Washington state's primary election results [excluding pres., which was earlier this year]

mynorthwest.com ^ | Aug. 8, 2012 | Staff

[matt1234]

NOTES:

1. Results exclude president. The presidential caucus was conducted earlier this year.

2. WA is a "top two" state, meaning the two primary candidates who receive the highest number of votes will advance to the general election, regardless of party.

3. WA votes 100% by mail, so final results may not be known for days or weeks.

4. The WA primary is "open," meaning a voter can vote for any candidate, regardless of the voter's party.

5. Since the 2010 election, WA was redistricted to increase their US House membership from 9 seats to 10.

[matt1234]

WA ping, please. Thanks.

[fred42]

I just looked over yesterday’s election results....

I think winning dem candidates (including judges) have higher voting %’s because the dems are better organized.

When searching for voter recommendations before the election, I checked GOP-e (www.wsrp.org www.kcgop.org), various TeaParty sites, and wa-demchairs.org

The wa-demchairs had “single” recommendations for “every” office.

The GOP-e list was spotty and had multiple recommendations for the same office (splitting the vote). Some offices had no conservative candidate in the running ! No write-ins recommendations were even listed.

Unfortunately, the dims are better organized !
That and “vote by mail” are reasons why we’re loosing in WA.

Has the GOP-e given up on WA ?

[Spunky]

Looking at those percentages one can pretty well figure who will be the winners in Nov.

Democrats as usual unless there are a WHOLE LOT of Republicans that DID NOT vote in this primary.

[SW6906]

What happened to the Sharon Hanek write-in vote for Treasurer? They don’t report it. Will she be in the November election? Was it that insignificant?

[matt1234]

What happened to the Sharon Hanek write-in vote for Treasurer?

I wondered about that, too. There is no way the dem got 100% as reported. Maybe write-ins are counted after the initial count.

[matt1234]

Has the GOP-e given up on WA ?

In general, I don't think so. But some urban districts are hopeless for R's. (For example, some state legislative districts in Seattle routinely go 80%+ dem.) It's difficult to recruit good candidates for a seat that is hopeless.

[wmap]

I read that the turnout was only 22% and being a mail in only that may increase, but that is very low. It would seem that likely voters are a better bell weather to what the election results will look like in Nov. Yes, organization means a lot, if low turnout that could work for the Republicans.

[SatinDoll]

I didn’t vote this time around. I didn’t get involved in the causcus this past spring, either. There were so many names on the ballot, I’m sure it was done this way to make it confusing.

Oh, I knew who the candidates were, but I don’t like the way it is handled. I’ll wait until November and put my money behind the most conservative Republicans, like Clint Didier.

The Republicans in Cowlitz County, where I live, are hopeless. Tea Party candidates are shunned and no one, NO ONE, has bothered to contact me even though I’ve complained that my late mother, who was a lifelong Republican and dead six years, is possibly “resurrected” and voting as a dead Democrat.

Do you know what those idiots told me? Don’t make trouble. Uh, wrong answer!

[dragonblustar]

This beyond sad. What the hell is it going to take to wake up the base?

[WOSG]

“2. WA is a “top two” state, meaning the two primary candidates who receive the highest number of votes will advance to the general election, regardless of party. “

That’s a fine way to destroy the political parties and kill off conservatives.

[Haiku Guy]

Who will replace Cathy McMorris Rogers after Romney picks her for VEEP?

[Impy]

For those of you unhappy, I would chill. There are more democrats than Republican in WA, that more democrats turned out for the primary is not a surprise, hardly any major races had serious intra-party contests so there was not much reason to turn out. As always the GE will be decided by those who are far too unengaged to ever bother voting in a primary.

IMO this top 2 crap is unconstitutional. But one possible benefit is there are no third party candidates to take GOP votes (so no Green party but but GOP has been more hurt by the Libertarians than the rats hurt by the Greens).

