By Joshua Adam Hicks
Bellevue Reporter
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert was among the few Republicans on Nov. 6 still holding up against a nation-wide wave of change from Election Day.
The Republican incumbent held a 2,855-vote advantage over Democratic challenger Darcy Burner on Thursday at 7:20 p.m.
Initial returns on Election Night showed Burner leading with a 57-43 percent split, but Reichert had closed the margin by the next morning.
As of 7:20 p.m. on Nov. 6, Reichert was ahead 111,584 votes to Burner’s 108,729, a 51-49 percent split.
“We expected going into Election Day that this was going to be a very close race, and that’s where we’re at,” said Burner campaign spokesman Sandeep Kaushik. “There’s still a lot of counting to be done, and we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”
Reichert was holding a significant lead with Pierce County voters – who make up 20 percent of the 8th District – and he was making gains in King County, although lagging behind by 2,200 votes.
“We’re very encouraged by what we’re seeing,” said Amanda Halligan, a spokeswoman for the Reichert campaign.
Reichert defeated Burner by 300 votes in King County in the 2006 election. The Burner camp was encouraged by its early leads in the county, according to Kaushik.
“If that carries to the end, there’s a very good chance we’ll win,” he said.
Dino Rossi’s campaign had aimed to distinguish Gov. Christine Gregoire as the nation’s only losing Democratic incumbent, but those hopes ended a day after the election.
Rossi conceded defeat on Nov. 5 around midday, and Gregoire held a 54-46 percent lead at noon on Nov. 6.
The margin was closer when Rossi addressed his supporters on Election Night while holding a 51-48 percent lead.
The results had flipped in Gregoire’s favor before the Republican challenger finished his speech.
In the 48th Legislative District, both Democratic incumbents appeared poised for re-election at the Reporter deadline.
Rep. Ross Hunter held a 30-percent lead over opponent Charles Lapp, and Rep. Deb Eddy was ahead of Republican challenger Ron Fuller by 21 percent.
Bellevue Democrat Fred Jarrett was winning a vacant Senate seat in the 41st Legislative District, leading Republican Bob Baker with a 61-39 percent split.
In the same district, Marcie Maxwell was up by a smaller margin in a House race, with 18,208 votes to Republican Steve Litzow’s 16,033 at the Reporter deadline.
Democrat Judy Clibborn ran unopposed for the other House seat.
Attorney General Rob McKenna and Secretary of State Sam Reed were among the few bright spots for state Republicans as they both won bids for re-election.
McKenna, a Bellevue resident, led Democratic challenger John Ladenburg by 18 percent and Reed held a 16-percent lead over Democratic opponent Jason Osgood at the Reporter deadline.
Bellevue’s parks-levy measure was coasting to victory in a 66-33 percent split, as was the Sound Transit expansion proposal, which was winning approval by 18 percent.
Joshua Adam Hicks can be reached at jhicks@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4290.
