Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson knows a thing or two about strategy.
After all, he learned from the best — International Chess Master Nikolay Minev, who coached him during his childhood. Ferguson earned an international ranking and won the Washington State Chess Championship twice before shifting his focus to the law.
Ferguson still plays chess, matching up against opponents on chess.com, where he says he still has a master’s rating.
“Every night, I sort of finish my day by going online for one quick game,” he said in a December interview with The Seattle Times. “It’s a way to unwind.” The matches he plays give each player 10 minutes total for their moves, “so the game’s over in 20 minutes, max.”
As he steps up to serve as Washington’s 23rd governor Wednesday — and with the 105-day legislative session underway — Ferguson is unlikely to have much free time. Still, his chess expertise could prove helpful as he tackles the budget deficit alongside critical issues like K-12 education and public safety.
Gov. Jay Inslee will deliver his final State of the State address to a joint session of the state House and Senate on Tuesday morning. Ferguson will be sworn in at noon on Wednesday, with his inaugural ball scheduled for later that evening.
Here are some key things to know about the incoming governor:
Ferguson’s background
Ferguson, 59, was born and raised in Seattle. He attended Bishop Blanchet High School and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in political science.
At UW, Ferguson entered the world of politics through his involvement with the Associated Students of the University of Washington, where he served as student body president. In 1995, he earned his law degree from New York University.
He worked as a law clerk and later as a litigator at Preston, Gates & Ellis before winning a seat on the Metropolitan King County Council in 2003. Ferguson served on the council for a decade before he was elected Washington state attorney general in November 2012.
Inslee was elected to the governor’s office the same year, and both men won reelection twice, serving in their respective roles for three terms. Ferguson will hand his office off to Attorney General-elect Nick Brown this week.
Ferguson’s approach to the budget
The state faces a projected $12 billion to $16 billion deficit over the next four years.
Last Thursday, ahead of the session’s start, Ferguson released his budget priorities, proposing 6% cuts to most state agencies and opposing the wealth tax pitched by Inslee.
K-12 education and public safety funding are exempt from the proposed cuts. Outside of those exceptions, Ferguson wants to send the message that there are “no sacred cows.”
To illustrate his point, Ferguson said Thursday he believes $35 million can be swept from the Attorney General’s Office, the agency he is departing from.
Ferguson said he is viewing new taxes as a last resort. For now, the focus is where money can be saved, he said, sharing that none of his 13 subcommittees are focused on revenue.
Campaign promises
Public safety and the state’s ferry system were core topics during last year’s gubernatorial race.
Ferguson pledged to address the ongoing officer hiring issues, a bipartisan concern as Washington has ranked the lowest in officers per capita in recent years. To address this, Ferguson proposed $100 million in grants for the 2025-2027 biennium, to help cities and counties across the state recruit more police officers. His budget priorities indicate he plans on sticking to that promise.
Ferguson referred to the ferry system as being in a state of “crisis” throughout his campaign and pledged to elevate the head of ferries to his cabinet if elected. Last week Ferguson confirmed he intends to keep that promise.
While on Whidbey Island last Wednesday, he said that he may postpone the work to convert the largest ferries to electric power, a project championed by Inslee.
What did Ferguson do as attorney general?
Consumer protection, antitrust actions, drug decriminalization and civil rights were focuses for Ferguson, as the attorney general, which is often referred to as the state’s “top cop.”
Under Ferguson, the size and reach of the Attorney General’s Office increased with the office recording 800 lawsuit wins and $2.8 billion in recoveries from drug, food and other companies.
He also formed the Wing Luke Civil Rights Division in 2015, a unit dedicated to investigating discrimination in areas including housing, insurance and sexual orientation.
Ferguson’s stance on drug decriminalization flip-flopped during his final term in office. In 2021 Ferguson was in favor of decriminalizing small amounts of certain drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine. But, after a similar policy in Oregon faced objections from the public and yielded unfavorable results, Ferguson changed his position.
Ferguson’s approach to Trump
Shortly after snagging their election wins, Ferguson and Brown pledged to take action against the incoming Trump administration if they attempted to overreach on issues such as reproductive care or immigration.
They vowed not to seek out conflict and only file lawsuits when they believe they have a strong legal case.
During the first Trump administration, Ferguson sued the federal government 99 times with notable cases related to Trump’s Muslim travel ban and efforts to roll back environmental regulations.
In November, Ferguson announced a subcommittee in his transition team dedicated to fighting the Project 2025 agenda. However, in recent weeks Ferguson has made fewer references to Trump in his public comments.
