Two WA Democratic senators named ‘spotlight candidates’ by national party arm
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- DLCC named Krishnadasan and Hunt as Spotlight candidates in key state races
- Primary results showed both Democrats leading GOP opponents in tight contests
- Heavy spending and national attention signal rising stakes in state legislature
Two Washington state senators competing in November to hold on to their seats are getting the spotlight treatment from the national Democratic Party arm for state races.
State Sens. Deb Krishnadasan and Victoria Hunt were named special election “Spotlight candidates” by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), which is focused on forging power in state legislatures.
In this month’s primary, Krishnadasan earned 51.2% of the vote in the 26th Legislative District, which covers parts of Pierce and Kitsap counties, including Gig Harbor and Bremerton. Her seasoned Republican challenger, state Rep. Michelle Caldier, received 48.6%.
Hunt, meanwhile, took home 54.1% of the vote in the 5th Legislative District primary. Republican Chad Magendanz, a former state representative, logged 45.8% in the east King County district spanning Issaquah, Covington, Black Diamond and part of Snoqualmie.
Both Democrats were appointed to their roles: Krishnadasan after state Sen. Emily Randall was elected last year to the U.S. House, and Hunt following the sudden death of state Sen. Bill Ramos in April.
Republicans are hoping to right the leftward lean of the Washington state Senate. Caldier, for instance, has cast the race as a chance for voters to restore balance to Olympia.
The DLCC’s Spotlight program helps partners and donors identify which races to watch nationwide. The organization raises money to aid in electing state Dems and offers support for candidates.
DLCC President Heather Williams said in a statement that Washington’s Democratic majorities are working to ward off Republican Party extremism — and that her organization is proud to back Hunt and Krishnadasan.
“At a time when Republicans across the country are seizing every chance to strip their communities of health care and crucial services while entrenching their own power, these special elections give voters an opportunity to reaffirm Democratic leadership that lifts people up, rather than leaves them behind,” she said.
WA political parties respond
Similar to last November’s general election, both of Washington’s major political parties appear optimistic after seeing this month’s primary results.
Shasti Conrad, chair of the Washington State Democratic Party, said she is “thrilled” that the DLCC named Krishnadasan and Hunt as candidates to watch.
“We think that they’re fantastic leaders, fantastic candidates, and I think that it’s great that they’re getting the attention that they deserve,” she said. “These are important races in an odd-year cycle that is somewhat unprecedented, so we’re happy that they’re getting some additional support.”
Conrad noted that Hunt secured a more than 8-point margin over her Republican rival in August, which is better than Ramos — who also squared off against Magendanz — had done last year.
Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh said the results of the 5th and 26th LD elections came in the range of what his party had expected. Magendanz did a bit better than the GOP had modeled, while Caldier came in slightly below.
Asked whether he thinks those Republicans will be successful in November, he replied: “I believe so, yes. But this is why they play the game. We’re going to find out.”
“I think the fact that the Democrats are having to profile or promote their candidates in the 5th and the 26th is a sign of weakness in those campaigns, not a sign of strength,” said Walsh, who’s also a state representative.
Not so, Conrad says. She argues the state’s GOP is trying to spin those races’ results “because they did poorly.” Those primary races were their best pick-up opportunities, she added, and the party couldn’t crack 50%.
The 5th and 26th LD races have attracted heavy spending by business-backed political committees that have forked over hundreds of thousands of dollars on texts, digital ads and mailers with hopes to topple the Democratic senators, the Washington State Standard reports.
Given this November’s unusual number of special races, Walsh said the upcoming election will serve as a window into legislative trends likely to come in the regular cycles ahead.
His take? The political pendulum is swinging back toward the middle in Washington — thanks largely to the state’s recent spike in taxes and fees and the Democratic majority’s “gutting” of the so-called parental bill of rights.
Conrad again sees things differently. She argued that the GOP is falling back on old culture-war fights while state Democrats routinely win.
“Here in this Washington, Democrats are consistently winning because we are actually addressing the issues that people care about,” she said. “... It’s just all this desperate play from them because they continue to lose.”
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