The Seattle Review of Books doesn't run endorsements, but when a writer runs for office, we notice. In case you missed it, mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver dropped some verses at last night's Candidate Survivor event at Neumo's.

so um @NikkitaOliver has no competition at @TheStranger 's Candidate Survivor. None. pic.twitter.com/Hn4zrJbwxM

— heatheronormative (@heatherklus) July 12, 2017

It's not surprising that this happened — Oliver is a teacher and a community leader and an award-winning spoken-word poet, and Candidate Survivor is a nontraditional event co-produced by the awesome Washington Bus — but it's still pretty fucking cool. A major mayoral candidate performed poetry in front of hundreds of adoring people. That simply wouldn't happen in many other American cities.