2016 United States Senate election in Washington

The 2016 United States Senate election in Washington was held on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Washington. Incumbent Democratic Senator Patty Murray ran for re-election to a fifth term, and won by a significant margin, winning 59% of the vote, to Republican Chris Vance's 41%.

The election took place concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Under Washington's nonpartisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the August 2 primary, voters had the choice to vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. The top two finishers—regardless of party—would advance to the general election in November, even if a candidate managed to receive a majority of the votes cast in the primary election. California is the only other state with this system, a so-called "top two primary" (Louisiana has a similar "jungle primary", but there is no general election if one candidate receives 50% plus one vote of all votes cast in the primary).

As of 2024, this is the last time a Democrat running statewide for federal office has won Grays Harbor and Mason counties.

Primary election Democratic Party Declared Thor Amundson Phil Cornell, retired communications technicianhttp://www.philcornell4ussenate.org Phil Cornell (D) for Senate Patty Murray, incumbent U.S. senator Mohammed Said

Republican Party Declared Eric John Makus Uncle Mover Scott Nazarino Chris Vance, former state representative, former member of the King County Council, and former chair of the Washington State Republican Party

Declined Bill Bryant, Seattle Port Commissioner (running for governor) Jaime Herrera Beutler, U.S. representative (running for re-election) Andy Hill, state senator Steve Litzow, state senator (running for re-election) Rob McKenna, former attorney general of Washington and nominee for governor in 2012 Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S. representative (running for re-election) Dave Reichert, U.S. representative (running for re-election) Dino Rossi, former state senator, nominee for governor of Washington in 2004 and 2008, and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010

Third party and independent candidates Declared Pano Churchill (Lincoln Caucus) Ted Cummings (independent) Zach Haller (independent) Chuck Jackson (independent) Donna Rae Lands (Conservative) Mike Luke (Libertarian) Jeremy Teuton (System Reboot) Alex Tsimerman (StandUpAmerica) Sam Wright (Human Rights)

Endorsements

Results

By congressional district District Murray Vance Representative 50% 32%Suzan DelBene 54% 27%Rick Larsen 45% 31%Jaime Herrera Beutler 38% 39%Dan Newhouse 43% 31%Cathy McMorris Rodgers 53% 28%Derek Kilmer 79% 11%Jim McDermott 45% 36%Dave Reichert 65% 21%Adam Smith 51% 29%Denny Heck

General election Debates Dates Location Murray Vance LinkOctober 16, 2016Seattle, WashingtonParticipantParticipantFull debate - C-SPANOctober 23, 2016Redmond, WashingtonParticipantParticipantFull debate - C-SPAN

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 2, 2016 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 7, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2016 Daily Kos November 8, 2016 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2016

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror PattyMurray (D) ChrisVance (R) Other UndecidedSurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey November 1–7, 2016 1,451 ± 4.6% 59% 37% — 4%Insights West November 4–6, 2016 402 ± 4.9% 53% 37% — 11%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 31–November 6, 2016 1,292 ± 4.6% 59% 37% — 4%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 28–November 3, 2016 944 ± 4.6% 61% 36% — 3%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 31–November 2, 2016 667 ± 3.9% 53% 41% — 6%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 27–November 2, 2016 807 ± 4.6% 61% 36% — 3%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 26–November 1, 2016 698 ± 4.6% 61% 36% — 3%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 25–31, 2016 745 ± 4.6% 61% 36% — 3%Elway PollElway Poll October 20–22, 2016 502 ± 4.5% 58% 34% — 8%KCTS 9/YouGovKCTS 9/YouGov October 6–13, 2016 750 ± 4.4% 55% 39% — 16%Strategies 360/KOMO NewsStrategies 360/KOMO News September 29–October 3, 2016 500 ± 4.4% 57% 36% — 6%Emerson CollegeEmerson College September 25–26, 2016 700 ± 3.6% 48% 41% 3% 8%Insights West September 12–14, 2016 505 ± 4.4% 46% 25% 2% 27%Elway PollElway Poll August 9–13, 2016 500 ± 4.5% 52% 34% — 14% Elway PollElway Poll April 14–17, 2016 503 ± 3.5% 50% 32% — 18%Elway PollElway Poll October 13–15, 2015 500 ± 4.5% 44% 23% — 33%

with Rob McKenna Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror PattyMurray (D) RobMcKenna (R) UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 14–17, 2015 879 ± 3.3% 46% 41% 12%

with Dave Reichert Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror PattyMurray (D) DaveReichert (R) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling May 14–17, 2015 879 ± 3.3% 48% 37% 15%

with Jaime Herrera Beutler Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror PattyMurray (D) JaimeHerreraBeutler (R) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling May 14–17, 2015 879 ± 3.3% 47% 37% 17%

with Cathy McMorris Rodgers Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror PattyMurray (D) CathyMcMorrisRodgers (R) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling May 14–17, 2015 879 ± 3.3% 48% 35% 17%

