2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington
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The 2008 congressional elections in Washington was held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the state of Washington in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Nonpartisan blanket primary elections were held on August 19, 2008.[1]
November 4, 2008
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All 9 Washington seats to the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Washington has nine seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Its 2007-2008 congressional delegation consisted of six Democrats and three Republicans. All of the incumbents were re-elected, with only the 8th district race being considered competitive.
Overview
District
| District[2] | Democratic | Republican | Total | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | Votes | % | |
| District 1 | 233,780 | 67.76% | 111,240 | 32.24% | 345,020 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 2 | 217,416 | 62.39% | 131,051 | 37.61% | 348,467 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 3 | 216,701 | 64.01% | 121,828 | 35.99% | 338,529 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 4 | 99,430 | 36.91% | 169,940 | 63.09% | 269,370 | 100.00% | Republican hold |
| District 5 | 112,382 | 34.72% | 211,305 | 65.28% | 323,687 | 100.00% | Republican hold |
| District 6 | 205,991 | 66.86% | 102,081 | 33.14% | 308,072 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 7 | 291,963 | 83.65% | 57,054 | 16.35% | 349,017 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 8 | 171,358 | 47.22% | 191,568 | 52.78% | 362,926 | 100.00% | Republican hold |
| District 9 | 176,295 | 65.45% | 93,080 | 34.55% | 269,375 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| Total | 1,725,316 | 59.20% | 1,189,147 | 40.80% | 2,914,463 | 100.00% | |
District 1

Incumbent Democrat Jay Inslee has represented the 1st district in Congress since 1999. Inslee won in the 2006 election with 68% of the vote. He was opposed by Republican candidate Larry Ishmael.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jay Inslee | 104,342 | 66.44% | |
| Republican | Larry Ishmael | 52,700 | 33.56% | |
| Total votes | 157,042 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jay Inslee | 233,780 | 67.76% | |
| Republican | Larry Ishmael | 111,240 | 32.24% | |
| Total votes | 345,020 | 100.00% | ||
By county
| County[10] | Jay Inslee
Democratic |
Larry Ishmael
Republican |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| King (part) | 85,283 | 69.71% | 37,062 | 30.29% | 48,221 | 39.41% | 122,345 |
| Kitsap (part) | 41,602 | 66.15% | 21,284 | 33.85% | 20,318 | 32.31% | 62,886 |
| Snohomish (part) | 106,895 | 66.90% | 52,894 | 33.10% | 54,001 | 33.80% | 159,789 |
| Totals | 233,780 | 67.76% | 111,240 | 32.24% | 122,540 | 35.52% | 345,020 |
District 2

