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Pacific County and the rest of Southwest Washington voted last week to send its congresswoman back to the other Washington, with U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Skamania) prevailing in one of the most hotly contested — and costliest — races in the country.

As of Nov. 11, Perez currently leads with 51.9% of the vote compared to her Republican challenger Joe Kent’s 47.7% in the contest for Washington’s Third Congressional District — a margin of more than 16,000 votes with an estimated 18,000 left to tally district-wide. In Pacific County, Perez is ahead with 53.6% to Kent’s 46.2%.

“Thank you, Southwest Washington. Serving you in Congress is a profound honor and a gift I will never squander,” Perez said in a Nov. 7 statement. “I’m deeply grateful for this vote of confidence in the work I’ve done to set aside national politics and represent our community in Washington, D.C.

“I will continue to honestly reflect the independence of Southwest Washington in everything I do as our voice in D.C. Our heritage as fiercely independent, loyal fighters for our community is as clear to me as it was the day my family and I decided to ask for the privilege of working for our community.”

It’s the second straight election where Perez and Kent have gone head-to-head; Perez won the first go-round in 2022 by less than 1% in what was considered the most shocking result of that year’s midterm elections. Now, as an incumbent, Perez has again surprised national political handicappers by winning a district whose voters simultaneously favored Donald Trump at the top of the ballot.

“Some far-away pundits and prognosticators swore I would lose this re-election campaign from the moment I took office,” Perez said. “They dismissed our victory in 2022 as a fluke or an accident, and scoffed at the possibility that someone from the trades, the mom of a toddler, who didn’t have elected experience could effectively fight for her community in Congress, much less win re-election after being targeted as the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent in the country.”

As during her first term, the U.S. House of Representatives will be closely divided over the next two years, with Republicans holding an edge in the path to winning a slim majority.

Legislators reelected

In a more assured outcome last week, each of the 19th Legislative District’s incumbents were reelected to new terms in the Washington State Legislature.

In the state Senate race between Sen. Jeff Wilson (R-Longview) and Andi Day, a Democrat from Seaview, Wilson leads with 61.5% of the vote to Day’s 38.5%. In just Pacific County, Wilson leads 52.4% to 47.6%.

In the lower chamber contests, state Rep. Jim Walsh (R-Aberdeen) is leading Westport Democrat Mike Coverdale with 60.3% to 39.6%; in the county, Walsh leads 52.9% to 47%. State Rep. Joel McEntire (R-Cathlamet) leads Longview Democrat Terry Carlson 62.3% to 37.6%; in the county, McEntire leads 54.8% to 45.1%.

Democrats retained control of both the state Senate and House of Representatives in Olympia, and are knocking on the door of winning 60% majorities in both chambers. While they will fall short of a two-thirds supermajority that could allow them to amend the state constitution — if subsequently approved by voters — a 60% majority in both chambers could allow them to pass state budgets without having to rely on Republican votes for passage.

Statewide results

In the presidential contest, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is currently winning statewide with 57.7% of the vote to Republican nominee Donald Trump’s 38.7%. In just Pacific County, Trump is leading 48.85% to Harris’ 48.6%.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat, is leading with 59.4% to her Republican challenger Dr. Raul Garcia’s 40.3%. In the county, Cantwell is leading 52.9% to 46.9%.

In the gubernatorial contest to replace outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee, three-term Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, is leading with 55.9% to former Republican congressman Dave Reichert’s 43.9%. In the county, Reichert is leading 51.6% to 48.2%.

In the race to succeed Ferguson as attorney general, former U.S. Attorney Nick Brown, a Democrat, is leading with 55.9% to 44.1% for Pasco mayor and attorney Pete Serrano, a Republican. In the county, Serrano leads 51.6% to 48.4%.

The race for state commissioner of public lands is the closest of the partisan statewide races, with King County Councilor Dave Upthegrove, a Democrat, leading with 52.9% to former Republican congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler’s 46.9%. In the county, Herrera Beutler leads 57.2% to 42.3%.

In the nonpartisan race for a seat on the Washington State Supreme Court, Sal Mungia, the candidate largely backed by Democrats, is narrowly leading with 50.1% to 49.3% for Dave Larson, who is mostly aligned with Republicans. In the county, Larson leads with 61.1% to 38.2%.

Ballot measures

Of the four measures that appeared at the top of the general election ballot, voters in Pacific County — and Washington as a whole — have rejected three and approved one of them:

• Initiative No. 2066, which would repeal or prohibit certain laws and regulations that discourage natural gas use and/or prohibit electrification, and require certain utilities and local governments to provide natural gas to eligible customers, is being supported by 51.6% of Washington voters and opposed by 48.4%. The margin in Pacific County is identical to the statewide mark;
• Initiative No. 2109, which would repeal an excise tax on individuals who have annual capital gains of more than $250,000, is receiving 36% support with 64% opposed. In the county, 37.1% are in favor with 62.9% opposed;
• Initiative No. 2117, which would repeal legislation establishing Washington’s cap and invest program and prohibit the state from enacting any type of carbon tax credit trading, is being supported by 38% and opposed by 62%. In the county, 42.8% are in favor with 57.2% opposed;
• Initiative No. 2124, which would make enrolling in Washington’s long-term care program optional rather than mandatory and repeal a law governing an exemption for employees, is receiving 44.6% support with 55.4% opposed. In the county, 40.1% are in favor with 59.9% opposed.