Results

By county

CountyPatty Murray DemocraticChris Vance RepublicanMarginTotal%#%#%#Adams39.75%1,85960.25%2,818–20.50%–9594,677Asotin43.59%4,24856.41%5,497–12.82%–1,2499,745Benton43.47%35,68056.53%46,397–13.06%–10,71782,077Chelan46.21%15,58653.79%18,146–7.59%–2,56033,732Clallam52.02%20,54947.98%18,9554.04%1,59439,504Clark51.32%102,92248.68%97,6372.64%5,285200,559Columbia38.94%85461.06%1,339–22.12%–4852,193Cowlitz49.84%22,88850.16%23,031–0.31%–14345,919Douglas40.38%6,32259.62%9,333–19.23%–3,01115,655Ferry42.00%1,52058.00%2,099–16.00%–5793,619Franklin44.93%10,76655.07%13,197–10.14%–2,43123,963Garfield38.66%48661.34%771–22.67%–2851,257Grant35.95%10,32964.05%18,404–28.10%–8,07528,733Grays Harbor53.37%15,43346.63%13,4836.74%1,95028,916Island54.53%23,69545.47%19,7619.05%3,93443,456Jefferson68.75%14,09831.25%6,40837.50%7,69020,506King72.70%728,11327.30%273,41045.40%454,7031,001,523Kitsap56.73%71,78443.27%54,74613.47%17,038126,530Kittitas46.18%8,83053.82%10,292–7.65%–1,46219,122Klickitat47.36%5,12152.64%5,692–5.28%–57110,813Lewis38.36%13,26661.64%21,319–23.28%–8,05334,585Lincoln33.62%1,94366.38%3,837–32.77%–1,8945,780Mason52.05%14,84847.95%13,6774.11%1,17128,525Okanogan46.91%8,09553.09%9,160–6.17%–1,06517,255Pacific55.26%5,95144.74%4,81910.51%1,13210,770Pend Oreille40.40%2,77559.60%4,093–19.19%–1,3186,868Pierce55.44%196,17144.56%157,64410.89%38,527353,815San Juan71.59%7,78928.41%3,09143.18%4,69810,880Skagit53.47%30,57246.53%26,6006.95%3,97257,172Skamania47.72%2,68852.28%2,945–4.56%–2575,633Snohomish57.65%201,91542.35%148,32515.30%53,590350,240Spokane49.25%113,71750.75%117,197–1.51%–3,480230,914Stevens35.47%8,15064.53%14,830–29.07%–6,68022,980Thurston59.76%78,15840.24%52,62319.53%25,535130,781Wahkiakum48.12%1,12951.88%1,217–3.75%–882,346Walla Walla49.37%12,64550.63%12,969–1.26%–32425,614Whatcom59.44%65,83040.56%44,92418.88%20,906110,754Whitman54.23%9,52745.77%8,0408.46%1,48717,567Yakima48.16%37,72751.84%40,612–3.68%–2,88578,339Total59.01%1,913,97940.99%1,329,33818.03%584,6413,243,317

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Clallam (largest city: Port Angeles) Clark (Largest city: Vancouver) Island (largest city: Oak Harbor) Mason (largest city: Shelton) Pierce (largest city: Tacoma) Skagit (largest city: Mount Vernon) Whitman (Largest city: Pullman)

By congressional district Murray won seven of ten congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican. District Murray Vance Representative 56.25% 43.75%Suzan DelBene 61.31% 38.69%Rick Larsen 49.46% 50.54%Jaime Herrera Beutler 44.13% 55.87%Dan Newhouse 47.84% 52.16%Cathy McMorris Rodgers 58.15% 41.85%Derek Kilmer82.62%17.38%Jim McDermottPramila Jayapal 51.67% 48.33%Dave Reichert 72.08% 27.92%Adam Smith 57.71% 42.29%Denny Heck

See also 2016 United States Senate elections

References

External links Official campaign websites (archived) Patty Murray (D) for Senate