Reichert wins close re-election

SEATTLE – Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert has defeated Democratic challenger Darcy Burner in the race for the 8th Congressional District seat after a bruising, expensive and close race.

In the end, Burner, who came within 3 percentage points of unseating the incumbent as a political neophyte two years ago, could not avenge her close loss from 2006. With nearly 80 percent of the expected vote counted from Tuesday’s election, she was within 3 percentage points again, with 49 percent to Reichert’s 51 percent.

She conceded Friday night.

Reichert’s lead was nearly 8,000 votes late Friday. Roughly 270,000 votes have been cast.

Once again, Reichert managed to survive an election that was friendly to Democrats nationwide as they added to their numbers in Congress and captured the White House. The former King County sheriff now heads back to Washington, D.C., for his third term.

“I am looking forward to going back and beginning to work on some of the major issues that our nation is facing, and the major concerns of the 8th District and Washington state,” Reichert said Friday night.

Reichert has competed in three close campaigns, and that was not lost on him Friday.

The 8th District sprawls through the suburbs and rural communities of eastern King and Pierce counties. Traditionally a Republican stronghold, it has supported Democrats for president in recent elections.

Election night counts showed voters in the 8th District chose Democratic President-elect Barack Obama with 60 percent of the vote, according to county figures.

Burner’s camp had banked on changing demographics in the tech-savvy district and support from a wave of voters coming out for Obama.

But voters seemingly split their tickets, and Burner was unable to ride Obama’s coattails.

During the campaign, Reichert painted Burner as too inexperienced and left-leaning. Burner characterized Reichert as an ineffective backer of President Bush.

Reichert’s re-election was bolstered by a sizable margin in Pierce County, where he was leading by more than 6,400 votes. Reichert also led in King County by more than 1,400 votes.

The eastern half of King County – with its pockets of blue-leaning precincts – was crucial to Burner’s chances. Reichert’s win there crushed her hope of a comeback.

Reichert’s win was the culmination of a high-profile and expensive campaign.

The candidates raised a combined $5.8 million, according to filings made by the campaigns to the Federal Election Commission in October.

Throughout the campaign, Burner led in fundraising and built a formidable war chest of roughly $3.5 million – about $1 million more than Reichert.