State Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, launched his re-election campaign at the accesso ShoWare Center on Tuesday morning in front of hundreds of supporters.

Fain is seeking his third term, representing District 47, South King County. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 with 64 percent of the vote. Democrat Mona Das, a Covington mortgage business owner, will challenge Fain.

Several local elected officials, including Mayors Nancy Backus (Auburn), Dana Ralph (Kent) and Jeff Wagner (Covington), and community leaders delivered remarks in support of Fain’s candidacy.

Fain spoke about strengthening a “civic culture that celebrates as much our responsibility to listen as it does our freedom to speak.”

He cautioned against thinking less of people or judging them based upon their political party, who they voted for, or even their political beliefs and encouraged audience members to look outside their bubble and explore diversity in all its forms, including diversity of thought.