Politics in the Pacific Northwest usually follows a predictable script. Seattle goes deep blue, the east stays red, and everyone argues about the I-5 corridor. But 2024 wasn't just another year of status quo. When looking at who is running for congress in washington state 2024, you've got to realize this was one of the most volatile cycles in recent memory. We saw long-standing titans of the delegation step down, high-stakes rematches that felt like personal vendettas, and a Republican-on-Republican civil war in central Washington that basically broke the internet (or at least political Twitter).
Honestly, the stakes couldn't have been higher. With three open seats and a razor-thin margin in the U.S. House of Representatives, Washington wasn't just a bystander; it was a primary battlefield.
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The Battle for the 3rd: Gluesenkamp Perez vs. Kent Round 2
If you want to understand the drama of this cycle, you start in Southwest Washington. The 3rd District is basically the soul of the "purple" Washington. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat who literally co-owns an auto repair shop, pulled off a miracle in 2022. She beat Joe Kent, a Trump-endorsed former Green Beret, by a hair.
Fast forward to 2024.
The rematch was even more intense. Kent came back with a more disciplined ground game, but Gluesenkamp Perez leaned hard into her "blue-collar Democrat" identity. She isn't your typical Seattle progressive. She talks about chainsaws, small businesses, and fixing things. It worked. In the general election, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez held her seat against Joe Kent with 51.7% of the vote. It’s a massive deal because this is a district that Trump actually won. It proves that a specific type of moderate, working-class focused Democrat can still survive in "MAGA country."
The Republican Civil War in the 4th District
Now, this is where it gets weird. Washington has a "top-two" primary system. This means the two people with the most votes move on to the general, regardless of their party. In the 4th District—covering places like Yakima and the Tri-Cities—two Republicans ended up facing each other in November.
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It was Dan Newhouse vs. Jerrod Sessler.
Newhouse is a bit of a political unicorn. He is one of the last two Republicans left in Congress who voted to impeach Donald Trump after January 6th. Because of that, he had a massive target on his back. Jerrod Sessler, a former NASCAR driver endorsed by Trump, ran to his right, calling Newhouse a "traitor" to the party.
The primary was a mess. Trump actually "double-endorsed" Sessler and another candidate, Tiffany Smiley, just to make sure Newhouse didn't get through. But Newhouse is a survivor. He built a coalition of moderate Republicans, business interests, and even some Democrats who preferred him over a hard-right insurgent. Newhouse pulled it off, winning with 52% of the vote. It was a rare victory for the "old guard" GOP in a year where the party moved further right.
The End of an Era: Big Retirements
We also saw the departure of two absolute heavyweights. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the powerhouse Republican from the 5th District (Spokane), decided to call it quits after two decades. She was the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee—a huge position for Washington’s influence in D.C.
To fill her shoes, Michael Baumgartner, a Republican and former state senator, stepped up. He beat Democrat Carmela Conroy comfortably, keeping that seat firmly in the GOP column.
On the other side of the state, Democrat Derek Kilmer retired from the 6th District. This area covers the Olympic Peninsula and Tacoma. Emily Randall, a Democratic State Senator, won a hard-fought primary against Hilary Franz and then cruised through the general election, defeating Republican Drew MacEwen. Randall is a rising star and represents a younger, more diverse generation of leadership for the Democrats.
A Quick Rundown of the Rest
Most incumbents in the safe seats did exactly what you’d expect: they won.
- 1st District: Suzan DelBene (D) easily beat Jeb Brewer. DelBene is a key player in the Democratic leadership, so no surprises there.
- 2nd District: Rick Larsen (D) took down Cody Hart. Larsen has been there since 2001. He knows the drill.
- 7th District: Pramila Jayapal (D) crushed her opponent. Seattle remains the "progressive fortress."
- 8th District: Kim Schrier (D) faced a challenge from Carmen Goers. This district can be swingy, but Schrier has mastered the art of winning the suburbs. She won again.
- 9th District: Adam Smith (D), the ranking member on the Armed Services Committee, won his seat back against Melissa Chaudhry.
- 10th District: Marilyn Strickland (D) defeated Don Hewett.
What This Actually Means for You
So, why does any of this matter? Washington’s delegation is changing. With McMorris Rodgers and Kilmer gone, the state loses a lot of "seniority." Seniority is what gets you the big committee chairs and the money for local bridges, dams, and tech hubs.
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But it’s also a sign that Washington is becoming even more polarized. The "middle" is shrinking. You’ve got the 3rd and 4th Districts behaving like different planets compared to the 7th and 9th.
What you should do next:
- Check your new representative's committee assignments. If you live in the 5th, Michael Baumgartner won't have the same power Cathy McMorris Rodgers had on day one.
- Watch the 3rd District for 2026. Republicans are already eyeing a third attempt to flip that seat. It will be one of the most expensive races in the country again.
- Follow the money. Look at the FEC filings for the newcomers like Emily Randall and Michael Baumgartner to see who is funding their first terms. This tells you whose interests they’ll likely prioritize in D.C.
The 2024 cycle was a wild ride, but it mostly solidified Washington as a state where "local brand" still matters more than national trends in the most competitive areas.