful campaigns have not deterred him from continuing to advocate for a more responsive and trustworthy justice system in the state.