United States Senate election in Washington, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 8 (mail or online), or Oct. 29 (in-person)
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: N/A (Washington conducts all elections by mail)
- Poll times: N/A
2022 →
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| U.S. Senate, Washington |
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 |
| Top-two primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: May 18, 2018 |
| Primary: August 7, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Maria Cantwell (Democrat) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: No polling hours (vote-by-mail) Voting in Washington |
| Race ratings |
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th Washington elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
Voters in Washington elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 6, 2018.
The election filled the Class 1 Senate seat held by Maria Cantwell (D). She was first elected in 2000 and sought re-election in 2018.
Washington utilizes a top-two primary system, which allows all candidates to run and all voters to vote but only moves the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, to the general election.[1][2][3]
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for U.S. Senate Washington
Incumbent Maria Cantwell defeated Susan Hutchison in the general election for U.S. Senate Washington on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Maria Cantwell (D) | 58.4 | 1,803,364 | |
| Susan Hutchison (R) | 41.6 | 1,282,804 | ||
| Total votes: 3,086,168 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate Washington
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. Senate Washington on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Maria Cantwell (D) | 54.7 | 929,961 | |
| ✔ | Susan Hutchison (R) | 24.3 | 413,317 | |
| Keith Swank (R) | 2.3 | 39,818 | ||
| Joseph Gibson (R) | 2.3 | 38,676 | ||
| Clint Tannehill (D) | 2.1 | 35,770 | ||
| David R. Bryant (R) | 2.0 | 33,962 | ||
| Arthur Coday Jr. (R) | 1.8 | 30,654 | ||
| Jennifer Ferguson (Independent) | 1.5 | 25,224 | ||
| Tim Owen (R) | 1.4 | 23,167 | ||
| Matt Hawkins (R) | 0.8 | 13,324 | ||
| Don Rivers (D) | 0.7 | 12,634 | ||
| Mike Luke (L) | 0.7 | 12,302 | ||
| Glen Stockwell (R) | 0.7 | 11,611 | ||
| Thor Amundson (Independent) | 0.6 | 9,393 | ||
| Mohammad Said (D) | 0.5 | 8,649 | ||
| Matthew Heines (R) | 0.5 | 7,737 | ||
| Steve Hoffman (Freedom Socialist Party) | 0.4 | 7,390 | ||
| GoodSpaceGuy (R) | 0.4 | 7,057 | ||
| John Orlinski (R) | 0.4 | 6,905 | ||
| David Lee Strider (Independent) | 0.4 | 6,821 | ||
| Roque De La Fuente (R) | 0.3 | 5,724 | ||
| James Robert Deal (G) | 0.2 | 3,849 | ||
| Sam Wright (The Human Rights Party) | 0.2 | 3,761 | ||
| Brad Chase (FDFR Party) | 0.2 | 2,655 | ||
| George Kalberer (D) | 0.1 | 2,448 | ||
| Charlie Jackson (Independent) | 0.1 | 2,411 | ||
| RC Smith (R) | 0.1 | 2,238 | ||
| Jon Butler (Independent) | 0.1 | 2,016 | ||
| Alex Tsimerman (Standup-America Party) | 0.1 | 1,366 | ||
| Total votes: 1,700,840 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Clay Johnson (Independent)
Key votes
Key votes cast by Cantwell
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) cast the following key votes—votes that help citizens understand where their legislators stand on major policy issues—during the 115th Congress, which convened on January 3, 2017, and adjourned on January 3, 2019.
| Click show to see key votes for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) → |
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Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018
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Noteworthy events
Brett Kavanaugh confirmation vote
- See also: Supreme Court vacancy, 2018: An overview
On October 6, 2018, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Fifty senators voted to confirm Kavanaugh's nomination, 48 voted against, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted present. A simple majority was required to confirm Kavanaugh.[44]
Cantwell voted against Kavanaugh's confirmation on October 6, 2018. She released a statement after the vote, saying, "It is a very sad day. President Trump promised to put a Justice on the court who would take away rights generations of Americans fought to secure. Now that Justice is on the bench."[45]
In a statement the day of the vote, Hutchison said that she would have voted to confirm Kavanaugh: "Congratulations to Judge Kavanaugh. I hope today's vote brings to an end the divisive and highly partisan attacks on the U.S. Supreme Court and our Constitution."[46]
2016 Pivot Counties
Washington features three congressional districts that, based on boundaries adopted after the 2010 census, intersected with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.