Incumbent Democrat Rick Larsen has represented the 2nd district in Congress since 2001. Larsen won in the 2006 election with 64% of the vote. He was opposed by Republican candidate Rick Bart. Two other Democrats challenged the two in the primary election, Doug Schaffer and Glen Johnson.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Larsen | 98,304 | 54.33% | |
| Republican | Rick Bart | 68,189 | 37.69% | |
| Democratic | Doug Schaffer | 8,857 | 4.89% | |
| Democratic | Glen Johnson | 5,590 | 3.09% | |
| Total votes | 180,940 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Larsen | 217,416 | 62.39% | |
| Republican | Rick Bart | 131,051 | 37.61% | |
| Total votes | 348,467 | 100.00% | ||
By county
| County[13] | Rick Larsen Democratic |
Rick Bart Republican |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Island | 24,948 | 61.70% | 15,489 | 38.30% | 9,459 | 23.39% | 40,437 |
| King (part) | 198 | 66.89% | 98 | 33.11% | 100 | 33.78% | 296 |
| San Juan | 7,308 | 72.44% | 2,781 | 27.56% | 4,527 | 44.87% | 10,089 |
| Skagit | 34,641 | 64.52% | 19,051 | 35.48% | 15,590 | 29.04% | 53,692 |
| Snohomish (part) | 87,457 | 59.00% | 60,784 | 41.00% | 26,673 | 17.99% | 148,241 |
| Whatcom | 62,864 | 65.68% | 32,848 | 34.32% | 30,016 | 31.36% | 95,712 |
| Totals | 217,416 | 62.39% | 131,051 | 37.61% | 86,365 | 24.78% | 348,467 |
District 3
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County results Baird: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Brian Baird has represented the 3rd district in Congress since 1999. Baird won in the 2006 election with 63% of the vote. He was opposed by Republican candidate Michael Delavar. Democrat Cheryl Crist and Republican Christine Webb also entered the primary.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brian Baird | 83,409 | 50.59% | |
| Republican | Michael Delavar | 32,372 | 19.63% | |
| Republican | Christine Webb | 27,738 | 16.82% | |
| Democratic | Cheryl Crist | 21,356 | 12.95% | |
| Total votes | 164,875 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brian Baird | 216,701 | 64.01% | |
| Republican | Michael Delavar | 121,828 | 35.99% | |
| Total votes | 338,529 | 100.00% | ||
By county
| County[16] | Brian Baird
Democratic |
Michael Delavar
Republican |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Clark | 106,878 | 61.21% | 67,733 | 38.79% | 39,145 | 22.42% | 174,611 |
| Cowlitz | 29,102 | 66.71% | 14,523 | 33.29% | 14,579 | 33.42% | 43,625 |
| Lewis | 19,745 | 59.03% | 13,705 | 40.97% | 6,040 | 18.06% | 33,450 |
| Pacific | 7,706 | 72.57% | 2,913 | 27.43% | 4,793 | 45.14% | 10,619 |
| Skamania (part) | 2,309 | 60.19% | 1,527 | 39.81% | 782 | 20.39% | 3,836 |
| Thurston (part) | 49,456 | 70.50% | 20,699 | 29.50% | 28,757 | 40.99% | 70,155 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,505 | 67.40% | 728 | 32.60% | 777 | 34.80% | 2,233 |
| Totals | 216,701 | 64.01% | 121,828 | 35.99% | 94,873 | 28.03% | 338,529 |
District 4

Incumbent Republican Doc Hastings has represented the 4th district in Congress since 1995. Hastings won in the 2006 election with 60% of the vote. He was opposed by Democratic candidate George Fearing. Republican Gordon Allen Pross was eliminated in the primary.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Doc Hastings | 93,241 | 62.19% | |
| Democratic | George Fearing | 49,841 | 33.24% | |
| Republican | Gordon Allen Pross | 6,842 | 4.56% | |
| Total votes | 149,924 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe R | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Doc Hastings | 169,940 | 63.09% | |
| Democratic | George Fearing | 99,430 | 36.91% | |
| Total votes | 269,370 | 100.00% | ||
By county
| County[19] | Doc Hastings
Republican |
George Fearing
Democratic |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams (part) | 1,522 | 67.08% | 747 | 32.92% | 775 | 34.16% | 2,269 |
| Benton | 46,603 | 65.23% | 24,838 | 34.77% | 21,765 | 30.47% | 71,441 |
| Chelan | 20,270 | 65.49% | 10,681 | 34.51% | 9,589 | 30.98% | 30,951 |
| Douglas | 10,108 | 68.52% | 4,644 | 31.48% | 5,464 | 37.04% | 14,752 |
| Franklin | 12,408 | 64.06% | 6,960 | 35.94% | 5,448 | 28.13% | 19,368 |
| Grant | 18,460 | 69.17% | 8,227 | 30.83% | 10,233 | 38.34% | 26,687 |
| Kittitas | 10,095 | 58.57% | 7,142 | 41.43% | 2,953 | 17.13% | 17,237 |
| Klickitat | 5,603 | 57.25% | 4,184 | 42.75% | 1,419 | 14.50% | 9,787 |
| Skamania (part) | 717 | 52.11% | 659 | 47.89% | 58 | 4.22% | 1,376 |
| Yakima | 44,154 | 58.48% | 31,348 | 41.52% | 12,806 | 16.96% | 75,502 |
| Totals | 169,940 | 63.09% | 99,430 | 36.91% | 70,510 | 26.18% | 269,370 |
District 5

