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United States Senate election in Washington, 2024 (August 6 top-two primary)
← 2022
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U.S. Senate, Washington |
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Top-two primary General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: May 10, 2024 |
Primary: August 6, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent: Maria Cantwell (Democratic) |
How to vote |
Poll times: Poll opening hours vary; close at 8 p.m. Voting in Washington |
Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Safe Democratic Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic |
Ballotpedia analysis |
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024 |
See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th Washington elections, 2024 U.S. Congress elections, 2024 U.S. Senate elections, 2024 U.S. House elections, 2024 |
A top-two primary took place on August 6, 2024, in Washington to determine which two candidates would run in the state's general election on November 5, 2024.
Incumbent Maria Cantwell and Raul Garcia advanced from the primary for U.S. Senate Washington.
Candidate filing deadline | Primary election | General election |
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Heading into the election, the incumbent was Maria Cantwell (Democratic), who was first elected in 2000.
Washington uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot, for congressional and state-level elections. The top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.[1][2]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
This page focuses on Washington's United States Senate top-two primary. For more in-depth information on the general election, see the following page:
Candidates and election results
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate Washington
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Maria Cantwell (D) | 57.2 | 1,114,327 |
✔ | ![]() | Raul Garcia (R) ![]() | 22.1 | 431,182 |
Scott Nazarino (R) | 5.7 | 111,386 | ||
![]() | Isaac Holyk (R) ![]() | 5.7 | 110,701 | |
![]() | Melanie Ram (R) | 4.5 | 86,956 | |
![]() | Charlie Jackson (Independent Party) | 1.1 | 21,055 | |
![]() | David Tilton (No party preference) ![]() | 0.9 | 17,561 | |
![]() | Paul Giesick (D) ![]() | 0.9 | 17,433 | |
![]() | GoodSpaceGuy (R) | 0.9 | 16,826 | |
![]() | Thor Amundson (Independent Party) | 0.5 | 10,587 | |
![]() | Henry Dennison (Socialist Workers Party) | 0.4 | 7,840 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,862 |
Total votes: 1,948,716 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Aria Ursa (D)
- Ryan Searcy (R)
- John Guenther (R)
- Gregory Saunders (R)
- Destiny Archer (R)
- John Peterson (D)
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I’m not a career politician. I’m an Emergency Room doctor who for 26 years has served patients at their most vulnerable moments. I’m also not a born American, but an adopted one who had a love for this country before even stepping foot on it. I was 11 years old when my mother and I escaped communist Cuba and found refuge in America. America has given me the opportunity to make the American Dream a reality. So, when I see the problems facing our state and our nation, I will step up and work to help resolve them. Washington is a wonderful place to live, filled with enormous human and natural resources, but we have lost our way. We’re in the midst of serious crises that need more attention than they are getting."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Washington in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a catholic. I am a hard working, blue collar, average American. I am your neighbor and your advocate for liberty and prosperity. I love U.S. and world history. I am a Washingtonian. I grew up and currently live in the pacific northwest. I joined and served in the United States Marine Corps. after high school and received a bachelors degree in Operations Management using the GI Bill. I am currently a Production Manager. I love taking advantage of the beautiful mountains and hiking when i can. It is important for each citizen to learn about the mistakes of past societies so we can see the warning signs of tyranny long before it becomes a crisis."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Washington in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am born and raised in Washington state. I come from 5 generations of small business owners. My father is a master carpenter and trained me to be a master carpenter as well. I switched careers recently and now develop software applications and big data solutions in C# and ASP.net. I currently own a software development and production company helping other candidates for office shoot campaign videos for free. I am a Christ follower and I believe in conserving America's faith, family, and traditions. I am not running to enrich myself, I am running to bring the deep state down, end the career politician corruption, and restore the power to the people."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Washington in 2024.
Party: No party preference
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "As a proud United States Air Force veteran, I have served my country with honor and distinction through extensive overseas deployments, gaining a profound understanding of global affairs and the intricacies of different cultures. I've lived and raised my family in Washington for 20+ years, seeing some of the best and worst of our state. My journey is one of service and dedication: in retail, real estate, youth education, and business data analytics (local and international). The retail opportunities empowered my skill set with a keen understanding of customer needs and market dynamics from direct customer interaction to managerial roles. Real estate involvement gave me insights into property markets, management, investment strategies, and the ever-changing landscape of housing demands. I have dedicated myself to nurturing the minds of our youth, serving as a summer school instructor, math tutor, and church youth leader. This commitment to shaping the next generation underscores my belief in the importance of education and the potential of every child. My most recent role in business data analytics, both local and international, spanning 7+ years delving into complex datasets, and uncovering actionable insights that drive innovation and growth. Combining these diverse experiences I offer a multifaceted understanding of various industries, and a strong set of leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Washington in 2024.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Washington
Campaign finance
This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[3] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[4]
Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maria Cantwell | Democratic Party | $13,025,510 | $12,984,191 | $611,211 | As of December 31, 2024 |
Paul Giesick | Democratic Party | $0 | $6,910 | $210 | As of July 22, 2024 |
Raul Garcia | Republican Party | $773,709 | $773,709 | $0 | As of December 31, 2024 |
GoodSpaceGuy | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Isaac Holyk | Republican Party | $8,343 | $7,964 | $40 | As of December 31, 2024 |
Scott Nazarino | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Melanie Ram | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Thor Amundson | Independent Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Charlie Jackson | Independent Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
David Tilton | No party preference | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Henry Dennison | Socialist Workers Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
Ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Washington in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Washington, click here.
Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2024 | ||||||
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State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
Washington | U.S. Senate | Ballot-qualified party | 1,740[5] | $1,740.00 | 5/10/2024 | |
Washington | U.S. Senate | Unaffiliated | 1,000 | N/A | 8/2/2024 | Source |
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Cook PVI by congressional district
Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Washington, 2024 | |||
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District | Incumbent | Party | PVI |
Washington's 1st | Suzan DelBene | ![]() |
D+13 |
Washington's 2nd | Rick Larsen | ![]() |
D+9 |
Washington's 3rd | Marie Gluesenkamp Perez | ![]() |
R+5 |
Washington's 4th | Dan Newhouse | ![]() |
R+11 |
Washington's 5th | Cathy McMorris Rodgers | ![]() |
R+8 |
Washington's 6th | Derek Kilmer | ![]() |
D+6 |
Washington's 7th | Pramila Jayapal | ![]() |
D+36 |
Washington's 8th | Kim Schrier | ![]() |
D+1 |
Washington's 9th | Adam Smith | ![]() |
D+21 |
Washington's 10th | Marilyn Strickland | ![]() |
D+7 |
2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines
2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, Washington[6] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
District | Joe Biden ![]() |
Donald Trump ![]() | ||
Washington's 1st | 64.0% | 33.3% | ||
Washington's 2nd | 60.1% | 37.2% | ||
Washington's 3rd | 46.6% | 50.8% | ||
Washington's 4th | 40.3% | 57.2% | ||
Washington's 5th | 43.5% | 53.5% | ||
Washington's 6th | 57.1% | 39.9% | ||
Washington's 7th | 86.8% | 11.3% | ||
Washington's 8th | 52.0% | 45.3% | ||
Washington's 9th | 71.5% | 26.3% | ||
Washington's 10th | 57.3% | 39.6% |
2012-2020
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | |||||||
Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
Republican | |||||||
Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
New Republican | D | D | R |
Following the 2020 presidential election, 72.5% of Washingtonians lived in one of the state's 11 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 22.3% lived in one of 22 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Washington was Solid Democratic, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016, and Joe Biden (D) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Washington following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
Washington county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
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Solid Democratic | 11 | 72.5% | |||||
Solid Republican | 22 | 22.3% | |||||
Trending Republican | 4 | 3.6% | |||||
Battleground Democratic | 1 | 1.0% | |||||
Trending Democratic | 1 | 0.6% | |||||
Total voted Democratic | 13 | 74.1% | |||||
Total voted Republican | 26 | 25.9% |
Historical voting trends
Washington presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 17 Democratic wins
- 13 Republican wins
- 1 other win
Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winning Party | R | R | R | P[7] | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Washington.
U.S. Senate election results in Washington | ||
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Race | Winner | Runner up |
2022 | 57.1%![]() |
42.6%![]() |
2018 | 58.3%![]() |
41.5%![]() |
2016 | 58.8%![]() |
40.9%![]() |
2012 | 60.4%![]() |
39.5%![]() |
2010 | 52.1%![]() |
47.4%![]() |
Average | 57.3 | 41.8 |
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of Washington
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Washington.
Gubernatorial election results in Washington | ||
---|---|---|
Race | Winner | Runner up |
2020 | 56.6%![]() |
43.1%![]() |
2016 | 54.2%![]() |
45.5%![]() |
2012 | 51.4%![]() |
48.3%![]() |
2008 | 53.0%![]() |
46.6%![]() |
2004 | 48.9%![]() |
48.9%![]() |
Average | 52.8 | 46.5 |
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Washington's congressional delegation as of May 2024.
Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Washington | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
Democratic | 2 | 8 | 10 |
Republican | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 2 | 10 | 12 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Washington's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.
State executive officials in Washington, May 2024 | |
---|---|
Office | Officeholder |
Governor | ![]() |
Lieutenant Governor | ![]() |
Secretary of State | ![]() |
Attorney General | ![]() |
State legislature
Washington State Senate
Party | As of NFebruary 2024 | |
---|---|---|
Democratic Party | 29 | |
Republican Party | 20 | |
Other | 0 | |
Vacancies | 0 | |
Total | 49 |
Washington House of Representatives
Party | As of February 2024 | |
---|---|---|
Democratic Party | 58 | |
Republican Party | 40 | |
Other | 0 | |
Vacancies | 0 | |
Total | 98 |
Trifecta control
The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.
Washington Party Control: 1992-2024
Eighteen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Senate | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R[8] | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | S | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
The table below details demographic data in Washington and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.
Demographic Data for Washington | ||
---|---|---|
Washington | United States | |
Population | 7,705,281 | 331,449,281 |
Land area (sq mi) | 66,455 | 3,531,905 |
Race and ethnicity** | ||
White | 69.9% | 65.9% |
Black/African American | 3.9% | 12.5% |
Asian | 9.2% | 5.8% |
Native American | 1.2% | 0.8% |
Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 0.2% |
Other (single race) | 5.2% | 6% |
Multiple | 9.9% | 8.8% |
Hispanic/Latino | 13.5% | 18.7% |
Education | ||
High school graduation rate | 92.1% | 89.1% |
College graduation rate | 38% | 34.3% |
Income | ||
Median household income | $90,325 | $75,149 |
Persons below poverty level | 6.3% | 8.8% |
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022). | ||
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
See also
- United States Senate election in Washington, 2024
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States Senate elections, 2024
- U.S. Senate battlegrounds, 2024
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ NCSL, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 3, 2024
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Top 2 Primary: FAQs for Candidates," accessed October 3, 2024
- ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
- ↑ Petition signatures only required in lieu of filing fee.
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed December 15, 2023
- ↑ Progressive Party
- ↑ Democrats gained full control of the state Senate after a special election on November 7, 2017.