MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
It’s Friday, Washington Democrats!
Special Message
Washington Democrats stand with Spokane as it works to overcome terrible wildfires. We thank the first responders who are working around the clock to save lives and livelihoods. Wildfire has been ravaging Washington communities across our state for weeks, leaving trauma and millions of dollars in damage in its wake. Find ways to help and updates on fires in our state here. We encourage everyone to consider how they can support our neighbors grappling with the insecure housing and finances that come after the flames are put out.
Scheduling Note: Message from the Chair will be on hiatus next week, but we’ll be back in your inbox on Friday, August 21!
Primary Results
Thank you to everyone who voted, volunteered, and helped power our campaigns to victory in the August Primary. During the first ballot drop, every single one of our incumbent U.S. Representatives was leading their opponents! We also saw incredible strength for Democratic candidates in Southwest and Central Washington. We are leading in our priority districts and even making big dents in our stretch districts. If you want to relive Primary Night with us, you can follow coverage here, here, here, and here! You can find up-to-date results at the Secretary of State’s website here. New ballot totals are updated daily, Monday-Friday, around 5PM.
This year, WA Dems tried something different with our Election Day Get Out the Vote texting– thanks to our Gen Alpha interpreters, we were able to shake some last-minute ballots loose. See some of the responses we got by clicking the image above or going here.
I especially want to thank our committed and gritty Field Team, who have fanned out across the state to power our amazing margins in this year’s Primary Election. They have activated communities, brought in disengaged voters, and turned out voters. We have 10 organizers around the state doing great work, and this year’s Primary showed just how effective Year-Round Organizing can be when it comes to inviting people into our Party.
Democrats Fight Back
Congratulations to Washington’s entire Democratic Congressional Delegation – as of press time, nearly all of our Democratic U.S. Representatives were leading their races, with most well over 50% in their primaries. These could be the ripples that come before a big Blue wave in November! We aren’t taking anything for granted, and there are still lots of votes to be counted, but I am more encouraged than ever that we will retake the U.S. House of Representatives and even expand our majorities in the state legislature (for the SIXTH cycle in a row)! Southwest Washington is getting more blue by the day, and we also have a path to victory in the Yakima Valley. But we can’t do it without you! Please sign up for a volunteer shift – we have less than 90 days until the General Election!
Fresh off her victory in the August Primary, DCCC Chair and U.S. Representative from WA-1, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene is adding 12 solidly Trump districts to her election target list. This means Democrats are massively expanding the map to capitalize on Trump’s plummeting approval ratings as Americans, even in solid red districts, wake up to the horrible impacts of tariffs, wars of choice, and out-of-control inflation. Democrats have to win big this election in order to build a durable majority in Congress that can finally begin advancing oversight and accountability of the lawless Trump-Vance regime. Thank you, Rep. DelBene, for your leadership in this fight!
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is fighting like hell to protect the privacy rights of Washington voters. The U.S. Department of Justice is 0 for 20 in lawsuits across the country demanding sensitive voter data from states. We are going to make sure they go 0 for 21. Calling this a “lawless demand,” attorneys representing Secretary Hobbs are working to make sure our rights aren’t eviscerated to serve the fear-mongering and conspiracy theories of the Trump Justice Department. Thank you, Secretary Hobbs!
- Rally, Protest, and Gather
- Anytime – Sign up to receive ICE Mobilization Alerts for communities in Washington state. Sign up here.
- Anytime – We have organizing events nearly every day of the week through the Primary – find the nearest to you at www.wadems.org/events!
- TODAY – August 7
- Wednesday, August 12
- Rural Urban Bridge Initiative: Political Messaging for Rural and Working Class Voters: What Pops, What Flops, virtual. 1PM-2PM. Sign up here.
- New Volunteer Info Session, 5:30PM-6:30PM, virtual. Sign up here.
- Thursday, August 13 – How to Knock Doors with MiniVAN, Virtual, 6PM-7PM. Sign up here.
- Wednesday, August 19 – New Volunteer Info Session, 5:30PM-6:30PM, Virtual. Sign up here.
- Send us details on rallies and protests in your communities
- Email details to press@wa-democrats.org
- Donate
- If you would like to see less Washington D.C. and more Washington state in your community, please DONATE to The Real Washington Fund – our rapid response account to counter MAGA’s chaos with real organizing, real solutions, and real results. We can’t do the work of holding Republicans accountable without your support.
- Follow us on social media
DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS
Another blue wave is taking shape in the PNW as Washington Republicans lose ground in legislative battlegrounds, The Cascadia Advocate
Democrats hoping to flip Southwest Washington state House seats buoyed by primary results, OPB
WA Democrats face no backlash for ‘millionaires tax,”The Seattle Times
Primary results show tight races for open seats in state Legislature, The Spokesman-Review
As fires rage in the Pacific Northwest, leaders call all hands on deck, Washington State Standard
Primary sets stage for WA-3 toss-up between incumbent Democrat and Trump-backed Republican, OPB
AAPI candidates secure spots on November ballot, NW Asian Weekly
WA Supreme Court elections make for momentous primary, The Seattle Times
Thousands ordered to flee homes as fast-moving wildfire grows in Spokane County, Washington, CNN
Spokane wildfires show WA can’t ignore risk in climate-change era, The Seattle Times (editorial)
Wildfire leaves Northwest Spokane in a ‘war zone,’The Spokesman-Review
U.S. wildfire season exceeds 10-year average, Axios
WHAT I’M READING
A look ahead to the 2026 midterm election: Politics in the age of Trump, Doug Sosnik
I found this slide deck from Clinton-advisor Doug Sosnik fascinating, especially the analysis of the headwinds facing our Party as we enter what should be a historically advantageous environment to retake control of Congress. Democrats are leading Republicans on most major issues (including the economy!), but our brand has been damaged by infighting and a lack of a cohesive message. If you love data and getting in the weeds, this is a great primer on this year’s political environment and the challenges and opportunities our Party has ahead of it to reclaim trust from voters who have strayed or who were never part of our coalition to begin with. I believe that Washington state has bucked these trends (only going 0.5% towards Republicans in 2024 while the rest of the country shifted 3%) because of our commitment to the policies that actually help people get ahead in life.
Thanks for all you do,
Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party
In 2024, Washington Democrats led the nation with sweeping electoral victories. Now, we’re fighting to elect a supermajority in Olympia, protect our swing seats in the House, and stand up to MAGA extremism across the country.
WA Dems empowers grassroots organizing and elects Democrats up and down the ballot. Your support fuels our fight to stop Trump and defend our democracy.
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
Washington State Democrats PO Box 4027 Seattle, WA 98194 United States