Veteran King County Council Member Jane Hague grabbed the lead against what was deemed to be her toughest challenger to date.

Hague, who has been a member of the County Council since 1994, has nearly 53 percent of the vote as of Wednesday evening. Hague said she was surprised at the big lead she gained over her opponent Richard Mitchell, a Mercer Island resident and former counsel for Gov. Christine Gregoire.

The campaign was a contentious one as Mitchell continuously challenged Hague’s leadership. He impugned her vote in favor of a $20 car tab fee to save transit funding. He said her back and forth position, in order to gain such concessions as the elimination of Seattle’s ride free zone, was not a demonstration of leadership.

Jane Hague – 18,638 votes, 53.85 percent

Richard E. Mitchell – 15,871 votes, 45.85 percent