Support this station KPLU 88.5 - NPR News and All that Jazz
News for Seattle and the Northwest
Last updated 3:20AM ET
May 26, 2012
KPLU Local News
KPLU Local News
Throw the Bums Out? For Washington Voters, Not So Much
Liam Moriarty (2010-11-03)
Representative-elect Jaime Herrera speaks with reporters on Election Night in Vancouver, Washington. photo: Amelia Templeton
SEATTLE (KPLU) - If Washington voters were angry this election, they didn't take it out on their members of Congress. Seven of the eight incumbents running for re-election in the House of Representatives comfortably retained their seats.

In the Third District, Republicans picked up the seat left open by retiring six-term Democrat Brian Baird. Thirty-one-year-old state representative Jaime Herrera handily defeated Democrat Denny Heck, 53% to 47% in the district in the southwest corner of the state. Herrera told cheering supporters last night in Vancouver that she intends to give the voters what they asked for.

"I made one central promise in this campaign," she said. "I promised that I would work to change the direction of the federal government, stop the out of control spending and the growth of government, and that is exactly what I plan to do."

The only Congressional cliffhanger is in the Second District, where five-term Democrat Rick Larsen is trailing Republican challenger John Koster by just 1,400 votes. If Koster hangs on to that lead, he would be the second Republican this election to take a House seat in Washington long held by Democrats.

© Copyright 2012, KPLU