LEWIS COUNTY, Wash. — Voters in blue states and counties struggling with the country turning red again in the race for the White House have something in common with voters in Lewis County, Washington.
The traditionally red voters, in a county about 100 miles south of historically blue King County, are used to being outliers.
After the initial batch of results were made public Tuesday night, every Republican candidate, and all four conservative-backed initiatives, were ahead in Lewis County races.
Several of the Republican candidates did not have any opponents.
More than 65% of voters in Lewis County backed former president Donald Trump, highest among the six western Washington counties Trump was leading in.
“I have a lot of hope now,” said Lewis County resident Cindy Tahl.
Tahl owns a gift shop in downtown Chehalis, Smith Mercantile.
She feared another Democratic president might put her out of business and said her neighbors agreed.
”I think it’s just hard-working people that don’t want to lose what they’ve worked for,” said Tahl, “I don’t want to be taxed out of my store.”
Tahl was disappointed other Republican candidates do not appear to be capturing any of the statewide offices.
She said that’s typical for voters in Lewis County.
Tahl said she can relate to voters in King County, who overwhelmingly backed Democratic candidates and causes, but lost the presidential race.
”We’ve all had to do it at times. We’ve been through red times, we’ve been through blue times, we get through it,” said Tahl.