U.S. Representative
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Jerrod Sessler (R) | 51,020 | 33.08% |
| Dan Newhouse (R) | 36,073 | 23.39% |
| Tiffany Smiley (R) | 29,761 | 19.30% |
| Mary Baechler (D) | 22,353 | 14.49% |
| Misty Jane “Birdie” Muchlinski (D) | 9,593 | 6.22% |
| Barry Knowles (D) | 3,329 | 2.16% |
| Benancio “Ben” Garcia III (I) | 1,389 | 0.90% |
| John Malan (M) | 711 | 0.46% |
* 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.
About the Race
Featured Candidates
Jerrod Sessler
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 55
- City:
- Prosser, Washington
Education: Graduated from Evergreen High School in White Center, Washington, in 1987. Earned an associate degree from Highline Community College in 1991 and a bachelor’s degree in 1996 from Kennedy-Western University, an unaccredited school based in California that has since closed.
Work experience: Owns and operates HomeTask, a website that connects customers to local handymen and other home services providers. Has campaigned full time since starting his first run for Washington’s 4th congressional district in 2021. Served in the Navy 1987-89 and raced stock cars in a regional NASCAR series 1999-2006.
Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for Washington’s 4th Congressional District in 2022, finishing with 12.3% of votes in the primary.
Family: Married to Nicole “Nikki” Sessler. Has three children.
Campaign finance: Had raised about $548,000, of which $350,000 he provided himself, and spent about $264,000 as of Sept. 30, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Notable donors include Dina Dwyer-Owens, a Texas entrepreneur who appeared on the reality TV show “Undercover Boss,” and the House Freedom Fund, the campaign arm of the Trump-aligned House Freedom Caucus.
Dan Newhouse
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 69
- City:
- Sunnyside, Washington
Education: Graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1973. Earned a bachelor’s in agricultural economics from Washington State University in 1977.
Work experience: Third-generation farmer. His family still operates an 850-acre farm near Sunnyside, growing hops, tree fruit and grapes.
Political experience: Elected to Congress in 2014. Previously served as director of Washington Department of Agriculture 2009-13, and before that as a state representative from 2003-09.
Family: Married to Joan Galvin. Has two adult children with his late wife Carol Newhouse, who died in 2017.
Campaign finance: Had raised about $2 million and spent about $1.5 million as of Sept. 30, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Some of his largest donors are agricultural businesses and industry groups, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Wine Institute and the Dairy Farmers of America.
Tiffany Smiley
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 43
- City:
- Richland, Washington
Education: Graduated from Pasco High School in 1999. Earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Whitworth University in 2004.
Work experience: Veterans advocate and former triage nurse. Caregiver to her husband, retired Army Maj. Scotty Smiley, who was blinded by an explosion in combat in Iraq.
Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2022, finishing with 46.2% of votes.
Family: Married to Scotty Smiley. They have three school-age boys.
Mary Baechler
- Party:
- Democratic
- Age:
- 68
- City:
- Zillah, Washington
Education: Attended Canyon del Oro High School near Tucson, Arizona. Didn’t graduate from high school but attended junior college, then earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies from Washington State University in 1979 and a master’s degree in nutrition from Northwestern University in 2015.
Work experience: Works as a community outreach coordinator with the Washington State Board of Health. Co-founded the Baby Jogger stroller company, which she and her ex-husband sold in 2003. Later worked as a community organizer in the Yakima area and planner for the Yakama Nation until the COVID-19 pandemic, when she worked in public health in the Seattle area.
Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Washington’s 4th Congressional District in 2012, receiving 33.8% of votes.
Family: Single. Has three adult children and five grandchildren.
Benancio "Ben" Garcia III
- Party:
- Independent
- Age:
- 52
- City:
- Grandview, Washington
Education: Graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1990. Earned a bachelor’s degree from Central Washington University in 2006.
Work experience: Organizes a flea market in Sunnyside and advises small businesses. Served in the Army National Guard from 1995-2003 and on active duty from 2003-08. Worked for 10 years as a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan underwriter.
Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Washington’s 4th Congressional District in 2022, receiving 1.4% of votes in the primary.
Family: Married. Has two adult children and nine grandchildren.
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