The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. Heading into the 2018 elections, the partisan makeup of the 108 congressional districts intersecting with Pivot Counties was more Republican than the partisan breakdown of the U.S. House. Of the 108 congressional districts that had at least one Pivot County, 63 percent were held by a Republican incumbent, while 55.4 percent of U.S. House seats were won by a Republican in the 2016 elections.[47]
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Cantwell | Democratic Party | $11,779,869 | $11,964,267 | $569,893 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Susan Hutchison | Republican Party | $1,933,256 | $1,933,256 | $0 | As of December 31, 2018 |
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Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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Campaign themes
Maria Cantwell
Cantwell's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
I'm proud to represent the people of Washington state and the values that we share. In the Senate, I've crafted legislation to help bring prosperity to our state and to our nation. And I've fought to ensure that prosperity lifts us all up, not just a few. I believe in protecting the health of our families and the environment we live in. I believe in making smart long-term investments, like caring for our children and making education affordable. And I believe we must honor and respect the contributions made by our veterans and seniors. Read more about what I've accomplished for Washington state in the Senate and what I'm working to accomplish in the future. Jobs & The Economy Many of the most successful businesses in the world were founded in Washington state and this is where they’ve grown and prospered. Throughout my career, I've worked to support our state’s unique and enviable culture of science, innovation and economic growth. In the mid-nineties, I worked in the private sector and played a role in the development of digital media. I've seen how successful Washington companies operate, and I know what it means to our state. It means jobs. Not just jobs for tech workers, but across all sectors of our economy. My mission is to ensure that our prosperity is shared, so I fight for things working families need, like access to education and job training, and making housing, health care, and child care more affordable. I support the men and women of organized labor. I'm proud that Washington state is leading the nation in raising the minimum wage. I’ve worked hard to increase investment in aerospace training and I’m fighting for more apprentice jobs so more working class families can earn and learn. I supported the creation of a $30 billion lending fund to help small businesses, the great engine of our economy. I support trade policy to help open new markets for Washington’s agricultural products. Our export credit agency, which helped 144 Washington companies export more than $52 billion in products ranging from beer to commercial airplanes, has been under attack by some Republicans. I fought to get it reauthorized. Working with women entrepreneurs, we increased access to capital and funding for business counseling so we could grow more women-owned businesses. Today, it is not uncommon for workers to transition through multiple careers in their lifetime. We must prepare workers to thrive in the 21st Century global economy. We need to provide education and training for returning veterans and laid-off workers, and support our community colleges. Our state is at the forefront of the knowledge economy and two keys to staying ahead are affordable education and reduction of student loan debt. We must invest in making college more affordable. The benefits we gain are further innovation and greater success. Environment Every chance I get, I go hiking the Cascades or the Olympics, exploring alongside our spectacular Pacific coastline, or boating on Lake Chelan. The incredible natural beauty and untamed wilderness of our state is a gift we share. One of my greatest responsibilities is to help protect this gift for future generations. That's why I've fought so hard to stop the tripling of national park fees and protect our coast from offshore drilling. Now I’m fighting to protect our public lands from being sold off for development. I've worked to grow Washington's leadership in new solar, wind, biofuel and fuel cell jobs by promoting renewable energy over fossil fuels, and maintaining fuel efficiency for cars. I will fight any attempt to privatize Bonneville public power. Health Care I believe in health care for all. I support universal coverage, and that’s why I’m fighting every day for all of our fellow citizens to have access to affordable, high-quality health care. I fought to stop President Trump from stripping health care from 750,000 Washingtonians and eliminating protections for pre-existing conditions. I also support improvements to the Affordable Care Act, like expansion of the Basic Health Plan, to lower premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. Medicaid has brought coverage to 650,000 people in our state. I’ve fought hard against proposals that would