Primary night hot takes: First queer Latina to Congress? Republicans grasp at gov's office

The first votes were counted on Tuesday night for the Washington state primary – here are a few takes on what it could mean come November.

Bob Ferguson is way, way ahead

Attorney General Bob Ferguson held a wide lead after the initial ballot drop in the governor’s race, with 46% of the vote.

Former Congressman and King County Sheriff Dave Reichert, who has run a law-and-order campaign and frequently notes his role in catching the Green River Killer, came in second. Reichert stood at 28% on Tuesday night.

Although Reichert will likely move ahead to the general election, the numbers are challenging for his campaign. It’s held that Republican candidates need to win at least 40% of the vote in populous, deep blue King County to win the governor’s mansion. After the first ballot drop, Reichert stands at 20.64% in King County.

It’s been nearly 40 years since Washingtonians elected a Republican governor. The last one was John Spellman, who left office in 1985.

The first queer Latina in Congress?

Washington’s 6th Congressional District – which includes the Olympic Peninsula, Kitsap, and most of Tacoma – could make history.

Democrat Emily Randall was leading the pack of candidates in this open race to replace Rep. Derek Kilmer on Tuesday night, with 33.3% of the vote. If she wins in November, she could be the first queer Latina elected to Congress – ever.

Trailing closely behind her was Drew MacEwen, a Republican, with 30.5% of the initial primary vote. This is a safe Democrat district, however, so odds are in Randall’s favor.

Coming in third was Democrat Hilary Franz, with 25.7% of the vote.

Franz, who is currently the state public lands commissioner, made a gamble that looks like it may not pay off. She briefly ran for governor, then switched to the race for District 6.

Soon after Tuesday night’s results, Franz took to X, blasting out-of-state super PACs for spending millions “to buy this seat.”

“In the face of this unprecedented influx of dark money, we knew we faced an uphill climb,” she wrote.

Two Republicans may vye for lands commissioner

No Democrats finished in the top 2 for State Lands Commissioner on Tuesday night – which could change as more votes are counted this week.

Jaime Herrera Beutler leads with 22.7%. She’s hoping for a political comeback after losing her U.S. Congress seat in southwest Washington in 2022 following her vote to impeach Trump.

(Speaking of southwest Washington: The 3rd Congressional District looks like it will be a rematch of 2022, with MAGA Republican Joe Kent and incumbent Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez securing the top two spots in that race on Tuesday night.)

Democrat Dave Upthegrove is close to getting into the top two, with roughly 20% of the initial vote, and could close that gap as more votes come in this week.