By RACHEL LA CORTE, Associated Press
The two Republican members of Congress from Washington who drew interparty challenges due to their votes to impeach former President Donald Trump were leading other Republicans in the state’s top two primary Wednesday.
Under Washington’s primary system, all candidates run on the same ballot, and the top two vote-getters advance to the November election, regardless of party — a system observers say may have helped the GOP incumbents in Washington who had been targeted by Trump.
In early returns, Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse looked as they may advance to the general election with a Democratic candidate in each of their races.
In partial returns as of Thursday morning, Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez was the top vote-getter in the 3rd Congressional District, with 32% of the vote and advanced to the November ballot. Herrera Beutler had 24%. Joe Kent – a former Green Beret endorsed by Trump who faced significant spending against him from another Republican who attacked him from the right – was at 21%.
In an emailed statement, Gluesenkamp Perez said that while she doesn’t yet know who her opponent is, “this result makes one thing clear.”
“Despite being outspent more than 20 to 1 by the incumbent and her corporate special interest supporters, voters across the district fed up with the status quo decided to support our campaign,” she wrote.
Because Washington is a vote-by-mail state and ballots just need to be in by Election Day, it can take days to learn final results as ballots arrive at county election offices throughout the week.
“Right now, I am focused on making sure not to get out over my skis,” Herrera Beutler, who is seeking her seventh term, said in a Zoom news conference with reporters Tuesday night. “I’m excited about the numbers but we’re not done yet, we still have more votes to count.”
Kent Tweeted Wednesday that dozens of precincts haven’t reported their tallies yet and that “there’s still a pathway.”
A Republican candidate who makes it to the fall ballot has great odds of winning the seat in Congress. The Cook Political Report and other high-profile election watchers have labeled Washington’s 3rd District as “solid Republican.”
If Herrera Beutler ultimately advances to the general election ballot, it will be in large part due to the mechanics of the top two primary, said Cornell Clayton, director of the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy at Washington State University.
“The top two primary is designed to favor more moderate candidates and make it more difficult for the extremes in either party to primary moderate candidates,” he said.
The number of Republican candidates gave an advantage to Democrats’ chances in claiming one of the top two spots, leaving the Republican vote split, Clayton notes. Herrera Beutler faced eight opponents, half of whom are Republicans.
-- Associated Press
Ad Choices