undermine Medicaid by repealing the expansion and turning the program into a block grant. I am proud of Washington’s innovative health care system and world-renowned medical research institutions. I support strong federal investments in biomedical research and innovation in health care services to lower costs, improve results, and keep the focus on patients. Prescription drugs must be more affordable. That’s why I co-sponsored legislation to allow the safe importation of prescription drugs from Canada and empower Medicare to negotiate prices directly with drug manufacturers. We still have a lot of work to do. That's why I continue fighting for lower costs, expanded access, and better health care outcomes for all. Women’s Issues While we have made progress, we must continue the fight to protect the rights of women and for fair pay at work. We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act to do away with gender-based compensation discrimination and help ensure fair pay. Now we are fighting to ensure that there is equal pay for equal work. Our state has passed paid family and medical leave and the nation should follow suit. We must also continue working to help make child care more affordable. In the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, I fought to extend the protection of this legislation to the most vulnerable women in our society. We must continue to raise awareness of, and speak out against, sexual harassment in the workplace. I have fought to preserve a women’s right to choose as well as protect access to vitally important health care services. I will continue to fight any attempt by President Trump to roll back the clock on women's reproductive health. Working with women entrepreneurs, I helped pass a law to ensure women-owned small businesses have equal access to federal contracting. And we are continuing to push for policies that increase access to capital and funding for business counseling so we can grow more women-owned businesses. Education Access to affordable educational opportunities is the key to a thriving economy and a productive workforce. That’s why I fought to protect funding for K-12, worked to expand GI Bill education benefits and sponsored legislation to increase Pell Grants, and allow refinancing of student loans. I’ve fought to protect Impact Aid and secured increased funding for schools in rural counties through the Secure Rural Schools program. I’ve fought to protect Impact Aid and reauthorize funding for schools in rural counties through the Secure Rural Schools program. In particular, I believe in life-long learning opportunities, from Head Start programs for early childhood, to adult basic education funding and programs to help displaced workers. I am a strong supporter of STEM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), because our future success will require skilled scientists and engineers. Veterans Veterans put everything on the line for us and we, as a nation, have a responsibility to do all we can to assist their transition. That means ensuring timely access to quality health care and GI benefits. I’ve worked to bring job training, skills transition programs, education, and small business assistance to help veterans convert their experience and discipline into success in the economy. To help those who provide daily care to many veterans, I supported expansion of the VA’s Caregivers Program. We expanded the term of eligibility for GI Bill loans and I supported laws to provide tax incentives for employers to hire veterans. And in my efforts to address affordable housing, I passed legislation to open up more housing units for homeless veterans. I’m fighting to ensure all veterans receive the care, benefits and respect they’ve earned through their sacrifice. Affordable Housing Increasing our housing supply is a big part of the solution and that’s why I've sponsored and helped pass the first federal increase in the affordable housing tax credit in a decade. This legislation helps fund increased housing production around Washington state. I’ve also fought to address affordability, promote anti-discrimination protections, and increase funding for low-income and veterans’ programs within the federal budget. Housing affordability is reaching a crisis stage and it's time for us to step up and take on the complex issues surrounding housing costs. I will continue working at the federal level to enact policies and gain needed resources to ensure all in Washington have access to affordable housing. Retirement Security Previous generations worked secure in the knowledge that they could rely on pensions and Social Security in retirement. But more and more these days, workers aren't staying in one company for their whole career, and many lack adequate pensions. Recently, we’ve even seen pension funds fail. In addition, we’ve had to fight repeated attempts by unscrupulous politicians to raid the Social Security trust fund and hand it over to Wall Street. We need to do everything possible to safeguard the financial security of American citizens, who are rightfully concerned about their future. And to do that we must do more to help workers save. That’s why I introduced