Today is the last day for Washington voters to decide which candidates survive the first round of political combat and advance to November’s general election.
For Democrats, the hope is simple: keep the status quo intact and convince voters that record spending, new taxes, and expanding government programs are exactly what Washington needs. Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to capitalize on growing frustration over the cost of living, public safety, and an Olympia establishment that seems determined to make government bigger no matter how much families are already paying.
The stakes are high. Voters will narrow the field for all 10 congressional races, half of the state Senate seats, every state House seat, and three Washington Supreme Court races.
But while hundreds of candidates are on the ballot, only a handful of contests have the potential to actually reshape the political landscape.
WA-03: Perez’s “Moderate” Act Faces Its Biggest Test Yet
The biggest battleground is Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, where Democrat Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is fighting to hold onto a seat that has quickly become one of the most competitive in the country.
Perez has spent much of her political career selling herself as a blue-collar moderate willing to break from her party. But when it comes to the votes that matter most, her record has repeatedly put her alongside congressional Democrats on major issues.
Now, she faces what could be her toughest challenge yet in state Senate Minority Leader John Braun, a longtime Republican lawmaker with deep ties in Southwest Washington and the backing of President Donald Trump.
The race has drawn national attention because the district is no longer the reliable Democratic seat it once was. Voters in the 3rd District backed Trump in 2024, giving Republicans a clear opening to flip the seat and weaken Democrats’ narrow hold in Congress.
For Perez, the challenge is convincing voters that her branding as an independent voice matters more than her party affiliation. For Republicans, the mission is straightforward: turn voter frustration with Washington, D.C., and Olympia into a change at the ballot box.
WA-04: A Republican Seat, But a Heated Primary Fight
Across the state in Central Washington’s 4th Congressional District, Republicans are battling for the chance to replace retiring Congressman Dan Newhouse.
The district has long been one of the safest Republican seats in Washington, meaning the winner of the primary will likely become the next representative.
President Trump has endorsed Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney, while former NASCAR driver Jerrod Sessler remains a major contender after previously earning Trump’s support during his 2024 congressional campaign.
With no shortage of Republican candidates looking to claim the seat, the race has become a battle over who can best represent a district that has consistently pushed back against Washington’s increasingly progressive political direction.
Olympia’s Spending Majority Goes Before Voters
While congressional races may grab the headlines, voters will also decide whether Democrats maintain their grip on the state Legislature.
Democrats currently hold roughly 60% majorities in both chambers—a political advantage they have used to pass a sweeping agenda of new taxes, increased spending, and policy changes that have transformed the state.
During their recent years of one-party control, lawmakers have expanded government budgets, created new taxes and fees, and approved policies that critics argue have made Washington less affordable for working families and small businesses.
Republicans are hoping voters use the primary as an early warning sign that they are tired of paying more for government while dealing with rising housing costs, higher energy prices, and increased everyday expenses.
Democrats, meanwhile, are betting their governing record will be enough to keep their majorities intact.
The Supreme Court Races That Could Decide Washington’s Tax Future
Three Washington Supreme Court seats are also on the ballot, and while the court’s current liberal majority is unlikely to change this election cycle, these races could have enormous consequences in the years ahead.
The reason? Washington’s newest—and most controversial—tax.
After voters rejected attempts to create an income tax more than a dozen times over the years, Democrats in Olympia finally pushed one through by creating a 9.9% tax on high earners.
Opponents immediately challenged the law, arguing it violates decades of Washington legal precedent that treats income as property under the state constitution.
That means the state Supreme Court could ultimately decide whether Democrats’ long-sought income tax survives—or whether justices uphold the constitutional limits voters have repeatedly demanded.
For supporters of the tax, the courts represent a path forward after repeated failures at the ballot box. For opponents, the case represents a test of whether lawmakers can bypass voters’ longstanding rejection of an income tax through legal maneuvering.
Either way, the court races on this year’s ballot could help determine who ultimately decides one of the biggest fiscal battles in Washington history.
A Preview of November
Ballots will begin across the state tonight, and election results will begin coming in after 8 p.m.
By then, Washington voters will begin sending their first message of the 2026 election cycle.
The question is whether they are satisfied with the direction Olympia and Washington’s congressional delegation are taking—or whether they are ready to demand something different.
Because after years of higher taxes, bigger budgets, and promises that more government will somehow solve every problem, voters now get the first chance to weigh in.
November may decide who holds power.
But today will reveal whether Washington is starting to question who has been using it.
