Breaking down the vote in key races in Inland Northwest
Results from key contested races in the Inland Northwest. For the latest updates, see spokesman.com/elections.
| Candidates | Where the race stands | Notable |
| Washington | ||
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Incumbent Democrat Patty Murray vs. Republican Dino Rossi | Murray had a small lead over challenger Rossi. In early results, Murray had 722,396 votes compared with Rossi’s 708,391. | This is Rossi’s third statewide bid for political office, and Murray’s third re-election bid. Originally thought to be an easy Democratic win, the race tightened after Rossi won the primary and attracted national attention. |
| 5th Congressional District | ||
| Incumbent Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers vs. Democrat Daryl Romeyn | McMorris Rodgers had a large lead over Romeyn in early results. The incumbent had 88,161 votes compared to her challenger’s 48,506. | Romeyn, a former TV weatherman, ran with little Democratic Party backing, having defeated the candidate hand-picked by Eastern Washington Democrats to challenge McMorris Rodgers. She once questioned whether he was a serious candidate, but after some problems, they managed to debate – once. |
| Legislative District 3, state House Position 1 | ||
| Republican Dave White vs.
Democrat Andy Billig | Billig was leading with 8,660 votes to 5,794 for White in early results. | Billig came in second in the primary in a tight field that included two other Democrats. He won endorsements from the Democratic Party and many prominent Democrats. White faced an uphill battle in Eastern Washington’s strongest Democratic district. |
| Legislative District 3, state House Position 2 | ||
| Incumbent Democrat Timm Ormsby vs. Republican Morgan Oyler | Ormsby was leading with 8,850 votes to Oyler’s 5,653 in early results. | Oyler, making his first run for office, was hampered in the race by his party’s decision not to endorse him. Ormsby, a Spokane native from a political family, has served the district since 2003. |
| Legislative District 6, state Senate | ||
| Incumbent Democrat Chris Marr vs. Republican Michael Baumgartner | Baumgartner had 14,795 votes to incumbent Marr’s 11,779 in early results. | The political battle for this state Senate seat has once again set new spending records, with the candidates and their supporters launching attack ads throughout the campaign season. |
| Legislative District 6, state House Position 2 | ||
| Incumbent Democrat John Driscoll vs. Republican John Ahern | Ahern was leading over with 14,104 votes compared to incumbent Driscoll’s 12,060 in early results. | Driscoll won his seat from Ahern in 2008 by only 72 votes. This year’s race stayed friendly despite the contentiousness typical in most recent races in one of the state’s most competitive districts. |
| Legislative District 7, state Senate | ||
| Incumbent Republican Bob Morton vs. Democrat Barbara Mowrey | Morton was leading with 22,944 votes over Mowrey’s 7,554 in early returns. | Morton has been in the Legislature since 1991, first in the House and since 1994 in the Senate. Mowrey, a former Chewelah councilwoman, favored more rights for grandparents in child placement cases. |
| Legislative District 9, state House Position 2 | ||
| Incumbent Republican Joe Schmick vs. Republican Glen Stockwell | Schmick was leading the race with 15,373 votes to Stockwell’s 4,244 in early returns. | This strongly Republican district produced no Democratic challengers and sent two Republicans to the general under the state’s primary law, although Stockwell ran as a Democrat two years ago. |