by Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard
August 5, 2024
There’s lots of openings on Washington’s political job board. Tuesday’s primary is voters’ first draft of who they think should fill them.
There’s pending vacancies for governor and attorney general, as well as two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and several offices in the state Legislature. When all ballots are counted, the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, move on to the general election in November.
Every election is laden with intriguing plot lines. Here are five to watch.
Will Dan Newhouse survive?
Republican Dan Newhouse is looking to extend his run as representative of central Washington’s 4th Congressional District. Plenty in his party don’t forgive him for voting to impeach former President Donald Trump in 2021, following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Tuesday’s another chance for political retribution.
Newhouse fended off a threat in 2022, winning reelection after sneaking through the primary. He overcame six Republican challengers who splintered the vote and allowed Newhouse to advance with 25.5%.
This time only two Republicans – Jerrod Sessler and Tiffany Smiley – are taking him on. Both have Trump’s strong endorsement and, not surprisingly, are reminding voters of the incumbent’s impeachment vote. One wild card: There are more Democrats on the ballot this time. Will be interesting to see if they influence the outcome.
A GOP sweep for Lands Commissioner?
The battle for Commissioner of Public Lands is a good one. There’s an opening because Hilary Franz, a Democrat who’s in the job now, is running for Congress. Two Republicans and five Democrats are competing and a recent poll by a progressive think tank found the GOP candidates ahead of their partisan opponents with Democrat voters largely undecided.
Jaime Herrera Beutler, a former Republican congresswoman, leads the field in her bid for a political comeback. Sue Kuehl Pederson, the Washington state Republican Party endorsed candidate, is second. Herrera Beutler has her Republican detractors because while in Congress she voted to impeach Trump in 2021. It cost her reelection in 2022 and the party’s endorsement as many rank-and-file stood and turned their backs to her as she addressed the state party convention.
Key Democratic Party interest groups are divided in this one with environmentalists, tribes and firefighters backing different candidates. If the Democrat vote splits equally five ways it could lead to Republicans occupying both spots on the ballot in November. Something like this happened to Republicans in the 2022 race for secretary of state and to Democrats in the 2016 race for state treasurer.
Who will win this duel of Democrats?
Franz is fighting fiercely with Democratic state Sen. Emily Randall in the 6th Congressional District where Democratic U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer’s retirement created an opening both women covet.
Franz got in the race first and has Kilmer’s backing. Randall joined soon after and got U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in her camp. Each has snagged endorsements from other big-name Washington Democrats and eclipsed $1 million in fundraising.
There’s been a modicum of private bad mouthing and public mudslinging. Early on, Franz pushed back on those who said she moved into the district to run. And the Seattle Times reported last month that some employees at the Department of Natural Resources felt she blended her work and political pursuits inappropriately.
Meanwhile, Randall fired a campaign manager after that person’s past liking of pro-Palestine content on social media became public. More recently, an independent political committee, funded in part by wealthy cryptocurrency proponents who back Trump, started running ads on Randall’s behalf.
The district leans Democrat, but with three others in the race, including two Republicans, it’s likely only one of the women will advance.
Can Reykdal silence his doubters?
‘Chris Reykdal is in trouble’ could be a bumper sticker this primary. Reykdal, Washington’s superintendent of public instruction, is seeking a third term but since last August has been responding to one doubter after another.
What happened? Reid Saaris. A fresh face with a background in education, Democrat tendencies, no political resume and friends with money who think his profile is what the state’s public school system needs at its helm these days.
Reykdal, a former Democratic state lawmaker, faces Saaris and David Olson, a Republican and school board member with Gig Harbor’s Peninsula School District. It’s a nonpartisan race but candidates will turn to their political parties for help since primaries tend to bring out a party’s most active members. For Democrats, it’s liberals and progressives. Reykdal is counting on them to assure he gets a shot in November.
Will there be a Round 2?
Rematches aren’t usually all that fun. In the 3rd Congressional District in southwest Washington, it could be.
That is if Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez squares off against Republican Joe Kent, the former Army Special Forces soldier she narrowly beat in 2022. If you recall, Kent beat Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler in the primary and had Trump’s backing but still lost to the Democratic newcomer in the fall.
Gluesenkamp Perez will get through the primary. Kent is favored as well though it’s not guaranteed. Republican Leslie Lewallen is running hard, casting herself as the better ally for Trump if he is president and pointing out Kent endorsed Herrera Beutler for lands commissioner – though Herrera Beutler didn’t seek it.
This district leans Republican and the GOP wants to regain the seat it lost in 2022. Given the closeness in the U.S. House, this race could help determine which party holds a majority in 2025. It’s certain to be a battleground this fall.
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