King County Councilmember Jane Hague kicked off her re-election campaign at Meydenbauer Center Wednesday morning before an audience of 900 people, vowing to reinvent county government and protect taxpayers. Initial estimates indicate Hague raised around $80,000.

Hague, 65, was joined at the breakfast by dozens of elected officials including Democrat State Auditor Brian Sonntag and Republican State Attorney General Rob McKenna, King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert, and scores of local Eastside city officials.

“Last year, I worked with both Democrats and Republicans, the county executive and labor unions, to successfully balance the King County budget,” said Hague. “In the term ahead, I will continue to work to make the council truly nonpartisan and make King County a national model for providing cost-effective county services.”

Hague was first elected to the County Council in 1994 and has represented the greater Eastside ever since. All council seats are nonpartisan.

Hague is being challenged by three candidates: Patsy Bonincontri, a former member of the Bellevue City Council; Seattle Port Commissioner John Creighton; former counsel to Gov. Christine Gregoire, Mercer Island’s Richard E. Mitchell.

“The problems facing King County are not partisan. Everyone wants an efficient county government that delivers vitally needed services without wasting money,” Hague said. “We just have to work together to see it gets done.”

“To be honest with you, I know I’ve made mistakes … and some of them were right in the middle of the last campaign,” Hague told the crowd. “I learned a lot in that campaign, not the least of which is to reach out to my friends and supporters and to be a little humble in serving the people. Let me just say from the bottom of my heart what an honor it is to serve you,” said Hague.

In her last campaign, Hague raised $428,000 and says she will raise at least $550,000 for this race.