U.S. Representative

In a rematch of the 2014 contest, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will seek her seventh term in Congress against Joe Pakootas, a Nez Perce Tribe executive. McMorris Rodgers defeated Pakootas handily two years ago, earning 60 percent of the vote. But her share of the vote in the August primary fell to 42 percent, the smallest portion of primary ballots she’s earned since her first successful campaign in 2004.

Washington’s 5th Congressional district hasn’t elected a Democratic representative since Rep. Tom Foley, the sitting Speaker of the House, was ousted by George Nethercutt in the 1994 campaign. Despite his more promising performance in the primary, Pakootas has not drawn any financial support from the national or state Democratic parties, and he has a massive fundraising disadvantage. Pakootas has raised less than $200,000 in his campaign, compared to McMorris Rodgers’ $2.4 million.

Pakootas has accused McMorris Rodgers of being too entrenched in the Washington political system and criticized her support of Donald Trump as president. McMorris Rodgers has geared her campaign toward Congress wresting control of the government from a White House running amok with regulations, and eradicating what she’s called “zombie” federal programs – spending that isn’t authorized annually by Congress.