After early vote counts in Tuesday’s Washington state primaries, a new political map is coming into focus: in November, voters will decide whether Democrats can keep control of the legislature—and how far they can push their agenda. All 98 seats in the state House and 24 of the 49 seats in the state Senate are up for election. To win a supermajority, Democrats need seven more seats in the lower chamber and three more in the upper chamber—enough to amend the state constitution without Republican support and to strengthen their influence on issues such as redistricting. Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to hold their ground in a midterm campaign that has not been favorable to them.
In Washington’s primaries, a “top-2” system determines the November general election field: the two candidates who receive the most votes advance, regardless of party. It was introduced by Initiative I-872 in 2008, replacing party primaries. Parties lost official control over candidate nominations, while candidates only indicate a preferred party. As a result, November races can feature two Democrats running against each other. That weakens party apparatuses and forces candidates to seek support from a broad range of voters, not just their own party members.
Ballot counting will continue for several more days, so results could still change. In Washington, elections are entirely conducted by mail: every registered voter receives a ballot about two weeks before Election Day. Voters can drop it into an official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day, or mail it—so long as the postmark is no later than Election Day. Election offices begin processing early, but each envelope must be verified for signature authenticity, then opened and the ballot scanned. In addition, ballots mailed on time arrive after Election Day, meaning final results are released over the next few days rather than on the night of the election.
In a number of districts long considered Republican-leaning, Democrats have unexpectedly pulled in enough votes to keep the fight going. In other contests, voters will choose between two Democrats, deciding which direction of progressive policy they like more. The district numbers involved are administrative identifiers: Washington has 49 legislative districts, and each elects one state senator and two state representatives. District lines are redrawn every 10 years by an independent redistricting commission, and they often cut across city and even county boundaries.
In the 43rd district, which includes Seattle’s Capitol Hill and the Eastlake neighborhood, the Senate Democratic majority leader, Jamie Pedersen, is cruising: after the first count, he has 71% of the vote. His opponent, Hanna Sabuio-Howell, a political newcomer, has 18%, and independent candidate Heather-Marie Wilson, running from a more conservative position, has 11%. Pedersen has pushed progressive initiatives for two decades—high-income taxes, a ban on assault weapons, and stronger tenant protections. Sabuio-Howell is critical of him and of the Democratic Party for moving too slowly on these issues, and she is proposing even higher taxes on the wealthy, expanding universal childcare, and increasing the supply of housing.
In the 46th district (northeast Seattle, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore), one of the hottest—and most expensive—races of the year is underway. Incumbent Rep. Jerry Pollet is leading with 54%, and newcomer Will Dreer is at 31%; the third candidate, Ron Paul Davis, trails at 14%. Pollet has served in the Legislature since 2011, works on funding for schools and colleges, and sponsored passage of a high-income tax. Dreer, a lawyer who served as a juror in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot trials, is betting on regulating artificial intelligence and the technology industry. Davis, a former tech entrepreneur and political consultant, supports expanding housing, investing in transportation, and fully funding public schools.
In the 32nd district (Shoreline, Woodway, parts of Edmonds, and northwest Seattle), one of the most consequential races for a Senate seat, two sitting Democrats will meet in November. Incumbent Sen. Jess Salomon has 39% of the vote, while Cindy Ryu—who represents the same district in the House—has 41%. Both take progressive positions and support a “millionaires’ tax” and rent growth limits, but voters will be choosing between different styles of governing: Ryu calls herself the more progressive of the two, while Salomon describes himself as a “practical progressive.” The only Republican in the race, Ira McBhe, has 20%.
Another Democratic-to-Democratic contest is in the 29th district, which includes eastern Tacoma, Parkland, Spanaway, and the surrounding area of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM)—the large U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force base created from Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base. Tens of thousands of service members, civilian employees, and family members work and live there, and part of the base lies within the district. For local voters, base funding, housing for service members, healthcare, support for veterans, and employment opportunities for military spouses are especially important—so candidates have to talk aggressively about defense and military budgets. Early indications show incumbent Rep. Melanie Morgan and newcomer Cresta Perez are nearly tied: Morgan at 47.18% and Perez at 47.23%. Morgan has served in the Legislature since 2019 and focuses on housing, veterans’ issues, racial equity, and criminal justice reform. But her vote against the high-income tax could cost her a seat: Perez supports that tax and promises to expand access to childcare through the Working Connections Child Care program, as well as strengthen protections for workers.
In the 26th district—one of the state’s few true “swing” areas, covering southeast Kitsap County and the Gig Harbor area—the contest is for an open House seat held for more than a decade by Republican Michelle Valdes. After the first count, Republican Katie Cornell leads with 44%, followed by Democrat Rene Hernandez Greenfield at 40%; Democrat Tedd Weatherby is at 13%, and independent Randy Phillips at 2%. Hernandez Greenfield emphasizes affordable childcare, climate resilience, and respecting tribal sovereignty through consultations with tribal governments. Cornell promises lower taxes, less regulation for small business, and mandatory treatment for repeat offenders.
In the 17th district in eastern Vancouver and the southwest of Clark County, along the Oregon border, Democrats are close to taking both House seats away from Republicans. For the first seat, incumbent Republican Kevin Waters has 44% and Democrat Ben Christle has 53%; another 3% goes to liberal Thomas Haynes, who supports gun rights. For the second seat, incumbent Republican David Stueb has 45%, while his Democratic challenger Diana Perez has 55%. If that trend holds, in November Republicans will have to defend a district they’re used to winning without much effort.
So the first primary results suggest Democrats have a strong chance to expand their majority in the Washington State Legislature. In several districts, the outcome will be decided in November between candidates from the same party with different views on what progressive policy should look like. Final results will come after all ballots are counted, but it’s already clear that the fall campaign will shape not only the balance of power in Olympia, but also the state’s ideological direction for years to come.
Based on: WA Senate majority leader sailing through in 2026 primary