Socialist to occupy Seattle City Council

Socialist Alternative party candidate Kshama Sawant outside Seattle City Council chambers, a day before the election in which she unseated a longtime incumbent.

Socialist Alternative party candidate Kshama Sawant outside Seattle City Council chambers, a day before the election in which she unseated a longtime incumbent.  (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

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College professor and Occupy activist Kshama Sawant beats a longtime incumbent with her message that workers need ‘a mass political alternative’ to the two main parties.

Kshama Sawant

Kshama Sawant campaigns in Seattle, emphasizing her support for raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour for all workers in the city.  (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

Kshama Sawant

Kshama Sawant hugs campaign worker Carlos Hernandez after they learned she had pulled ahead of opponent Richard Conlin by 41 votes.  (Greg Gilbert / Associated Press)

Kshama Sawant

Kshama Sawant took her campaign to Seattle City Council chambers. An Occupy activist and socialist, she wants to give workers a louder voice in politics.  (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

Kshama Sawant

Kshama Sawant speaks at a Seattle City Council meeting. She’ll soon be sitting on the council herself.  (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

Kshama Sawant

The Socialist member-elect of the Seattle City Council speaks at rally in support of machinists union members who voted last week to reject contract concessions that Boeing said it needed to build the new 777X airliner in Washington state.  (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)