legislation that would create incentives for employers to match workers contributions, and a new retirement plan option for workers who do not have access to a 401(k). I will not allow Social Security to be eroded by those in Congress who are more interested in the health of financial industry profits than they are about the people of America. I've opposed the Republican effort to replace Medicare with a voucher system that would enrich insurance companies at the expense of seniors. Agriculture That’s why I fight for policies and programs that support farming and ranching families and help us to compete in international markets. I’ve worked to expand the Market Access Program which helps farmers gain access to consumers in emerging markets like India and China, and crop insurance to help families weather natural disasters and catastrophic crop loss. I’ve fought for agricultural research funding to help address falling numbers in wheat; added peas and lentils into our national school lunch program; expanded research and development funding for specialty crops; and backed increased funding for the National Clean Plant Network that helps keep plants virus free. I’ve also supported funding for Washington State University’s agriculture extension network, conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program, and rural development programs that support housing and other important economic investments in farm communities across our state. I’ve also been vigilant against unfair trading practices and have worked with our growers to hold our trading partners accountable. A new trade enforcement trust fund that I helped create will help provide dedicated funding to enforce trade agreements. I will fight to ensure that Washington’s farms, ranches and other export-dependent businesses do not turn into collateral damage. Net Neutrality My work in both the public sector and the private sector has always been focused on technology. During this time, the Internet has grown to represent 7 percent of our economy and supports nearly 7 million jobs. I believe protecting an open Internet is critical to ensuring this juggernaut of job creation continues. Without it, innovation will undoubtedly be stifled. Unfortunately, President Trump moved to do away with net neutrality protections. That’s why in 2018, I helped mobilize voters and wavering colleagues to stop him in the Senate. While the Senate has voted to protect an open Internet the House must now do so as well. Cybersecurity Cybersecurity is an issue that keeps me up at night. Each day we face an increasing number of cyber attacks, including attacks from state actors, to our electrical grid and energy infrastructure. That’s why I fought President Trump’s proposals to drastically cut cybersecurity funding. And I worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass critical legislation out of the Senate to help strengthen our preparedness and resilience to energy-sector cyber attacks. This bipartisan legislation will help the Department of Energy to identify vulnerabilities, strengthen response capabilities, promote public-private information sharing and address workforce training and shortages. I’ve also worked with our National Guard to strengthen its preparedness and response capabilities and introduced legislation to authorize the deployment of cybersecurity first response teams in all 50 states. Opioid Crisis As I’ve traveled across our state, I’ve seen the devastating impact the opioid epidemic is having on our communities. From Longview to Port Angeles and Everett to Spokane, I’ve held forums to hear first hand about the difficult fight our families, community leaders, health care providers, and law enforcement officials are up against. That’s why I supported the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, legislation that dramatically increased federal resources for treatment, recovery, supportive services for families and law enforcement. I have sponsored a bill, supported by 39 state Attorneys General, to increase the penalties on drug manufacturers when they turn a blind eye to the reckless distribution of opioids in our communities. We need greater transparency and accountability into the production, marketing and distribution practices of drug manufacturers and that’s what my bill does. Immigration I spoke with a voter recently who was in tears. Her grandparents survived the Holocaust, and their desperate quest for safety led to her life in the United States. She is well acquainted with first-hand accounts of that terrible era in human history. Reflecting on news of tragic abuses by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on our borders, she told me "I never thought I'd live in a country where these things happen." We cannot and will not look away. I will fight for humane, rational and constructive Immigration policies. We are, after all, a nation of immigrants and I haven’t forgotten that. Homeland Security There is no greater responsibility of our federal government than to ensure our national security and that of every American. Washington state faces a unique set of security challenges. We are a major gateway to trans-Pacific trade and we’re a