{{short description |American politician and business owner}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Mark Mullet | state_senate = Washington | district = 5th | term_start = November 30, 2012 | term_end = January 13, 2025 | predecessor = Dino Rossi | successor = Bill Ramos | birth_name = Mark Douglas Mullet | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|08|14}} | birth_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = Kelley Stryer | education = Indiana University (BS)<br>University of Washington (MPA) | website = {{URL|https://senatedemocrats.wa.gov/mullet/|State Senate website}} | image = | caption = Mullet in 2024 }} '''Mark Douglas Mullet''' (born August 14, 1972)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://leg.wa.gov/LIC/Documents/Historical/Legislative%20Manuals/2019-2020%20Legislative%20Manual.pdf |title=2019-2020 Legislative Manual |work=State of Washington |year=2019 |access-date=2021-12-14 |archive-date=2022-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402163741/https://leg.wa.gov/LIC/Documents/Historical/Legislative%20Manuals/2019-2020%20Legislative%20Manual.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> is an American businessman, politician of the Democratic Party and mayor of Issaquah. A moderate, he was a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 5th Legislative District from 2012 to 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.wa.gov/senate/senators/Pages/mullet.aspx |title=Senator Mark Mullet, official legislative page |publisher=Washington State Legislature |date= |accessdate=2012-12-19}}</ref> In November 2025, he won the race for mayor of Issaquah in the general election.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Cornfield |first=Jerry |date=2025-11-07 |title=They're back. Former WA state lawmakers win local elections |url=https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/11/07/theyre-back-former-wa-state-lawmakers-win-local-elections/ |access-date=2025-11-14 |website=Washington State Standard |language=en-US}}</ref>

Mullet, after more than 12 years in international finance at Bank of America, became a small business owner who owns Zeek's Pizza and Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream franchises in Issaquah.<ref name="seatimes_09242009">{{cite web|title=Gad Zeeks! — in Issaquah: city councilman-to-be talks pizza|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/gad-zeeks-in-issaquah-city-councilman-to-be-talks-pizza/|publisher=Seattle Times|accessdate=29 January 2017|date=September 24, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Suzanne|title=Ben & Jerry's Wins Issaquah Reader's Choice Awards|url=http://www.grandridgeplaza.com/blog/ben-jerrys-issaquah-press-awards|publisher=Grand Ridge Plaza|accessdate=29 January 2017|date=December 5, 2016}}</ref>

==Early life== His father was Steve Mullet, a former Mayor of Tukwila, Washington from 2000 to 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.tukwila.wa.us/mayor/pastmay.html |title=Past Mayors of Tukwila |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |publisher=City of Tukwila |accessdate=14 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714233438/http://www.ci.tukwila.wa.us/mayor/pastmay.html |archive-date=14 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Mullet is a graduate of Foster High School.<ref name=Mullet>{{cite web|title=About Mark|url=http://sdc.wastateleg.org/mullet/biography/|work=sdc.wastateleg.org|accessdate=22 November 2015}}</ref> He earned a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University, and a Master's in Public Affairs from the Evans School at the University of Washington in 2008.<ref name="Mullet"/> Mullet was the Washington High School State Tennis Champion in 1989 and 1990.

== Career == Mullet is a small business owner, owning Zeek's Pizza and Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream franchises in the Issaquah and Sammamish area.<ref name="Mullet"/> Mullet had previously served as a managing director at Bank of America, serving as the Global Head of Foreign Currency Options Trading.<ref name="Mullet"/>

Before being elected to the state senate, Mullet served as a member of the Issaquah City Council, from 2009 to 2012.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.issaquahpress.com/2013/01/08/mark-mullet-reflects-on-city-council-term/ |last=Kagarise|first=Warren|title=Mark Mullet reflects on City Council term | publisher=Issaquah Press|date=January 8, 2013|accessdate=14 January 2013}}</ref> Mullet names Grand Ridge Plaza, a mixed-use retail center, and a plastic bag ban as his key accomplishments while on city council.

=== Elections === In 2012, Mullet was elected state senator representing Washington's 5th Legislative District by a 54.31% to 45.38% majority over his opponent Brad Toft.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/2012nov-general/results/legislative/leg5-senate.aspx |title=November 6, 2012 General Election | author= | date=November 20, 2002 | publisher=King County Elections | accessdate=14 January 2013}}</ref>

=== Committee assignments === As of January 2019, Mullet is the Chair of the Financial Institutions, Economic Development and Trade Committee as well as a member of the Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee and Ways and Means Committee.<ref name="sdc.wastateleg.org">{{cite web|url=http://sdc.wastateleg.org/mullet/biography/|title=Sen. Mark Mullet – Washington State Senate Democrats – Biography|website=sdc.wastateleg.org}}</ref><ref name="Official Senate Biography">{{cite web|title=Official Senate Biography|url=http://sdc.wastateleg.org/mullet/biography/|publisher=Washington State Legislature}}</ref>