Incumbent Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers has represented the 2nd district in Congress since 2005. Rodgers was elected in 2006 with 56% of the vote. She was opposed by Democratic candidate Mark Mays. Barbara Lampert of the Democratic party, Republican Kurt Erickson, Libertarian John Beck and Constitution candidate Randall Yearout were eliminated in the primary.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Cathy McMorris Rodgers | 96,584 | 56.29% | |
| Democratic | Mark Mays | 34,251 | 19.96% | |
| Democratic | Barbara Lampert | 19,645 | 11.45% | |
| Republican | Kurt Erickson | 12,155 | 7.08% | |
| Constitution | Randall Yearout | 5,268 | 3.07% | |
| Libertarian | John H. Beck | 3,673 | 2.14% | |
| Total votes | 171,576 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe R | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Cathy McMorris Rodgers | 211,305 | 65.28% | |
| Democratic | Mark Mays | 112,382 | 34.72% | |
| Total votes | 323,687 | 100.00% | ||
By county
| County[22] | Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Republican |
Mark Mays
Democratic |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams (part) | 1,964 | 82.45% | 418 | 17.55% | 1,546 | 64.90% | 2,382 |
| Asotin | 6,422 | 67.96% | 3,028 | 32.04% | 3,394 | 35.92% | 9,450 |
| Columbia | 1,795 | 81.78% | 400 | 18.22% | 1,395 | 63.55% | 2,195 |
| Ferry | 2,448 | 71.60% | 971 | 28.40% | 1,477 | 43.20% | 3,419 |
| Garfield | 1,081 | 80.91% | 255 | 19.09% | 826 | 61.83% | 1,336 |
| Lincoln | 4,586 | 78.10% | 1,286 | 21.90% | 3,300 | 56.20% | 5,872 |
| Okanogan | 11,082 | 67.37% | 5,367 | 32.63% | 5,715 | 34.74% | 16,449 |
| Pend Oreille | 4,426 | 69.62% | 1,931 | 30.38% | 2,495 | 39.25% | 6,357 |
| Spokane | 134,228 | 62.79% | 79,531 | 37.21% | 54,697 | 25.59% | 213,759 |
| Stevens | 16,068 | 73.14% | 5,902 | 26.86% | 10,166 | 46.27% | 21,970 |
| Walla Walla | 16,713 | 70.62% | 6,954 | 29.38% | 9,759 | 41.23% | 23,667 |
| Whitman | 10,492 | 62.34% | 6,339 | 37.66% | 4,153 | 24.67% | 16,831 |
| Totals | 211,305 | 65.28% | 112,382 | 34.72% | 98,923 | 30.56% | 323,687 |
District 6

Incumbent Democrat Norm Dicks has represented the 6th district in Congress since 1977. Dicks won in the 2006 election with 71% of the vote. He was opposed by Republican candidate Doug Cloud. Green candidate Gary Murrell and Democrat Paul Richmond also entered the primary.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Norm Dicks | 96,862 | 57.26% | |
| Republican | Doug Cloud | 51,300 | 30.33% | |
| Democratic | Paul Richmond | 14,983 | 8.86% | |
| Green | Glen Johnson | 6,014 | 3.56% | |
| Total votes | 169,159 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Norm Dicks | 205,991 | 66.86% | |
| Republican | Doug Cloud | 102,081 | 33.14% | |
| Total votes | 308,072 | 100.00% | ||
By county
| County[25] | Norm Dicks
Democratic |
Doug Cloud
Republican |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Clallam | 20,745 | 55.72% | 16,489 | 44.28% | 4,256 | 11.43% | 37,234 |
| Grays Harbor | 18,783 | 66.64% | 9,403 | 33.36% | 9,380 | 33.28% | 28,186 |
| Jefferson | 13,462 | 70.23% | 5,706 | 29.77% | 7,756 | 40.46% | 19,168 |
| Kitsap (part) | 39,404 | 67.77% | 18,736 | 32.23% | 20,668 | 35.55% | 58,140 |
| Mason | 17,710 | 64.11% | 9,915 | 35.89% | 7,795 | 28.22% | 27,625 |
| Pierce (part) | 95,887 | 69.63% | 41,832 | 30.37% | 54,055 | 39.25% | 137,719 |
| Totals | 205,991 | 66.86% | 102,081 | 33.14% | 103,910 | 33.73% | 308,072 |
District 7

