U.S. Congress races

The Olympian • Published November 05, 2008

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3rd Congressional District

Upstart Republican Michael Delavar came up short in a bid to oust longtime U.S. Rep. Brian Baird.

Delavar, 34, ran an unorthodox anti-war campaign and opposed the $700 billion package intended to salvage the nation's financial sector.

Baird, 52, ran into trouble with fellow Democrats last year when he said President Bush's strategy in the Iraq War was working. But the five-term incumbent seemed to have mended fences, and when the economy took center stage this fall, he supported the major bill, as well as so-called "sweeteners" for the region, such as extending Washington's sales-tax deductibility for federal taxes.

The 3rd Congressional district runs from Olympia and Tumwater south to Vancouver.

9th Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, an early and earnest backer of Sen. Barack Obama's bid for president, rode to an easy victory over Republican James Postma.

Postma, 74, opposed the $700 billion bill aimed at Wall Street that Smith supported, and he said Democratic leaders are leading the country toward socialism. But he failed to gain much traction or funding running against Smith, a 43-year-old, six-term incumbent who recently became a leader on the House's subcommittee on terrorism.

The 9th Congressional District includes Lacey and eastern Thurston County, as well as parts of Pierce County.