The Washington state Capitol on Nov. 11, 2024. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

Two potentially vulnerable Democrats in the Washington state Senate appeared poised to retain their seats after an initial ballot count on Tuesday.

Senator Vandana Slatter faced a challenge from a more moderate candidate within her own party, while Victoria Hunt was up against a Republican opponent aiming to chip away at the lopsided balance of power favoring Democrats in Olympia. For both candidates, this was their first time defending their seats.

On Tuesday, Hunt, of Issaquah, comfortably led former state lawmaker Chad Magendanz, a moderate Republican, by a margin of 54.5% to 45.3%. Slatter was ahead of her former state House colleague, Representative Amy Walen, D-Kirkland, with 56% to 42.3% after the ballot drop.

Meanwhile, Representative Edwin Obras trailed fellow Democrat and Burien mayor Kevin Schilling. Schilling, considered the moderate candidate in the race, narrowly led with about 50.2% of the vote to Obras’ 47.2%, with roughly 350 votes separating the candidates.

President Donald Trump loomed over the off-year elections, even in the Democrat-on-Democrat battles. Progressive candidates highlighted their pushback against Trump and attempted to link their opponents to the president’s policies.

Five other Democrats in safe western Washington districts are on track for re-election. Democratic Representatives Janice Zahn and Osman Salahuddin were leading significantly over Republican opponents in Tuesday’s returns. Additionally, state Senators Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, Emily Alvarado, D-Seattle, and Representative Brianna Thomas ran unopposed.

Voting tallies will be updated as more votes are counted in the coming days.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/democratic-incumbents-ahead-most-wa-051456861.html