U.S. Senator
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Maria Cantwell (D) | 1,088,699 | 57.61% |
| Raul Garcia (R) | 416,315 | 22.03% |
| Scott Nazarino (R) | 107,763 | 5.70% |
| Isaac Holyk (R) | 105,944 | 5.61% |
| Mel Ram (R) | 83,375 | 4.41% |
| Chuck Jackson (I) | 20,238 | 1.07% |
| David Tilton (N) | 16,882 | 0.89% |
| Paul Lawrence Giesick (D) | 16,792 | 0.89% |
| Goodspaceguy (R) | 16,172 | 0.86% |
| Thor Amundson (I) | 10,147 | 0.54% |
| Henry Clay Dennison (S) | 7,535 | 0.40% |
* 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.
Featured Candidates
Maria Cantwell
- Party:
- Democratic
- Age:
- 65
- City:
- Seattle, Washington
- Occupation:
- Senator
Education: Graduated from Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1977. Earned a bachelor’s degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1981.
Work experience: Worked as vice president of marketing and senior vice president of the consumer products division at Real Networks, a Seattle-based tech company, from 1995 to 2000.
Political experience: Elected to represent Washington’s 1st congressional district in 1992, serving one term before losing her re-election bid in 1994. Elected to the Senate in 2000 and re-elected in 2006, 2012 and 2018.
Family: Single, no children
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
Sen. Maria Cantwell tours health facilities in rural northeast Washington to highlight need for services
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell visited health care providers in northeast Washington last week to figure out ways the federal government can help pay for needed services.
Incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell and GOP-endorsed Raul Garcia lead in primary race for Senate seat
Incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell will face Republican Raul Garcia in the November election.
Cantwell says FAA oversight of Boeing lacking
Aug. 2—WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, has requested the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a root cause analysis of its oversight of aviation manufacturers, according to an announcement from Cantwell’s office. In a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, Cantwell said she had serious …
‘She’s a person for our time’: Washington senators see Harris reshaping presidential race
WASHINGTON, D.C. – It may have been the most momentous fortnight in modern U.S. political history.
In address to Congress, Netanyahu defends Israel’s conduct in Gaza war as Northwest Democrats call for peace
WASHINGTON – In a speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel forcefully defended his nation’s war against Hamas in response to the Palestinian armed group’s attack last year in which it killed nearly 1,200 people and took hundreds of hostages.
Cantwell says she’ll cut path for privacy bill despite opposition
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell said the panel plans to mark up much-delayed federal data privacy legislation before the August congressional recess — and gave the bill a puncher’s chance even though its House companion has faced setbacks.
U.S. and Canada strike deal to update 60-year-old Columbia River Treaty
WASHINGTON – The United States and Canada announced Thursday that they have reached an agreement in principle to modernize the Columbia River Treaty, a 60-year-old pact that governs how the two nations use the Columbia Basin’s water resources.
‘This should not be just Joe Biden’s decision’: While other Democrats try to move on, Adam Smith calls for his party to act
WASHINGTON – Congressional Democrats emerged from caucus meetings on Tuesday with a mostly muted message of support for President Joe Biden, despite signs that many in the party still quietly harbor doubts about Biden’s ability to win and serve a second term in office.
At state convention, Washington Democrats pass cease-fire resolution after pro-Gaza protesters show up
The three-day event, which drew a crowd of more than 700 delegates and politicians, took place east of Seattle in nearby Bellevue at a convention center.
Maria Cantwell seeks fifth Senate term, facing GOP’s Raul Garcia and 10 other primary foes
Sen. Maria Cantwell’s first term in the Senate didn’t come easy, as she defeated incumbent Republican Slade Gorton by a margin of less than 0.1% in 2000. Since then, the Democrat has cruised to re-election three times as Washington has become an ever-bluer state.
Senate spectrum bill markup scrapped over partisan differences
WASHINGTON — The Senate Commerce Committee late Monday scrapped plans for a markup Tuesday morning of wireless spectrum auction legislation that had already been punted several times.
Supreme Court rejects challenge to abortion pill access after Spokane judge blocked restrictions
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that mifepristone, a medication used in the majority of abortions in the United States, can remain available, rejecting a challenge by antiabortion groups that sought to undo the Food and Drug Administration’s longstanding approval of the medication.
‘You are in for a treat’: Spokane International Airport unveils newly constructed concourse
Glossy terrazzo floors, windows that tint automatically and a 315-square-foot nursing room are just some of the features that can be found under the sloped steel roof of the Spokane International Airport’s newest addition.
Fewer and fewer new candidates filing for office in Spokane County as deadline approaches
The tap of new candidates entering elections this year is drying up, with relatively few people joining their respective races in the last two days and even fewer surprises. Friday is the last day for candidates to file with the Washington Secretary of State to appear on ballots later this year.
Washington state Republican Party endorses 6 candidates as races for statewide offices heat up
The candidates who managed to clinch a party endorsement are not guaranteed a spot on the general election ballot come November. However, an endorsement earns them free publicity and fundraising help from the party in the coming months.
Sen. Cantwell wants online privacy law, but critics say she’s slowed efforts for years
When Maria Cantwell first ran for the U.S. Senate, she championed what was then an unconventional political cause: internet privacy. Twenty-four years later, Cantwell (D-Wash.) has finally unveiled a bipartisan agreement aimed at achieving that vision. But the path ahead remains murky.
Cantwell, McMorris Rodgers strike bipartisan deal on landmark data privacy bill
WASHINGTON – Since the dawn of the internet age, tech companies have developed increasingly sophisticated ways to collect and use vast swaths of Americans’ personal data, while Congress has repeatedly failed to regulate the practice. Now, two Washington state lawmakers have a bipartisan plan to break that impasse and set a national standard for data privacy.
Washington cherry growers to get federal loans after USDA declares 2023 harvest a disaster
WASHINGTON – Harsh weather made 2023 a bad year for Washington state cherry growers, but help is on the way after the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday granted Gov. Jay Inslee’s request for a federal disaster declaration.
Michael Baumgartner joins crowded race to represent Eastern Washington in Congress
Spokane County Treasurer Michael Baumgartner has formally joined the race for Washington’s 5th congressional district, announcing his candidacy at a campaign launch event at the University District Gateway Bridge overlooking the Washington State University Spokane Medical School.
McMorris Rodgers, Cantwell request update from Biden administration on aid for Gray, Oregon Road wildfire victims
WASHINGTON – Two of Washington’s congressional delegation sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Monday asking for an update on potential aid for the victims of two wildfires that destroyed hundreds of Spokane County homes in August.