U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen had no trouble Tuesday in besting a Republican and a Libertarian in earning his third term in Washington, D.C., representing the 2nd Congressional District.
The Lake Stevens Democrat spent more than $1 million on a campaign in which he saw little solid opposition.
Returns were slow coming in from Island County and some other parts of the sprawling 2nd Congressional District, but Larsen gained an unbeatable lead fueled by early returns in his Snohomish County home base.
Larsen said his and his staff’s work the last four years propelled him to victory. He also said his message of working for “opportunity, jobs and security appeal to people up and down the I-5 corridor. I will continue to support the middle-class families as well as make sure the men and women in the military have what they need.”
Island County Auditor Suzanne Sinclair, a moderate Republican, was Larsen’s chief competitor in a race in which the GOP candidate had only a small campaign checkbook to reach outside her Coupeville and Oak Harbor base. She said she expected to spend only about $50,000 on the campaign, a battle that was waged from Everett north to the Canadian border.
Sinclair questioned the incumbent’s effectiveness, citing his failure to get a controversial environmental bill past a key House committee headed by a Republican. Sinclair said a Republican representative likely would have had more success with the proposed Wild Sky Wilderness Act.
Also on the ballot was Bellingham Libertarian Bruce Gutrhrie, who acknowledged he had an improbable chance of winning, but said he ran so he could help identify people who are Libertarians.
Elsewhere, a cop famous for his successful, decades-long hunt for the Green River killer took an early lead Tuesday over a witty radio talk show host in the race for the coveted 8th Congressional District seat.
With early absentee ballots counted and 5 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday, Republican King County Sheriff Dave Reichert had 52 percent to 46 percent for Democratic challenger Dave Ross. Libertarian candidate Spencer Garrett had 2 percent.
Republican political prodigy Cathy McMorris was leading millionaire Democrat Donald Barbieri in early election returns Tuesday for the open U.S. House seat centered on Spokane.
McMorris, 35, a state House representative since her mid-20s, was leading Barbieri 60 percent to 40 percent with 13 percent of precincts reporting.
Barbieri, a hotel magnate making his first run for public office, was trying to reclaim the 5th District seat famously lost by Democratic U.S. House Speaker Tom Foley a decade ago.
The seat was open for the first time in 62 years. Republican U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt, who ousted Foley, decided to run for the Senate.
In other Congressional districts:
1st District
Incumbent Democrat Jay Inslee was leading Republican businessman Randy Eastwood 62 percent to 37 percent in early returns in Inslee’s bid for a fourth term.
3rd District
Incumbent Democrat Brian Baird was leading Republican Thomas Crowson 63 percent to 37 percent in early returns in Baird’s bid to win a fourth term.
4th District
Incumbent Republican Doc Hastings was leading Tri-Cities civic leader Sandy Matheson 64 percent to 36 percent with 21 percent of precincts reporting in Hastings’ bid for a sixth term.
6th District
Incumbent Democrat Norm Dicks was leading Republican attorney Doug Cloud 67 percent to 33 percent with 25 percent of precincts reporting.
7th District
Incumbent Democrat Jim McDermott was beating Republican Carol Cassady 79 percent to 21 percent on his way to claiming a ninth term.
9th District
Democratic incumbent Adam Smith was leading Republican Paul Lord 62 percent to 35 percent in very early counting in Smith’s bid to win a fifth term.
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