Washington Democrats will expand their majorities in Olympia heading into the 2019 legislative session, but the final margins are not yet known. Several races are still too close to call. However, Democrats are on track to pick up at least two seats in the Senate and seven seats in the House.
Republican incumbent Joe Fain conceded to Democratic challenger Mona Das Friday night in a significant upset for the 47th District. Fain led on election night by 274 votes, but Das picked up votes in the later returns.
The balance of power heading into election night was 25-24 in the state Senate and 50-48 in the State house.
Here are the major changes as of the latest results Friday afternoon.
State Senate
Legislative District 26 (Pierce and Kitsap Counties)
In a new lead swap Friday night, Republican Marty McClendon now leads Democrat Emily Randall by more than 200 votes.
Randall had led since election night, heading into Friday more than 500 votes ahead before Pierce County posted, giving McClendon the edge.
This seat is open since Republican Jan Angel announced her retirement earlier this year.
Randall also raised the most money of all state legislative candidates topping $600,000. More than a million dollars were raised in independent opposition spending.
Legislative District 30 (King and Pierce Counties)
Republican incumbent Mark Miloscia has conceded to Democratic challenger Claire Wilson, a Federal Way School Board member. Wilson had captured 53.8 percent of the vote as of Thursday.
This seat nets Democrats at least one gain in the senate.
Legislative District 42 (Whatcom County)
Republican incumbent Doug Ericksen, also the former Trump campaign state chair, is fighting to hang onto his seat, leading by just 72 votes over Democratic challenger Pinky Vargas. That puts the race in recount territory. The Secretary of State's Office says the slim margin will trigger a manual recount.
A machine recount is triggered when the difference between the candidates is less than 2,000 votes and also less than half of 1 percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates. A manual recount is required when the difference between the top two candidates is less than 150 votes and also less than a quarter of 1 percent of the total votes cast for both candidates.
Legislative District 47 (South King County)
In a significant upset, Republican incumbent Joe Fain conceded to Democratic challenger Mona Das Friday night. For the past three days, Das has picked up votes in the later returns and now leads by 548 votes.
Fain led on election night by 274 votes and won the August primary by seven points. However, since September, Fain has faced an allegation of rape from 11 years ago that surfaced online during the hearings of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford who accused Justice Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
Fain has denied the allegation and called for an independent investigation. A state Senate committee voted unanimously Thursday to move forward with an investigation. The Senate Facilities and Operations Committee has approved special funding to hire an independent investigator.
“The Senate has grappled with an appropriate institutional response,” Nelson and Schoesler said in a statement Thursday. “The allegation pre-dates Sen. Fain’s time in the Legislature and therefore falls outside standard procedures for an allegation of this nature."
It's unknown whether this investigation will move forward, after Fain lost his seat.
State House
Legislative District 5 (King County, including Issaquah)
Position 1
Republican Chad Magendanz, a former state Representative, conceded Thursday to Democrat Bill Ramos, an Issaquah city council member. Magendanz has continued to pick up votes in the later returns, but Ramos still leads more more than 2,400 votes.
This was an open seat, since Republican Jay Rodne announcement he’s retiring from the position.
Position 2
Republican incumbent Paul Graves conceded the race to Democratic challenger Lisa Callan, an Issaquah School District board director. She leads by nearly 3,400 votes.
Legislative District 6 (Spokane County)
Position 2
Republican Jenny Graham holds a narrow lead of just 295 votes over Democrat Dave Wilson.
This is an open seat race since Jeff Holy ran for the district’s Senate seat. Despite a close primary race, he’s won the seat by nearly 10 points.
Legislative District 10 (Snohomish and Skagit Counties)
Position 2
Republican incumbent Dave Hayes is trailing his Democratic challenger Dave Paul by 2,411 votes as of Thursday afternoon.
Legislative District 19 (Olympic Peninsula)
Position 1
Republican incumbent Jim Walsh, who was elected in 2016 when Grays Harbor went for President Donald Trump, is now trying to hang onto his seat, currently leading by just 136 votes over Democratic challenger Erin Frasier.
The Grays Harbor portion of the four-county district is currently trending blue.
Legislative District 28 (Pierce County)
Republican incumbent Dick Muri is trailing his Democratic challenger Mari Leavitt, chair of Pierce County Ethics Commission, by nearly 1,900 votes.
Legislative District 42 (Whatcom County)
Position 1
Republican incumbent Luanne Van Werven maintains a narrow lead in this race of a little more than 131 votes. She’s facing a challenge from Democrat Justin Boneau, a first-time candidate and Navy veteran. This race could also be headed for a recount.
Position 2
Republican incumbent Vincent Buys trails his Democratic challenger Sharon Shewmake, a first-time candidate and economics professor, by 760 votes.
KING 5 has called this race for Shewmake.
Legislative District 44 (Snohomish County)
Position 2
Republican incumbent Mark Harmsworth has conceded to Democratic challenger Jared Mead who led Thursday evening by more than 2,100 votes. Mead, a 27-year-old Mill Creek city council member, has unseated Harmsworth in an upset.
Legislative District 47 (South King County)
Position 1
Republican incumbent Mark Hargrove is trailing Democratic challenger Debra Entenman by nearly 3,000 votes. Entenman is a first-time candidate and former district director for U.S. Congressman Adam Smith.
KING 5 has called this race for Entenman, because there are not enough votes left for Hargrove to make up the gap.