===Legislation=== Mullet sponsored and passed legislation increasing access to epi pens in schools,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Egge|first1=Rose|title=Wash. schools can now give allergy meds without prescription|url=http://www.komonews.com/news/health/Washington-schools-can-now-give-allergy-medication-without-prescription--220695561.html|publisher=KOMO News}}</ref> allowing annexation of the Maple Valley Donut Hole,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kear|first1=Kathleen|url=http://www.voiceofthevalley.com/community_news/news/article_01c97dd8-c297-11e2-acab-0019bb30f31a.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150205035412/http://www.voiceofthevalley.com/community_news/news/article_01c97dd8-c297-11e2-acab-0019bb30f31a.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 5, 2015|title=The Voice of the Valley|accessdate=April 17, 2018}}</ref> and increasing health care cost transparency.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stiffler|first1=Lisa|title=New laws will help consumers find cheapest, best docs and hospitals|url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/healthcarecheckup/2014/03/13/new-laws-will-help-consumers-find-cheapest-best-docs-and-hospitals|publisher=The Seattle Times|date=March 13, 2014}}</ref>

Mullet helped secure capital funding for projects throughout the 5th Legislative District, including: Lake Sammamish State Park improvements, road improvements on I-90 and the Pickering Place Retail Center, improvements at Camp Korey, a grant for the Railway History Museum in Snoqualmie, repairs at the Fire Training Academy in North Bend, and funding to help build a new Tahoma High School within Maple Valley.<ref name="sdc.wastateleg.org"/><ref name="Official Senate Biography"/>

=== Issaquah mayor === Mullet announced his candidacy for Issaquah mayor in December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cornfield |first=Jerry |date=2025-06-13 |title=No foul, no fine for former Washington lawmaker Mark Mullet in mayoral bid |url=https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/06/13/no-foul-no-fine-for-former-washington-lawmaker-mark-mullet-in-mayoral-bid/ |access-date=2025-11-14 |website=Washington State Standard |language=en-US}}</ref> In November 2025, He won the race for mayor in the general election.<ref name=":0" />

== 2024 gubernatorial election == On June 1, 2023, Mullet announced that he was running for governor.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Withycombe |first1=Claire |title=State Sen. Mark Mullet announces bid for WA governor |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/state-sen-mark-mullet-to-announce-bid-for-wa-governor/ |publisher=Seattle Times |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230602043953/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/state-sen-mark-mullet-to-announce-bid-for-wa-governor/ |archive-date=2 June 2023 |date=1 June 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2024, Mullet filed an ethics complaint against Attorney General Bob Ferguson claiming that Ferguson used his office to influence a decision on candidate ballot ordering in the State Secretary's office to remove two other candidates named Bob Ferguson.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zodrow |first1=Andru |title=State Senator Mark Mullet makes ethics complaint against AG Bob Ferguson |url=https://www.khq.com/news/state-senator-mark-mullet-makes-ethics-complaint-against-ag-bob-ferguson/article_4f1f5082-1e0a-11ef-9ddd-47a696122bd7.html |publisher=KHQ}}</ref>

In the August 2024 primary, Mullet finished fourth, garnering roughly 6% of the vote. He finished behind Ferguson (45%), former King County Sheriff Dave Reichert (27%), and former school board member Semi Bird (11%).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/Certification%20of%20Results%20-%202024%20Primary.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706000936/https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/Certification%20of%20Results%20-%202024%20Primary.pdf |archive-date=July 6, 2025 |url-status=live|title=Canvass of the Returns of the Primary Held on August 6, 2024|last=Hobbs|first=Steve|author-link=Steve Hobbs (Washington politician)|date=August 22, 2024|work=Secretary of State of Washington|access-date=July 15, 2025}}</ref>

== Awards == * 2021 City Champion Awards. Presented by Association of Washington Cities (AWC).<ref>{{cite web |URL=https://www.wacities.org/news/2021/07/28/association-of-washington-cities-recognizes-11-state-legislators-with-2021-city-champion-awards |title=Association of Washington Cities recognizes 11 state legislators with 2021 City Champion Awards |website=wacities.org |date=July 28, 2021 |accessdate=September 22, 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://leg.wa.gov/senate/senators/pages/default.aspx#mullet Washington State Legislature: Senate Website] ** [http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/Documents/MemberRollCalls/2020/Mullet.pdf 2020 Roll Call Votes] (official record) ** [http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/Documents/MemberRollCalls/2021/Mullet.pdf 2021 Roll Call Votes] (official record) ** [https://web.archive.org/web/20130101030307/http://www.sdc.wa.gov/senators/mullet/default.asp Older records via ''archive.org''] * [http://sdc.wastateleg.org/mullet/ Washington Senate Democrats Website: Mark Mullet] * [https://www.electmarkmullet.com 2020 Election Campaign Website] * [https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/140187/mark-mullet Voting Record by ''Vote Smart'']

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mullet, Mark}} Category:1972 births Category:Democratic Party Washington (state) state senators Category:21st-century members of the Washington State Legislature Category:Living people Category:People from Tukwila, Washington Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States elections