Even though Dow Constantine has held public office some 13 years, he still seems at times an unlikely politician. He's not a natural glad-hander. Sometimes he tells it a little too much like it is, or doesn't talk much at all, which isn't to say that he doesn't know how to play the game. Constantine, a Metro King County Councilmember who got his start as a state representative in 1996, is an apt legislator who still manages to project something of an average-guy persona — a quality he will need in his bid to succeed Ron Sims as the next King County executive.

Constantine jumped into the race earlier this month after Ron Sims, on the verge of seeking his fourth term, got tapped for the Obama cabinet as deputy undersecretary of HUD. His only opponent so far, Larry Phillips, another Seattle Democratic County Councilmember, had been gearing up for a run, Sims or not, since last fall.

Constantine says the response to his fledgling campaign has been encouraging. “It confirms something you'd like to know,” he explains. “Do they know what I'm doing? Do they care?” Over coffee at a trendy French bakery not far from his West Seattle home, Constantine is often interrupted by well wishers. “See, they know me here,” he says, beaming, but also a little bemused.

The operative word in Constantine's campaign is “renew.” The stump-speech theme emerging in his materials goes something like this: Now is the moment to clear away what's no longer working, "to hit the reset button." Unlike Phillips, Constantine's campaign isn't based on taking aim at Sims directly, whom he praises for his vision; though he's carefully painting himself as a change agent — a popular theme in the Obama era — even though he's been on the council since 2002.

“Executive Sims leaves a big legacy as a big thinker. He put King County on the map with his climate change initiative. He's someone whose personality filled the room and filled the political stage,” Constantine says, munching on a croissant. “But every bureaucracy needs fresh ideas, fresh eyes from time to time. And I, more than those who created this generation of government, represent that change.” It's a somewhat tricky case to make, advocating change while being a part of the creaky county government that supposedly needs change.

His mention of that “generation” is no accident. Constantine, 47, a KCMU deejay back in the day, is going to try to appeal, if not directly to the youth vote (a tough get in off-year elections), then to the desire for vitality, or maybe even a little hipness. One of his first big events is likely to be a fundraiser at a reopened Crocodile hosted by Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, with a possible appearance by Guns n' Roses' Duff McKagan.

“I've been at the county long enough to know what I'm doing but not so long that I'm wedded to the bureaucracy,” Constantine says, a not-so-subtle dig at Phillips, 57, who's been on the council for 18 years and is known for his caution and political calculation.

If elected, Constantine vows to shake up things at the county right down to the core of its existence, but he is still speaking in generalities. “We have to decide what the county is going to do, and not going to do, in the 21st century,” he says. “We're operating on a structure that was developed 150 years ago.”

Constantine also wants to beef up performance measurement. “There needs to be a culture shift,” he explains. “When we're putting together the budget the focus should not be on what we spent last year, but what we got for it. It feels threatening to people who are wedded to programs, but you have to be willing to stop doing what doesn't work anymore.”

He points to last year's brouhaha over deplorable conditions at King County's animal shelters as an example. Constantine was one of the first to suggest the county get out of the business of running the shelters. “Our mission should not be to perpetuate the program, but to save the lives of animals that have come into our care,” he says. “The institution itself has become more important than the creatures it's designed to protect. That makes me really mad.”

Louise Miller, a Republican who served on the County Council from 1994 to 2001, says Constantine is willing to take risks for what he feels is right. “That quality is missing from a lot of politicians today,” she adds. “I think Phillips is more conservative when he steps out there.” Still, Miller notes that Phillips has more experience, having been on the council longer, and that he has executive experience, having served as chief of staff under County Executive Randy Revelle. “Do you need new thinking, or depth of experience? That's going to be the question for voters,” she says.

Former state senator and state supreme court justice Phil Talmadge agrees that a lack of executive experience may be an impediment for Constantine, but he argues that the bigger hurtle for either candidate will be arguing outsider status. “I think he's bright and insightful,” Talmadge says, recalling a young Constantine who served as his legislative intern. “The problem with anybody running for this job is that you have to bring a healthy skepticism about how things are now.”

It's likely Philips and Constantine won't be the only candidates. Rep. Ross Hunter of Medina and Sen. Fred Jarrett of Mercer Island, both Eastside moderate Democrats (Jarrett was once a Republican) are rumored to be considering a bid, but they would have to wait until the end of a long legislative session to jump in.

Also in the mix is former KIRO-TV anchor, Susan Hutchison, a Republican who says she's been approached by both Democrats and Republicans to run for the position, only recently changed by voters to non-partisan. “I'm not a politician. I'm not part of the political crowd,” Hutchison says. “There are a lot of people who are not part of the political crowd who really care about what's going on right now. They want a fresh face.” Hutchison gave no indication of her level of interest, nor any timeline for when she might decide. She currently directs the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Science and serves as chairman of the Seattle Symphony board.

A third candidate, particularly one from outside Seattle with moderate leanings, could make it tough for both Constantine and Phillips to make past the top-two primary in August. While Constantine likes to argue that his West Seattle district (which also includes Vashon Island) is more representative of the county at large than Phillips' Magnolia/Queen Anne roots, the Seattle liberals could very well cancel each other out. They have similar voting records on many of the major issues, including transit. Both were strong supporters of last November's light rail expansion. If a Democratic moderate makes it into the final, he or she would be able to attract Republican voters who have no place else to go.

Depending on how the field shakes out, some are going to have a tough decision on their hands, says Dave Freiboth, the King County Labor Council's executive secretary. Both Constantine and Phillips are "people we've worked with well, which puts me in the uncomfortable position of having to pick between friends. That is, if that's the choice,” he says. “Dow is a thoughtful, passionate advocate for working people. We don't always agree, but if Dow wasn't with us, he usually had a damn good reason.”