SPOKANE – All eyes are on the Washington Governor’s race as a pool of nine candidates got whittled down to two.
As expected, Jay Inslee (D) and Rob McKenna (R) advanced to what is expected to be one of the country’s most competitive gubernatorial races in November.
Inslee took an early lead over McKenna. One of them will replace Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) who is not seeking a third term. Inslee is a former congressman and an attorney. McKenna is the Washington’s current attorney general.
Maria Cantwell (D), Washington's junior senator, easily won enough votes to move to the fall general election. She'll face Michael Baumgartner (R), who was garnering the second most votes following an early tally from Tuesday's primary election.
Cantwell is seeking her third term. Baumgartner was elected to the State Senate in 2010. The Pullman native is trying to become the first Republican elected to the United States Senate from Washington since Slade Gorton in 1994.
In the Congressional race for U.S. House District 5, incumbent Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) will face North by Northwest executive Rich Cowan (D).
Other races include Attorney General, the seat Rob McKenna vacated to run for governor. Reagan Dunn (R) and Bob Ferguson (D) will advance. Dunn and Fergusan are both King County council members.
The race for Washington Secretary of State is closer. Kim Wyman (R) will easily advance. Kathleen Drew (D) is leading the rest of the pack for the number two spot.
In Spokane County, there are two County Commissioner seats up for grabs.
In District One, there are only two candidates running, so we already knew they would advance. Incumbent Todd Mielke (R) is ahead of John Roskelley (D)
In District Two, former local weather anchor Daryl Romeyn (D) will face Shelly O’Quinn (R). One of them will replace Mark Richard.
Voters in the Spokane Valley approved a replacement levy for maintenance and operation of the City Fire Department.
A maintenance and operations levy for Spokane County Fire District 9 also passed easily.
