U.S. Rep. Larsen leads 2nd District; not all incumbents safe
Incumbent Democratic 2nd Congressional District U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen looks safe for the Nov. 8 general election after winning a majority in the Aug. 8 primary, but three other incumbent Washington state U.S. representatives go into November without getting majorities in the primary.
The only race without an incumbent is the 7th Congressional District contest to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, a contest that will match Democrats State Rep. Brady Pinero Walkinshaw and State Sen. Pramila Jayapal.
In the 2nd District, primary-election results certified Tuesday, Aug. 16, showed incumbent Democrat Larsen with 52 percent of the votes to 32 percent for Republican Marc Hennemann, who will be Larsen’s November opponent, with the rest of the votes divided among another Democrat, a Libertarian and an independent.
The 2nd Congressional District includes Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Brier, coastal areas of Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties from Mukilteo to Bellingham, and all of Island and San Juan counties.
The three incumbent Washington congressional representatives who led primary balloting with vote percentages of less than 50 percent were Republican 4th District U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse with 46 percent in central Washington, Republican 5th District U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers with 42 percent in eastern Washington and Democratic 10th District U.S. Rep. Denny Heck with 47 percent in the south Puget Sound area.
Newhouse faces a general-election rematch against tea-party Republican Clint Didier, who took 28 percent of the primary votes with the leading Democrat taking 22 percent. Newhouse defeated Didier in the 2014 general election by a 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent margin.
McMorris Rogers will face Democrat Joe Pakootas in November.
Heck will face Republican Jim Postma in November after Postma won 37 percent to finish ahead of the 13 percent for a second Democrat.
Other incumbent Washington U.S. representatives who won primary majorities were: 1st District Democrat Suzan DelBene, who took 54 percent of votes in inland parts of King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties; 3rd District Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler with 55 percent in southwest Washington; 6th District Democrat Derek Kilmer with 58 percent on the Olympic Peninsula; 8th District Republican Dave Reichert with 57 percent in Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, east King and east Pierce counties; and 9th District Democrat Adam Smith with 56 percent in south King and north Pierce counties.
In the 7th District, Jayapal led with 42 percent of the votes to Walkinshaw’s 21 percent and King County Councilman Joe McDermott’s 19 percent. The remaining votes were divided among two other Democrats, two Republicans and two independents.
The 7th District includes Edmonds, Woodway, Shoreline and Lake Forest Park in addition to most of Seattle and Seattle’s southwest suburbs.
By: Evan Smith
Source: Herald Net