OAK HARBOR — Incumbent state Sen. Ron Muzzall took a lead in a race to keep his seat against Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair.
The tri-county race has been close and switched back and forth several times since Election Day. Following another round of ballots from Island County on Thursday night, the Republican incumbent took a nearly 600-vote lead over St. Clair, a Democrat. She held a 61-vote lead Wednesday night.
Muzzall led 50.38% to St. Clair’s 49.49%. There have been 64,715 votes counted so far in the election.
The state Senate seat is one of the few in Washington where Democrats saw a chance to increase their majorities in Olympia. Muzzall raised nearly $950,000 for his re-election bid, while St. Clair brought in over $585,000 to unseat him, making it the most expensive legislative race in the state.
Democrats outnumber Republicans 29-20 in the Senate.
More votes will be counted in the coming days. Island County estimated still having 17,000 left to count Thursday.
Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; X: @jordyhansen.
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