A Look at all the races

Senate

55% for C*ntwell. Dem/GOP total was about 58-41, I don’t think C*ntwell is in any trouble and this result doesn’t disabuse me of that notion. Pretty good GOP candidate though.

http://www.votebaumgartner.com/

Governor

Dem 50.17 GOP 47.37

Reinforcing that this is a close race. McKenna was well ahead months ago but in WA lean GOP races often end up as tossups once the slander and fraud machine starts up. McKenna still ought to pull it out.

http://www.robmckenna.org/

CD 1

I rate Koster (R) the slight favorite here in the closest district in the state

He was the only GOP and he got 44.36% to the rats combined 53.67%. This does not trouble me because the rats had a wide open primary between a bunch of former Microsoft people so had they had reason to turn out.

http://www.kosterforcongress.com/

CD 2 Safe D (This is more the old CD 1 that was vacated by Inslee, there is also a meaningless special election for that old district, the rat will likely beat Koster for that)

CD 3 Safe R (still a close district but the new map improved this seat of Freshman Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler who is no danger from a weak rat)

CD 4 Safe R

CD 5 Safe R

CD 6

Open dem leaning seat being vacated by ancient democrat Norm Dicks-Head, politically weird area as it’s mostly rural.

The only rat who ran State Senator Dave Kilmer got 53.69 to the GOP’s combined 43.78 with the rest for an independent. Not a terrible showing.

The GOP nominee is Businessman and veteran Bill Driscoll
http://electbilldriscoll.org/

Should keep on eye on that one to see if it’s competitive

CD 7 Seattle

CD 8

Safe R. Same Story as CD 3 close seat that got a bit more Republican, RINO Dave Reichert got just 50.2% but other Republicans got an additional 11.6%. He can finally breathe easy against a nobody rat.

CD 9 Safe D (very safe, chunk of Seattle in this one now I think)

CD 10

The new seat

Obama got 57% here to McLame’s 41, same partisan lean as the 6th district.

2 rats combined for 50.96%, 2 Republicans combined for 43.48. 3 indie losers got the rest.

The GOP candidate Dick Muri lost by 10 points to Adam Smith in 2010 for a seat slightly more democrat than this one.

Another one to watch, better odds than the 6th district I’d say

http://dickmuri.com/

For the other statewide races

LT Gov

The long-tenured Brad Owen got under 50% total and faces a real GOP challenger but I have trouble seeing him lose. It seems he wants to die as LT Governor. Before being elected to his current post in 1996 he was in the state leg since 1977. Lifer.

Sec of State, open R office

Rats outpaced GOP in the primary vote but it looks like we have a chance to retain that. The R sec of state didn’t help stop the stolen election in 2004.

State Treasurer

Rat incumbant was only man on the ballot, the only GOP to run did so as a write in. Still counting but it looks like she will be 2nd and make the NOV ballot so she can lose badly to the democrat.

State Auditor

Open rat seat. The lone GOP got 46.27, 3 rats the rest. Pickup opportunity

AG

McKenna’s open office, 1 dem got 51.52, GOP the rest. 2 King County Councilmembers squaring off. The GOPer is Reagan Dunn, son of the former Congresswoman. He was born in 1971 so he’s probably not named after Ronny.

Land Commish

Rat incumbent 51.45, GOP 41.3, indie the rest

The GOP is Clint Didier, ex-football player and Senate candidate from 2 years ago.

School Superintendent

Nonpartisan race, incumbant whom I sure is a union rat got over 55%.

All GOP candidates and their websites can be found at link http://www.politics1.com/wa.htm

I’m hopeful McKenna and Koster will win and that we’ll get a couple more of those state offices.

[21twelve]

I know James - standup guy and VERY impressive Conservative and money manager. I forget the details (on his website), but was President of a bank in Alaska in his young 20’s. Worked at the Treasury and cut lots of money there, then went into computers, etc. Good, standup guy. Here is his press release:

Watkins Wins State Auditor Primary!

Post Primary Statement and Video

August 9 - Following gracious concession messages from State Senator Craig Pridemore and State Representative Mark Miloscia, this morning the Watkins for Auditor campaign released the following statement (and debate invitation), and video from James. The statement is below. The video can be viewed at http://watkinsforauditor.com/video-and-print/post-primary-statement-and-debate-invitation

---

The preliminary results are in, and it looks like I’ll face State Representative Troy Kelley in the general election for Washington State Auditor.