border state. We’re experiencing record-setting growth at our airports, even as aviation security requirements increase. I take my responsibility to help keep our state safe very seriously. I’ve passed bipartisan legislation to help law enforcement identify and evaluate potential terror suspects at foreign airports before they're permitted to board a flight for the U.S. I’ve worked to increase the deployment of technology to monitor and better secure remote portions of our northern border. I’ve sponsored legislation to bring federal funding to support law enforcement in our border communities with the cost of prosecuting drug trafficking and other crimes. I’ve worked to increase the security of container cargoes so they are identified and screened before they leave foreign shores destined for our ports. And I’ve worked to increase the deployment of K-9 units and specialized security teams at our airports to improve safety and to move passengers through security lines more quickly. We must remain ever vigilant in our efforts to protect our nation. But we must do so without ever compromising our values, our humanity, the rule of law, or due process. |
” |
| —Maria Cantwell’s campaign website (2018)[49] | ||
Susan Hutchison
Hutchison's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
#1 Supreme Court #2 The Economy and Jobs I WILL always vote for bills that help grow jobs and the economy for all. #3 Taxes and a Simpler Tax Code I WILL vote for efforts to un-complicate the tax code and undo the huge IRS bureaucracy. #4 Military Readiness I WILL make military families a high priority when I am your Senator. #5 Immigration I WILL support a humane immigration system that promotes legal entry and blocks illegal entry. I WILL support a border wall in every effective form: physical, electronic and law enforcement. As our country generously welcomes one million new legal immigrants every year, my hope is that all will fulfill their American Dream. #6 Trade I WILL always make our state’s products and the workers that make them a top priority. #7 2nd Amendment and Gun Control We must more competently enforce our existing laws, keeping weapons from the dangerous and mentally ill and have the courage to tackle the mental health crisis that leads to these unthinkable acts. I WILL work to find true solutions to gun violence without penalizing the millions of law-abiding gun owners. #8 Swift Solutions for Obamacare’s Woes I WILL work to find market-based solutions to Obamacare’s confusion and sky-rocketing premiums, putting patients and families in control of their own healthcare. And I WILL fight against the inevitable mediocrity of a government-controlled medical system. In addition, I WILL be committed to improving VA medical services for our vets. #9 Opioid Drug Crisis As your Senator, I WILL strengthen the federal role in this national crisis—tightening prescription rules, prosecuting illegal drug trafficking across borders, treating rather than enabling addiction, promoting recovery programs and re-evaluating Medicaid distribution of opioids. #10 Agriculture I WILL always fight for our farmers by protecting property and water rights from burdensome Federal regulations. #11 Forestry and Fishing I WILL defend our fish and forests, timber jobs and fishing fleet. I WILL work to restore salmon runs. I WILL support modern and effective forest management practices for federal lands. #12 Housing Affordability I WILL support housing affordability as a priority in our state and nationwide. #13 21st Century Education for our Children I WILL work with courageous policy-makers to cause systemic changes that emphasize learning and competency. And I WILL work to stem the skyrocketing costs of college education. #14 Israel and the Middle East #15 Debt I WILL work to get the country on a solid path to reduce annual deficits (which grow the debt) and balance the budget. Economic growth is the engine for debt reduction (see Reason #2). #16 Women and Workplace Equity There is no place for #MeToo incidents in the workplace, though I’ve seen plenty. I understand the harsh and sometimes subtle ways women are kept from reaching their potential and I WILL always support economic opportunities for women. #17 Infrastructure and Traffic I WILL get funding to help alleviate traffic congestion on our highways. #18 Term Limits But the current culture in Washington, D.C. is corrupted by lobbyists and special interests. Maria Cantwell has been a politician for 25 years. She is no longer a servant to the public, but to the influences of the D.C. swamp. It’s time to exert term limits on Cantwell. But don’t take my word for it, take hers, when 18 years ago she went after the incumbent for this Senate seat saying: “It’s time for a change. The issue is longevity in office.” I agree that Cantwell should not have a 4th term. [48] |
” |
| —Susan Hutchison’s campaign website (2018)[50] | ||
Wave election analysis
- See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)
The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?
Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.
Applying this definition to U.S. Senate elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.
