Baumgartner wins seat in Congress

DAYTON–With preliminary Election-Night returns showing a 79.52% turnout of Columbia County voters, the County Pool District's Proposition 1 received 1,355 yes votes (61.7%) to 841 no votes, authorizing an Operation Excess Levy to fund the process of replacing the defunct Dayton City Pool.

Washington's Fifth District will remain in the Republican Party as Michael Baumgartner outpolled Democrat Carmela Conroy 59.79% and 164,626 votes to Conroy's 110,352 votes and 40.08%. Here voters gave Baumgartner 76.14% and 1,758 votes to Conroy's 23.73% and 548 votes.

Statewide, one of the four initiatives appears to be passing, I-2066, to stop the ban on natural gas, is leading 1,288,228 (51.22%) yes to 1,227,068 (48.78%) no. I-2109 (repeal of the capital gains tax), I-2117 (stop hidden gas tax) and I-2124 (Opt out of state-run long-term care), all are losing by significant margins.

In Columbia County, voters approved each of the initiatives: I-2066 1,530 yes to 751 no; I-2109 1,182 yes to 1,100 no; I-2117 1,390 yes to 904 no; and I-2124 1,297 yes to 981 no.

Ninth District incumbent State Representative Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy) garnered 1,701 Columbia County votes while challenger Patrick Miller (D) received 498. Rep. Joe Schmick (R-Colfax) also received 1,701 votes versus Democrat Pam Kohlmeier got 532 votes in Columbia County. Dye received 37,107 and 66.29% approval across the Ninth District and Schmick prevailed with 65.21% and 36,805 votes.

State Senator Mark G. Schoesler (R) was unopposed and received 1,771 Columbia County votes. In the Ninth District, Schoesler counted 41,723 total votes.

County Commissioners Marty Hall and Ryan Rundell, both running unopposed for four-year terms, received around 98% of the 2,372 ballots counted as of election night and incumbent Superior Court Judge Brooke J. Burns, unopposed, was returned to office with 1,491 votes.

Local voters were also supportive of Dr Rual Garcia, Republican, casting 1,575 votes and 68.57% to Democrat Maria Cantwell's 707 votes and 30.78%. Cantwell is leading statewide 59.77% to Garcia's 40% of the vote.

Washington voted 58.32% for Kamala Harris/Tim Walz and 38.9% to the Donald Trump/JD Vance Republican ticket. In Columbia County, Trump/Vance received 72.56% and 931 votes to the Democrat Harris/Walz ticket's 313 votes and 24.4%.

Columbia County voters gave the nod to Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert, 1,698 votes (73.47%) to former Attorney General Bob Ferguson's 602 votes (26.05%). Ferguson leads statewide 56.28% to Reichert's 43.53%.

Lieutenant governor candidate Dan Matthews (R) received 1,798 votes (75.14%) to Democrat Denny Heck's 562 (24.73%) in Columbia County, while statewide Heck leads with 56.6% to Matthews's 43.29%.

For Secretary of State, Republican Dale Whitaker received 1,640 Columbia County votes (72.21%) to Democrat Steve Hobbs's 626 (27.56%). Across the state, Hobbs is in the lead, 59.57% to 40.34%.

For State Treasurer, Republican Sharon Hanek got 1,653 Columbia County votes (73.5%) compared to Democrat Mike Pellicciotti's 592 and 36.72%. Statewide, the Democrat Pellicciotti is ahead 57.88% to Hanek's 42.02%.

The next State Auditor will likely be Pat (Patrice) McCarthy, Democrat, who received 58.57% compared to Matt Hawkins's 41.3% statewide. In Columbia County, Hawkins was supported with 1,639 votes (72.59%) to McCarthy's 616 votes and 27.28%.

Attorney General candidate Pete Serrano (R) received 1,692 votes (75%) in Columbia County to Nick Brown's (D) 24.82% and 560 votes. Across Washington, Brown holds the edge with 56.26% versus Serrano's 43.66%.

Public Lands Commissioner is likely to be Dave Upthegrove (D) with 52.99% to Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler's 46.70%. In Columbia County, Herrera Beutler bested Upthegrove 1,736 votes to 508. Herrera Beutler received 77.12% to 22.57% for Upthegrove.

Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate David Olson got Columbia County's approval with 1,299 (66.31%) to Chris Reykdal's 640 votes and 32.67%. In Washington, Reykdal holds a 53.51% margin over Olson's 45.94%.

Local voters liked Phil Fortunato (R) with 1,657 votes (74.3%) to Democrat Patty Kuderer's 568 votes and 25.47%. In the state, Kuderer leads 57.16% to Fortunato's 42.73%.

State Supreme Court Justice Pos. 2 went to Dave Larson 1,387 to Sal Mungia's 507 in Columbia County, and in the state, it appears to be a dead heat: Larson has received 1,116,230 and 49.78% to Mungia's 1,115,134 and 49.73%. Unopposed justices Steve Gonzalez and Sheryl Gordon McCloud will return to office.

The Prescott Joint Park and Recreation District's Proposition 1 included six yes votes and 3 no votes in Columbia County, and appears to be passing 99 to 50, with 66.44% voting in favor.