Washington’s August primary appears to have delivered an historic first. Two Republicans are likely to advance to the November election in central Washington’s Fourth Congressional District.
Never before has the state’s top-two primary produced two contenders of the same party for a Congressional seat.
This is the seat to replace retiring Republican Doc Hastings. A dozen candidates filed to take his seat. The top-two contenders in early returns are former NFL player-turned-farmer Clint Didier and former state director of agriculture Dan Newhouse. Both are Republicans.
Two Republicans are also likely to face off in the 31st Legislative District southeast of Seattle where state Rep. Cathy Dahlquist is challenging longtime state Sen. Pam Roach.
And two Democrats are likely to advance in Seattle's 37th Legislative District where longtime Sen. Adam Kline is retiring.
Incumbents were largely faring well in the Washington primary with one notable exception. Tim Sheldon is a Democrat who helped Republicans take the majority in the Washington Senate in 2013. He’s in a tight three-way race.