The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 10 U.S. Senate waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.
| U.S. Senate wave elections | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | President | Party | Election type | Senate seats change | Senate majority[51] | |
| 1932 | Hoover | R | Presidential | -13 | D (flipped) | |
| 1958 | Eisenhower | R | Second midterm | -12 | D | |
| 1946 | Truman | D | First midterm | -10 | R (flipped) | |
| 1980 | Carter | D | Presidential | -9 | R (flipped) | |
| 2014 | Obama | D | Second midterm | -9 | R (flipped) | |
| 1942 | Roosevelt | D | Third midterm | -8 | D | |
| 2008 | George W. Bush | D | Presidential | -8 | D | |
| 1926 | Coolidge | R | First midterm[52] | -7 | R | |
| 1930 | Hoover | R | First midterm | -7 | R | |
| 1986 | Reagan | R | Second midterm | -7 | D (flipped) | |
Election history
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated Washington's U.S. Senate race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Patty Murray (D) won re-election in 2016. She defeated Chris Vance (R) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Murray and Vance defeated 15 other candidates to win the primary on August 2, 2016. In Washington, all candidates run in the same primary and the two candidates who receive the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election.[53][54]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Patty Murray Incumbent |
59% | 1,913,979 | |
| Republican | Chris Vance | 41% | 1,329,338 | |
| Total Votes | 3,243,317 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |
Patty Murray Incumbent |
53.8% | 745,421 | |
| Republican | Chris Vance |
27.5% | 381,004 | |
| Republican | Eric John Makus | 4.2% | 57,825 | |
| Democratic | Phil Cornell | 3.4% | 46,460 | |
| Republican | Scott Nazarino | 3% | 41,542 | |
| Libertarian | Mike Luke | 1.5% | 20,988 | |
| Democratic | Mohammad Said | 1% | 13,362 | |
| Conservative | Donna Rae Lands | 0.8% | 11,472 | |
| Independent | Ted Cummings | 0.8% | 11,028 | |
| Human Rights | Sam Wright | 0.8% | 10,751 | |
| Republican | Uncle Mover | 0.6% | 8,569 | |
| System Reboot Party | Jeremy Teuton | 0.6% | 7,991 | |
| Democratic | Thor Amundson | 0.6% | 7,906 | |
| Independent | Chuck Jackson | 0.5% | 6,318 | |
| Lincoln Caucus | Pano Churchill | 0.4% | 5,150 | |
| Independent | Zach Haller | 0.4% | 5,092 | |
| Standupamerica | Alex Tsimerman | 0.3% | 4,117 | |
| Total Votes | 1,384,996 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State |
||||
2012
Maria Cantwell won re-election to the United States Senate in 2012.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Maria Cantwell Incumbent |
60.5% | 1,855,493 | |
| Republican | Michael Baumgartner | 39.5% | 1,213,924 | |
| Total Votes | 3,069,417 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Washington heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in Washington.
- Democrats held six of 10 U.S. House seats in Washington.
State executives
- As of September 2018, Democrats held six of 8 state executive positions, Republicans held two, and the remaining positions were officially nonpartisan.
- The governor of Washington was Democrat Jay Inslee. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 3, 2020.
State legislature
- Democrats controlled both chambers of the Washington State Legislature. They had a 50-48 majority in the state House and a 26-23 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Washington was a Democratic trifecta, meaning that the Democrats controlled the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate.
2018 elections
- See also: Washington elections, 2018
Washington held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One U.S. Senate seat
- 10 U.S. House seats
- 25 of 49 state Senate seats
- 98 state House seats
- Municipal elections in Seattle
Demographics
| Demographic data for Washington | ||
|---|---|---|
| Washington | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 7,160,290 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 66,456 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 77.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 3.6% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 7.7% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 5.2% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 12% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 90.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 32.9% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,062 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 14.4% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Washington. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, Washington's three largest cities were Seattle (pop. est. 724,745), Spokane (pop. est. 217,108), and Tacoma (pop. est. 213,418).[55][56]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Washington from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Washington Secretary of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Washington every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Washington 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 54.3% | 38.1% | 16.2% | ||
| 2012 | 51.2% | 41.2% | 10.0% | ||
| 2008 | 57.6% | 40.5% | 17.1% | ||
| 2004 | 52.8% | 45.6% | 7.2% | ||
| 2000 | 50.2% | 44.6% | 5.8% | ||
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Washington from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Washington 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 59.0% | 40.1% | 18.9% | ||
| 2012 | 60.4% | 39.5% | 20.9% | ||
| 2010 | 52.4% | 47.6% | 4.8% | ||
| 2006 | 56.9% | 39.9% | 17.0% | ||
| 2004 | 55.0% | 44.7% | 10.3% | ||
| 2000 | 48.7% | 48.6% | 0.1% | ||
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Washington.
