You’d think after 40 years of one party holding the keys to the governor's mansion in Olympia, things would get predictable. Boring, even. But the WA state governor race 2024 was anything but a standard political handover. Honestly, it felt like a high-stakes chess match played out across the rainy streets of Seattle and the dry wheat fields of Eastern Washington. On one side, you had Bob Ferguson, the state’s multi-term Attorney General who basically built a national reputation by suing the Trump administration more times than most people change their oil. On the other, Dave Reichert, the former King County Sheriff who caught the Green River Killer and later spent years in Congress.
It was the first time in 12 years we didn't have an incumbent running. Jay Inslee decided three terms was enough, leaving a vacuum that sucked in more than $25 million in campaign donations. That's a staggering amount of cash for a state-level race.
Why the WA state governor race 2024 felt different
Most pundits outside the Pacific Northwest looked at the map and saw a deep blue state. They figured Ferguson would walk away with it. But inside the state? People were restless. Public safety was a massive, throbbing nerve. Washington has ranked dead last in the country for law enforcement officers per capita for over a decade. Reichert leaned hard into this. He talked about "law and order" and "consequences."
📖 Related: What Really Happened With the Drone Strike on Chernobyl
Ferguson didn't just ignore it. He promised $100 million to help local police departments hire more boots on the ground. It was a weird sort of arms race to see who could look tougher on crime while still appealing to a base that, in the Puget Sound area at least, remains very progressive.
The numbers that actually happened
When the dust settled after November 5, the "blue wall" didn't just hold; it actually looked pretty sturdy. Bob Ferguson won with roughly 55.5% of the vote. Reichert trailed at about 44.3%. That’s an 11-point gap. In modern politics, that’s a convincing win, but it’s not the blowout some expected given the registration advantages Democrats have here.
One of the wildest things? Ferguson became the first Democrat to carry Clallam County since 2000. If you follow politics, you know Clallam is the "bellwether" of the nation—they almost always pick the winner.
The money race was just as lopsided.
- Bob Ferguson: Raised about $14 million.
- Dave Reichert: Scraped together roughly $7 million.
It's hard to fight a 2-to-1 financial disadvantage, especially when the Ferguson campaign was relentlessly airing ads tying Reichert to national Republican figures and highlighting his past votes on abortion.
The "Other Bobs" and the Primary Chaos
Before we even got to the general, we had the weirdest primary move in recent memory. A conservative activist actually recruited two other men named "Bob Ferguson" to run for governor. Imagine opening your ballot and seeing three guys with the exact same name.
Basically, it was a stunt to siphon votes away from the frontrunner. It didn't work. The "fake" Bobs eventually withdrew after the Attorney General’s office pointed out that state law specifically prohibits filing for office with the intent to mislead voters. But for a week or two, it was all anyone in Olympia could talk about.
What really mattered to voters
Abortion was arguably the biggest wedge. Ferguson made it the center of his universe. He hammered Reichert for his congressional record, specifically a vote for a 20-week ban. Reichert tried to pivot, releasing videos saying he wouldn't change Washington’s existing laws as governor. But in a post-Roe world, "trust me" wasn't enough for a majority of Washington voters.
Then there was the cost of living. Gas prices here are consistently among the highest in the nation. Voters were feeling the pinch at the grocery store, too. While this usually favors the challenger, Ferguson managed to frame himself as a consumer advocate, pointing to his lawsuits against big student loan companies and opioid manufacturers.
The Turnout Factor
People were pumped to vote, but maybe not as much as in 2020. Overall turnout hit around 70.2%. Compare that to the record-breaking 84% we saw four years ago. The drop was most noticeable among young voters. In the 18-to-24 bracket, turnout dipped by about 8.5 percentage points.
Maybe it was "ballot fatigue." Maybe it was just that 2020 was such an outlier. Either way, the "steady" return of mail-in ballots made for a quieter election night than the frantic 2020 cycle.
Actionable Insights for Washingtonians
Now that Bob Ferguson has been sworn in (which happened on January 15, 2025), the campaign promises are turning into policy. If you live here, there are a few things you should be watching closely:
Monitor the Police Funding
Keep an eye on that $100 million public safety promise. If your local city council is complaining about budget cuts, ask them if they’ve applied for the state grants Ferguson touted on the trail.
Track the New Executive Orders
On his first day, Ferguson signed orders targeting housing regulations and reproductive freedom. If you're a renter or looking to buy, the "permitting reform" part of his agenda might actually change how fast new apartments get built in your neighborhood.
Prepare for Tax Discussions
In early 2025, Ferguson signed a $9 billion tax package. He’d previously been a bit vague about tax hikes during the race, so this has caused some friction. Watch how these funds are allocated—especially if you're a small business owner.
Watch Clallam County
If you want to know which way the wind is blowing for 2028, keep an eye on the Olympics. If the "bellwether" starts shifting back toward the center-right, it might mean the honeymoon period for the new administration is over.
Washington didn't get the "red wave" some predicted, but the WA state governor race 2024 proved that the state is more nuanced than just "Seattle vs. Everyone Else." It’s a place where public safety and the price of eggs can nearly compete with social issues, even if the blue streak remains unbroken for now.