No sign of red wave in initial Washington primary results

On primary night, Washington Republicans threw a party, but Democrats have more to celebrate.

“I think there’s no red wave in Washington, there’s no red puddle, there’s no red drip,” said Tina Podlodowski, chair of the state Democratic Party.

She points to strong showings by Washington Democrats in Congress, the Democratic Secretary of State, and to potential gains to the Democratic majority in the state legislature.

“I think voters spoke last night and it is a very blue wave that crashed on the shores of Washington,” she said.

Senator Patty Murray leads by more than 20 points over Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley, even after the GOP cleared the deck for Smiley in the primary.

“This is the place we wanted to be. We’re raising good money, we’re right we need to be,” Smiley said Tuesday night.

Republican members of Congress Dan Newhouse and Jamie Hererra Beutler, who voted to impeach President Trump after January 6th, are holding off challengers backed by Trump.

After a top-two primary where the most vote-getters advance regardless of party, Newhouse and Hererra Beutler could each face a Democrat in November.

“I think there’s too much at stake to let a Democrat win either of those seats,” said Caleb Heimlich, chairman of the state Republican Party. “I’m confident the party will unify behind whoever wins.”

In the competitive 8th Congressional District, Democrat Kim Schrier is getting about half the vote.

“I am so grateful to the voters who put their faith in me again,” Schrier said Tuesday night.

Republicans Matt Larkin and Reagan Dunn are in a close battle to take on Schrier this fall.

“We expected a squeaker,” Dunn said Tuesday night.

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