| Election results (Governor), Washington 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 54.4% | 45.6% | 8.8% | ||
| 2012 | 51.5% | 48.6% | 0.9% | ||
| 2008 | 53.2% | 46.8% | 6.4% | ||
| 2004 | 48.9% | 48.9% | 0.0% | ||
| 2000 | 58.4% | 39.7% | 7.1% | ||
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Washington in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Washington 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 40% | 60% | D+2 | ||
| 2014 | 40% | 60% | D+2 | ||
| 2012 | 44.4% | 55.5% | D+1 | ||
| 2010 | 44.4% | 55.5% | D+1 | ||
| 2008 | 33.3% | 66.7% | D+2 | ||
| 2006 | 33.3% | 66.7% | D+2 | ||
| 2004 | 33.3% | 66.7% | D+2 | ||
| 2002 | 33.3% | 66.7% | D+2 | ||
| 2000 | 33.3% | 66.7% | D+2 | ||
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Washington Party Control: 1992-2024
Eighteen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R[57] | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | S | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in Washington, 2018
- United States Senate elections, 2018
- Maria Cantwell
- United States Senate election in Washington (August 7, 2018 top-two primary)
Footnotes
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures Website, "State Primary Election Types," accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Fair Vote, "Congressional and Presidential Primaries: Open, Closed, Semi-Closed, and 'Top Two,'" accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment with an Amendment)," December 18, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2)," December 11, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 6, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 5, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2, As Amended)," June 28, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1959)," February 15, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1958 As Modified)," February 15, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1948)," February 15, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1955)," February 15, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S. 2311)," January 29, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (McConnell Amdt. No. 667)," July 28, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (Paul Amdt. No. 271 )," July 26, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Waive All Applicable Budgetary Discipline Re: Amdt. No. 270)," July 25, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Proceed to H.R. 1628)," July 25, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 7, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Decision of the Chair (Shall the Decision of the Chair Stand as the Judgment of the Senate?)," April 6, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6157)," September 18, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 5895)," September 12, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H. R. 6157 As Amended)," August 23, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 5895 As Amended)," June 25, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1625)," March 23, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892 with an Amendment (SA 1930))," February 9, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 695)," February 8, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment with Further Amendment)," January 22, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 22, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 19, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1370)," December 21, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Recede from the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 and Concur with Further Amendment ," December 20, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (H.J. Res. 123)," December 7, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 1 As Amended )," December 2, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Concurrent Resolution (H. Con. Res. 71 As Amended)," October 19, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amdt. to the Senate Amdt. with an Amdt. No. 808 to H.R. 601)," September 7, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Senate, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 244)," May 4, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (S.J. Res. 54, As Amended), December 13, 2018
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2810 As Amended)," September 18, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Senate sends $692B defense policy bill to Trump's desk," November 15, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 3364)," July 27, 2017
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (S. 722 As Amended)," June 15, 2017
- ↑ New York Times, "Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate Video," October 6, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, "Cantwell Statement on Supreme Court Confirmation Vote," October 6, 2018
- ↑ Susan Hutchison for Senate, "Statement by Susan Hutchison on the Confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh," October 6, 2018
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Maria Cantwell’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed October 18, 2018
- ↑ Susan Hutchison’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed October 18, 2018
- ↑ Denotes the party that had more seats in the U.S. House following the election.
- ↑ Calvin Coolidge's (R) first term began in August 1923 after the death of President Warren Harding (R), who was first elected in 1920. Before he had his first midterm in 1926, Coolidge was re-elected as president in 1924.
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Unofficial List of Candidates in Ballot Order," accessed May 23, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Washington House Primaries Results," August 2, 2016
- ↑ Washington Demographics, "Washington Cities by Population," accessed December 11, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Washington," accessed December 11, 2017
- ↑ Democrats gained full control of the state Senate after a special election on November 7, 2017.
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