By: Austin Jenkins, NW News Network
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 4th 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 director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture Dan Newhouse. Both are Republicans.
Two Republicans are also likely to face off in the 31st Legislative District southeast of Seattle. That’s where state Representative Cathy Dahlquist is challenging longtime state Senator Pam Roach.
Two Democrats are likely to advance in Seattle’s 37th Legislative District. That’s where longtime State Senator 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.