Evan Smith: Republican Gagliardi laments that national wave didn’t reach here

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Republican Gary Gagliardi notes that the wave that changed 20 state assemblies from Democrat to Republican this year was real but “clearly didn’t affect the West Coast as it did most of the nation.”

After Gagliardi trailed incumbent Democratic State Rep. Ruth Kagi 56 percent to 36 percent in the August primary election, I wrote that, while Republicans had a chance to win the 32nd District State Senate seat and the District’s other House seat. Kagi appeared to be safe.

Gagliardi responded that he had a chance to defeat six-term incumbent Kagi.

He now says that his confidence was based on the wave psychology but has found that “this particular ground is more resistant to the climate than most.”

Gagliardi added that “the outcome doesn’t really change the work that has to be done in this area.”

“Our State government and our communities still have all the same problems and little fresh perspective on how to address them, he said. “The local political parties, both Democrat and Republican, have all the same internal problems as well, though I only really know about those within the Republican Party from personal experience.”

“We win some and we learn some.”

Gagliardi was trailing Kagi by a 63.45 percent to 36.45 percent margin. Republican David Baker was trailing Democrat Maralyn Chase 59.6 percent to 40.3 percent for the State Senate seat, and Republican Art Coday was trailing Democrat Cindy Ryu 60 percent to 39.8 percent.

Results include all ballots that arrived in the King County elections office by Wednesday afternoon and in the Snohomish County auditor’s office by Thursday afternoon, plus all votes cast at accessible voting machines in Bellevue, Everett, Lynnwood, Seattle and Tukwilla. Both counties will update returns Monday afternoon.

Returns as of Friday, November 5
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 32
	Candidate	King County Votes	Snohomish County Votes	Total Votes
STATE SENATOR
	Maralyn Chase (D)	19,997….60.25%	4,900….56.96%	24,897….59.58%
	David Baker ®	13,142….39.60%	3,692….42.95%	16,834.…40.28%
	Write-in	49…...0.15%	11…...0.12%	60….…0.14%
	Total Votes	33,188…100.00%	8,603…100.00%	41,791.100.00%
	Undervotes	847
	Total Ballots	35,035
	Voter Turnout	53.95%
STATE REPRESENTATIVE POSITION NO. 1
	Cindy Ryu (D)	19,996.…60.58%	4,960…57.79%	24,956…60.00%
	Art Coday ®	12,952.…39.24%	3,612…42.08%	16,564…39.83%
	Write-in	59...…0.18%	11..…0.13%	70…0.17%
	Total Votes	33,007…100.00%	8,583..100.00%	41,590..100.00%
	Undervotes	2,028
	Total Ballots	35,035
	Voter Turnout	53.95%
STATE REPRESENTATIVE POSITION NO. 2
	Ruth Kagi (D)	21,299…..64.56%	5,051…59.17%	26,350…63.45%
	Gary (G) Gagliardi ®	11,660…..35.34%	3,478…40.74%	15,138…36.45%
	Write-in	32…....0.10%	8…..0.09%	40.....0.10%
	Totval Votes	32,991..100.00%	8,537..100.00%	41,528..100.00%
	Undervotes	2,044
	Total Ballots	35,035