OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse, who voted to impeach Donald Trump in the Jan. 6 uprising, looked well positioned Friday to qualify for the general election in his primary in Washington state. , while fellow Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler, who took the same vote, fought to retain a Trump-backed opponent.
Democrat Marie Perez was the first to garner votes in Washington’s southwest 3rd congressional district, with 31% of the vote. Herrera Beutler, who had around 24% on Tuesday night, fell to just over 23% on Thursday night, less than 2,000 votes ahead of Joe Kent – a former Trump-endorsed Green Beret.
Because Washington is a mail-in voting state and ballots simply need to be cast on Election Day, it often takes days to find out the final results in tight races as ballots arrive at polling stations. of the county throughout the week.
Updated vote tallies were expected late Friday afternoon in the 3rd District’s largest county, Clark, which had about 45,000 votes to count. Counties have until August 16 to complete their tally and for canvassing commissions to certify the results, followed by certification by the Secretary of State by August 19.
A mandatory recount would take place if the margin of votes between candidates No. 2 and No. 3 is less than half of 1% and close to 2,000 votes.
In Washington’s primary system, all candidates run on the same ballot, and the top two voters in each of Tuesday’s races qualify for the November election, regardless of party.
Of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, four chose not to run for office. Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer was defeated in a Tuesday primary by Trump-endorsed John Gibbs, and South Carolina Rep. Tom Rice lost to a Trump-endorsed challenger in June. Rep. David Valadao of California — which has an open primary like Washington — survived a primary challenge. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming is bracing for defeat in her Aug. 16 primary against a Trump-backed rival.
Newhouse, the four-term incumbent in the 4th congressional district in central Washington, had about 26% of the vote, followed by Democrat Doug White, who had just over 25%. Loren Culp, a Trump-endorsed former small-town police chief who lost the 2020 gubernatorial race to Democrat Jay Inslee, was about 21.21%.
In another key game in the 8th congressional district, Democratic incumbent Kim Schrier qualified for the November ballot with more than 47% of the vote and will face former state attorney general nominee Matt Larkin. , in November.
With more than 17% of the vote, Larkin edged out King County Councilman Reagan Dunn, a former federal prosecutor whose mother once held the seat. Dunn conceded the race on Thursday. The district is a key target of GOP efforts to regain control of the House.
