(The Center Square) – As Washington voters cast their ballots in the top-two primary Tuesday, key Congressional races across the state highlight a high-stakes mix of seasoned incumbents defending their seats and open-field scrambles to replace retiring leaders.
From high-tech suburban hubs and coastal communities to agricultural centers and pivotal swing territories, these primary matchups will set the stage for the crucial battles that will shape the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives this November.
Tuesday night’s preliminary results in these House races are below, with a district-by-district breakdown of the candidates and key issues driving this year’s vote.
Find extended coverage of Districts 3 and 4 here.
These results were updated at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
District 1: In Washington’s 1st Congressional District, long-time Democratic incumbent Suzan DelBene faces a slate of contenders, including Republican Jeb Brewer, Independent Derek Chartrand, and minor-party challengers. DelBene emphasizes economic stability and tech innovation, while opponents highlight inflation and regional affordability.
DelBene leads early primary returns with 49.99% of the vote (31,549 votes), while Mary Silva follows in second with 30.80% (19,438 votes) and James Etzkorn trailing in third at 7.40% (4,671 votes).
District 2: Democrat Rick Larsen seeks reelection to defend his seat against key challengers, including Republican Cody Hart, Green Party candidate Jason Call, and Independent Josh Binda. Larsen highlights ongoing infrastructure investments, while rivals focus on federal spending, local environmental protections and constitutional rights.
Larsen has captured an early lead, taking 44.85% of the vote (55,387 votes). Edwin H. Feller sits in second place with 32.88% (40,602 votes), while Tomas Scheel holds third with 11.74% (14,501 votes).
District 5: With long-time incumbent Cathy McMorris Rodgers retiring, Eastern Washington’s 5th District features an open-seat showdown. Top contenders include Republicans Michael Baumgartner and Jacquelin Maycumber, alongside Democrat Bernadine Bank. The race centers heavily on rural health access, agriculture policies and federal resource allocations.
Michael Baumgartner holds the top spot in early returns with 47.97% of the vote (54,205 votes), with Carmela Conroy close behind at 20.83% (23,536 votes) and Nate Powell in third at 14.35% (16,216 votes).
District 6: Following Derek Kilmer’s decision not to seek reelection, this key seat is wide open. Leading contenders include Democrats Hilary Franz and Emily Randall, pitted against Republican Drew MacEwen. Primary debate centers on coastal economic development, timber industry stability and environmental sustainability.
Pacing the field in this open-seat primary, Emily Randall commands 53.88% of early votes (11,217 votes), ahead of Teresa Fox at 27.70% (5,766 votes) and Leon Lawson at 12.27% (2,554 votes).
District 7: Progressive Democrat Pramila Jayapal defends her Seattle-centric seat against Republican Dan Alexander and Independent Liz Hallock. Jayapal runs on her leadership within the Congressional Progressive Caucus, while opponents challenge her platform on public safety, taxes and national economic policies.
Jayapal jumped out to a strong early lead, securing 82.98% of the total vote (83,539 votes). Nirav Sheth sits behind at 10.75% (10,824 votes), followed by Gwen Kirkland at 3.42% (3,440 votes).
District 8: Democratic incumbent Kim Schrier faces a competitive challenge from Republicans Carmen Goers and Imad Ahmad. This swing district spans urban and rural areas, making inflation, reproductive rights, agricultural water access and public safety top issues among voters on both sides.
Early counts show Schrier out in front with 46.76% of the vote (26,243 votes), followed by Trinh Ha trailing with 17.55% (9,848 votes) and Spencer Meline taking 16.03% (8,997 votes).
District 9: Incumbent Democrat Adam Smith seeks to maintain his long-held seat against challengers like Democrat Melissa Chaudhry and Republican Paul Guppy. Smith’s campaign highlights his national defense leadership and district affordability, while opponents focus on foreign policy concerns and regional economic pressures.
Smith is setting the pace with 50.94% of early primary votes (36,070 votes), leaving Doug Basler in second place at 23.79% (16,842 votes) and Kshama Sawant in third at 12.56% (8,896 votes).
District 10: Democratic incumbent Marilyn Strickland defends her seat against challengers, including Republicans Chris D. Chung and Independent Derek Maynes. Strickland’s campaign highlights her efforts on economic development, regional transit improvements, and supporting military families tied to Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Opponents focus their platforms on regional affordability, public safety, and government accountability.
Strickland is out in front in early counts with 49.14% of the vote (39,501 votes), followed by Chris D. Chung in second at 33.27% (26,745 votes) and Adam Arafat in third at 8.89% (7,147 votes).
Vote totals will continue to be released from the Secretary of State over the next several days. The SOS will certify results by Aug. 21.