During the primary campaign, I had a chance to get to know and appreciate State Senator Pridemore and State Representative Miloscia. I’d like to thank them for their public service and for running good, clean campaigns. I hope they’ll continue to serve the citizens of Washington State.

To the hundreds of thousands of voters from across the state who made me the top vote getter and trust me to be their watchdog in Olympia – thank you. I’ll do my best to honor your vote and will work to make our government more accountable, more effective, and more efficient. I will be your watchdog in Olympia. If you didn’t vote for me in the primary, I hope to earn your vote in November.

As we move to the general, the central question of this election is clear – will Washington build on the legacy of Brian Sonntag and retain an independent state auditor’s office or will we turn the office into another Olympia-based political shop?

The new state auditor will help drive reform – or block it. He will champion open government – or protect government from oversight. He will work for the taxpayers – or work for the government.

As candidates in the primary, State Representative Kelley and I ran very different races. I like Troy – but he ran an incredibly cynical race, spending a record amount to fool voters into thinking Brian Sonntag endorsed him as state auditor. In print, the voter’s guide, on-line, and on television, Troy used a two year old endorsement for a different office as if it were current - and was called out for it by the Tacoma News Tribune, Seattle Times, the Spokane Spokesman-Review and Brian Sonntag himself.

I chose to focus on my 23 years of experience and the real issues facing Washington State and the auditor’s office – and earned a convincing primary win, mainstream endorsements from all the major newspapers that endorsed, and bi-partisan endorsements from Democrats and Republicans across the state.

In the primary, State Representative Kelley hid behind misleading advertising instead of engaging in real debate about the role of the auditor’s office, his background, and his qualifications. I hope he’ll reconsider in the general election. Today, I’d like to formally invite Troy to appear with me in a series of debates across Washington State – from his adopted hometown of Tacoma to my hometown in King County. From Spokane, the Tri-Cities, Yakima, and Wenatchee to Aberdeen - voters deserve an open and transparent election. They deserve to know their candidates’ real backgrounds and exactly where their candidates stand.

In conclusion, although times change, many things stay the same. The last time Washingtonians hired a sitting legislator to be their state auditor, he used the auditor’s office to push policies he couldn’t pass as a legislator. He successfully pushed for higher taxes and more tax collectors. Four years later, he lost the office in a landslide. That was in 1897. Washingtonians haven’t made that same mistake in 115 years – and I don’t think we’re going to make that mistake in 2012.

As I’ve said for months, the state auditor’s race isn’t glamorous, it’s not sexy, and it shouldn’t be partisan. It’s about hiring a professional to do a very necessary job. Washington’s taxpayers demand an independent, non-partisan, and professional state auditor – and state auditor’s office. I intend to see they get both.

Thanks again for your support.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Thanks for the round-up.

[djf]

That whole “top two” crap is BS. It allows King County to dominate every time.

I am so sick of seeing Dull Penny commercials, I could puke...

[AuH2ORepublican]

Great analysis, thanks for posting.

[campaignPete R-CT]

the top 2 rule will help conservatives. In districts that are hopelessly DEM.

Run a conservative DEM and he can come in 2nd place with GOP votes. Cannot happen in a conventional primary. Then the General election becomes another DEM primary and the lefty can be beaten.

See Ned Lamont vs. Lieberman ‘06 in CT. Lamont got crushed. What a great opportunity for those who have a brain.

[Kasiajordan]

What about the King county initiative for new levy to build juvenile correction or other center? Are we 50% approval or do we need 60% to pass the crap? Unbelievable people are passing the levies like candies.
Is this thing final if approved in primary or will it go on the ballot in November?

[matt1234]

What about the King County initiative for new levy to build juvenile correction or other center?

According to the King Co. website, the initiative results were approx. 55% approve / 45% reject as of Aug. 10, 2012.

I don't know the answer to your other two questions.

King County results: http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/2012aug-primary/results.aspx