Blue wave carries Democrats to supermajority in Washington House

Democrats in the Washington state House of Representatives are eyeing a supermajority as Thursday vote tallies put them on course to unseat a half-dozen incumbent Republicans and flip a GOP-held seat in the Puget Sound.

Those seven pick-ups would give Democrats control of 66 of the 98 seats in the state House, lifting the party to a rarefied political plateau: the power to override gubernatorial vetoes and advance constitutional amendments.

“It looks like we’re going to have that supermajority,” House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle, said Thursday. “If the late ballots trend our way we could get a few more.”

Democrats last had a supermajority with 67 members in 1949 and came close with 65 members in 1992. Republicans nearly managed it in 1996 when they held 62 of the chamber’s seats.

The likelihood took root as incumbent Republican lawmakers accepted the reality they won’t return to Olympia next year.

Rep. Kevin Waters, R-Stevenson, formally conceded Wednesday night, congratulating his opponent, Democrat Ben Christly, in a lengthy Facebook post.

On Thursday, his seatmate, Republican Rep. David Stuebe of Washougal, along with GOP Reps. John Ley of Vancouver, Gloria Mendoza of Grandview and Deb Manjarrez of Wapato each acknowledged they do not expect to overcome the vote margins by which they trail.

“I’m still in shock,” Stuebe said Thursday afternoon. “I’m sure you can hear the disappointment in my voice.”

Meanwhile, Democrat Renee Hernandez Greenfield of Port Orchard is well on her way to succeeding Republican Rep. Michelle Valdez, who is retiring. Her Republican opponent, Katy Cornell, said she faces a “hurdle to overcome,” but will wait for more votes to be counted before conceding.

“The voters have spoken in the midst of a national blue wave. It is highly unlikely for things to turn around,” said Ley, who is losing to Democrat Deken Letinich by 10 percentage points in the 18th Legislative District in Clark County in Southwest Washington.

Rep. Stephanie McClintock, R-Vancouver, who also serves in the 18th District, is also trailing and likely to be unseated. Her Democratic opponent, Randi Knott, said late Thursday that she hasn’t heard from McClintock and isn’t ready to claim victory but believes it’s clear she’ll win. That would propel Democrats to the supermajority.

“We’re going to have no role up there,” said Stuebe, who is also mayor of Washougal. “It would be really tough to serve in that.”

Political headwinds

Christly, of Vancouver, was comfortably ahead of Waters, 55.5% to 44.3% when the lawmaker conceded.

“While the outcome was not what we had hoped for, I am incredibly grateful to everyone who supported our campaign, volunteered their time, and believed in our vision for the future of our district,” he wrote.

Waters also congratulated Diana Perez, who is beating Stuebe by a similar margin.

“I look forward to seeing Ben and Diana represent the people of the 17th District. We are fortunate to call this beautiful part of Washington home, and I sincerely wish them both the very best as they take on this responsibility,” he wrote.

Stuebe didn’t appreciate Waters conceding his race for him: “You don’t do that for me.”

Ley, Mendoza, Manjarrez and Stuebe are in their first terms. All said they could not overcome powerful political headwinds.

“I knew that it was going to be a close race because of what is happening nationally,” said Mendoza, a former mayor of Grandview. “I will continue to represent my district and my state in some capacity.”

‘More voices from more areas’

Christly posted a statement on Facebook on Thursday afternoon.

“From the beginning, we chose to focus on people, not politics. Even when the noise got loud, we stayed positive, treated people with respect, and kept our focus on what really matters,” he wrote. “I’m proud of the campaign we ran and the people who made it possible.”

In the 14th Legislative District in central Washington, Democrat Chelsea Dimas of Sunnyside is beating Mendoza and Democrat Ezequiel Morfin of Toppenish is leading Manjarrez. For years, Republicans have represented the district that includes most of Yakima County, parts of Klickitat, Benton and Franklin counties, and the Yakama Reservation.

A court-ordered redistricting coupled with an intensified organizing effort by Democrats and the unpopularity of President Donald Trump are propelling the Democrat duo to success.

Dimas expressed her joy on Facebook in which she vowed to be a force for la gente.

“My parents sacrificed so I could have opportunities they never did,” she began. “And today, their mija, a little Indigenous Mexicana from Sunnyside, is set to make history and FLIP THE 14TH.

“The first from Sunnyside. The first Indigenous person. The first Democratic Latina. The first Queer person of color..elected to the Legislature from this side of the mountains,” she wrote.

Winning an election “isn’t the finish line,” she said, but the starting point.

“To the people who didn’t vote for me, I want you to know that I will fight for you, too. Because this seat doesn’t belong to me. It doesn’t belong to any political party. It belongs to la gente [the people],” she wrote.

Fitzgibbon is looking forward to the presence of the many new faces.

Managing a larger caucus “is a good problem to have,” he said. “We’ll have more voices from more areas of the state that we haven’t heard from. It will mean more diversity and it will mean more life experiences.”

Could Dems add more members?

Democrats could potentially pick up several more seats. Here are contests where Republicans were ahead or behind by small margins with Thursday’s ballot count.

• Republican Rep. Brian Burnett holds a 110-vote lead on Democrat Stacy Willoughby in the 12th District encompassing communities in Chelan, Snohomish and King counties. Burnett trailed following ballot counts Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Democrat David Berg is ahead of Republican Rep. Michael Keaton by 669 votes in the 25th District in Pierce County
• Republican Cyndy Jacobsen is clinging to a 222-vote lead on Democrat Jenn Marie Strickling in the 25th District.
• Republican Dan Griffey is ahead of Democrat Jim Pierson by 951 votes in the 35th District encompassing parts of Kitsap, Mason and Thurston counties.
• Republican Travis Couture is leading Democrat Marla Littlesun by 1,107 votes, also in the 35th District.

Reporter Jake Goldstein-Street contributed to this report.

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