Democrat Bob Ferguson will become Washington's next attorney general.

He defeated fellow King County Councilman Reagan Dunn, a Republican.

During the campaign, which was marked by a torrent of negative ads paid for by outside interest groups, Ferguson said he'd work on public safety, consumer fraud and environmental issues if elected.

Ferguson has been a King County Councilman since 2003, and worked as clerk for a federal appellate court judge before joining the Seattle law firm of Preston Gates and Ellis (which is now K&L Gates). In private practice he worked to shield taxpayers from cost overruns from Safeco Field construction and challenged the constitutionality of some of initiative promoter Tim Eyman's measures.