Governor
Election Results
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
The Candidates
Jay Inslee
- Party:
- Democratic
- Age:
- 73
- City:
- Bainbridge Island, Washington
Education: Earned bachelor’s degree from University of Washington; earned law degree from Willamette University Law School.
Work experience: Former prosecuting attorney, author.
Political experience: Elected governor in 2012 and 2016; member of state Legislature, 1989-92; member U.S. House 1993-94; 1999-2012. Ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out before any primary or caucus.
Family: Married to Trudi Inslee. Has three children.
Campaign financing: Raised $6.7 million in contributions as of Oct. 2, 2020, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission, including almost $1.4 million from state Democratic Central Committee and $328,000 in small contributions under $25.
Loren Culp
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 63
- City:
- Republic, Washington
Education: Attended Republic High School and obtained GED in 1978. Graduated from Army Non-Commissioned Officer Academy during active duty 1980-1984.
Political experience: Ran for governor of Washington as a Republican in 2020, losing to Democrat Jay Inslee.
Work experience: Served in U.S. Army 1980-1986, worked as police officer in Republic 2010-2020. Campaigning full-time since 2020 gubernatorial race.
Family: Married to Barb Culp. Has two adult children.
Campaign contributions: As of June 30, raised $300,000 and had $53,000 on hand.
Raul Garcia
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 53
- City:
- Snohomish, Washington
Education: Graduated from Miami (Florida) Senior High School in 1989. Earned a bachelor of science degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of Miami in 1993 and a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1998.
Work experience: After first practicing medicine in New York, has worked as a physician in the Yakima area since 2007. Currently works as an emergency physician and the medical director of Astria Hospital in Toppenish.
Political experience: Ran for governor of Washington in 2020, earning about 5% of votes in the primary, and ran for governor again in 2024 until Dave Reichert announced his candidacy, when Garcia endorsed Reichert. Interned in the office of then-Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kansas, as a college student in 1990.
Family: Married to Jessica Garcia. They have a blended family and have raised five children together, three adults and two who are school-age as of 2023.
Complete Coverage
Inslee blasts removal of mask mandate in Kootenai County
OLYMPIA – Removing the mask mandate in North Idaho counties endangers Washington residents across the border, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.
Five counties move off Phase 1 as Spokane records 8,000 COVID-19 cases
Five Washington counties that for months have had the strictest state restrictions for preventing the spread of COVID-19 were moved Tuesday to Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan. Meanwhile, Spokane County reported a new milestone with 8,000 cases.
Inslee’s infested apples rounded up
Infested apples Gov. Jay Inslee brought to Central and Eastern Washington last month in a goodwill gesture gone bad have been rounded up and destroyed.
Spin Control: Governor’s debate had no big winner but some interesting moments
Determining a winner or loser in last week’s gubernatorial debate is difficult, but there were places where the candidates made points or mistakes.
Inslee extends rent moratorium through end of December
Washington will extend the moratorium on evicting tenants for non-payment of rent through the end of the year as the state continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington governor debate tonight
Washington voters can get a look at their candidates for governor Wednesday evening.
Democrats Heck, Liias vie for lieutenant governor
Washington voters shouldn’t assume the printer made a mistake when they notice their ballot has two candidates listed as Democrats in the lieutenant governor’s slot.
Gov. Jay Inslee critical of President Trump’s upbeat attitude on COVID-19
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who has been a regular critic of President Donald Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, blasted the president’s seeming dismissal of the seriousness of the disease shortly before being released from the hospital.
Inslee, Culp a study in contrasts in the race for Washington governor
Washington voters who like a clear contrast between their candidates should be ecstatic with their governor’s race.
Spin Control: Little words may or may not have big meanings
Every so often a politician utters an unusual word – not necessarily a bad word or a wrong word – that makes a reporter go “Wait. What?”
Inslee says Boeing tax breaks in danger if 787 line moves
The favorable tax breaks the Boeing Company gets could be in danger if it moves all production of its 787 jetliner to South Carolina, Gov. Jay Inslee said today
At some point, we have to accept that some folks just won’t register to vote
At the risk of sounding like a grouchy old Boomer, can I suggest now that we have passed National Voter Registration Day – which was last Tuesday – can every political operative and social media app stop asking me if I’m registered?
State asking Boeing what will keep 787 production in Everett
Washington officials are asking the state’s largest manufacturer what it can do to keep the 787 jetliner production line from moving to South Carolina, Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday.
Washington airports get new virus protection rules
Travelers using Washington airports will be required to wear face coverings in most areas and observe rules for distancing from other passengers to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Inslee brings infected apples on visits to fire areas
OLYMPIA – When Gov. Jay Inslee traveled to Eastern and Central Washington to bring the state’s prayers, concern and comfort to victims of fire-ravaged communities last week, he also brought something else: Apple maggot larvae.
Inslee, Culp agree to one debate
Gov. Jay Inslee and his Republican opponent, Republic Police Chief Loren Culp, agreed to one debate before the Nov. 3 general election.
Spin Control: Culp offers up a fiery ‘quote’ that Inslee campaign criticizes
If political campaigns can be considered a Rorschach test on the boundaries of rhetoric, gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp offered a verbal “ink blot” last week that will almost certainly be viewed differently by his supporters than by Gov. Jay Inslee’s.
Eager bowlers return to lanes in north Spokane as other alleys work to reopen soon
Lilac Lanes opened this week, with the area’s other bowling alleys planning to follow suit in early September. The reopening follows a lobbying campaign by alley owners who’ve remained largely shuttered since the coronavirus pandemic began and who had anticipated waiting several more months until Phase 4 to be allowed to open the doors again.
Governor candidate Culp named in lawsuit over disputed traffic case
Republic Police Chief Loren Culp, the GOP candidate for governor, was named in a federal lawsuit that claims a Montana woman’s rights were violated when she was detained and charged after a traffic check in 2018.
Breaking into the paper’s Olympia office didn’t take a mastermind
Sometime on Thursday night or early Friday morning, some “criminal masterminds” broke into the building on the Capitol Campus with the office for The Spokesman-Review and two other newspapers.