Incumbent Democrat Jim McDermott has represented the 7th district in Congress since 1989. McDermott won in the 2006 election with 79% of the vote in the most Democratic district in the state. He was opposed by Republican candidate Steve Beren. Democrats Donovan Rivers and Goodspaceguy entered the primary, as well as independents Mark Goldman and Al Schaefer.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim McDermott | 95,344 | 73.82% | |
| Republican | Steve Beren | 19,307 | 14.95% | |
| Democratic | Donovan Rivers | 6,685 | 5.18% | |
| Independent | Mark A. Goldman | 3,410 | 2.64% | |
| Democratic | Goodspaceguy Nelson | 3,199 | 2.48% | |
| Independent | Al Schaefer | 1,216 | 0.94% | |
| Total votes | 129,161 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim McDermott | 291,963 | 83.65% | |
| Republican | Steve Beren | 57,054 | 16.35% | |
| Total votes | 349,017 | 100.00% | ||
By county
District 8

Incumbent Republican Dave Reichert has represented the 8th district in Congress since 2005. Reichert won in the 2006 election with 51.5% of the vote. He was opposed by Democratic candidate Darcy Burner. The primary also included Democrats James Vaughn and Keith Arnold, and Independents Richard Todd and Boleslaw Orlinski.
The District 8 race was considered competitive: it voted for Obama by a large margin and had a Cook PVI of D+2. It was rated "toss up" by Cook, "no clear favorite" by CQ Politics and "toss up/tilt Republican" by Rothenberg.[29][30][31]
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dave Reichert | 74,140 | 48.54% | |
| Democratic | Darcy Burner | 68,010 | 44.53% | |
| Democratic | James E. Vaughn | 5,051 | 3.31% | |
| Independent | Richard Todd | 2,116 | 1.39% | |
| Democratic | Keith Arnold | 1,886 | 1.23% | |
| Independent | Boleslaw Orlinski | 1,523 | 1.00% | |
| Total votes | 152,726 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Tossup | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Tosusp | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Lean D (flip) | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Tossup | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Tossup | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dave Reichert | 191,568 | 52.78% | |
| Democratic | Darcy Burner | 171,358 | 47.22% | |
| Total votes | 362,926 | 100.00% | ||
By county
District 9

Incumbent Democrat Adam Smith has represented the 9th district in Congress since 1997. Smith won in the 2006 election with 66% of the vote. He was opposed by Republican candidate James Postma.
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Adam Smith | 81,503 | 64.70% | |
| Republican | James Postma | 44,472 | 35.30% | |
| Total votes | 125,975 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Adam Smith | 176,295 | 65.45% | |
| Republican | James Postma | 93,080 | 34.55% | |
| Total votes | 269,375 | 100.00% | ||
By county
| County[37] | Adam Smith
Democratic |
James Postma
Republican |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| King (part) | 82,368 | 69.66% | 35,877 | 30.34% | 46,491 | 39.32% | 118,245 |
| Pierce (part) | 62,448 | 60.81% | 40,254 | 39.19% | 22,194 | 21.61% | 102,702 |
| Thurston (part) | 31,479 | 65.00% | 16,949 | 35.00% | 14,530 | 30.00% | 48,428 |
| Totals | 176,295 | 65.45% | 93,080 | 34.55% | 83,215 | 30.89% | 269,375 |