2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington

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2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington
Flag of Washington.svg
  2000 November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05) 2004  

All 9 Washington seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election63
Seats won63
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote907,440778,922
Percentage52.18%44.79%
SwingDecrease2.svg 3.34%Increase2.svg 0.32%

Washington Congressional Election Results 2002.svg
2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington by county.svg

The 2002 House elections in Washington occurred on November 5, 2002 to elect the members of the State of Washington's delegation to the United States House of Representatives. Washington has nine seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Though competitive races occurred in several districts, no seat switched hands as a result of the elections this year.

Contents

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Washington, 2002 [1]
PartyVotesPercentageSeats+/–
Democratic 907,44052.18%6
Republican 778,92244.79%3
Independents52,7543.03%0
Totals1,739,116100.00%9

District 1

WA01 109.png

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Jay Inslee ran for a fourth nonconsecutive term in Congress from this fairly liberal district rooted in portions of the Kitsap Peninsula and Seattle’s northern suburbs. Inslee faced Republican candidate Joe Marine, a former Mukilteo City Councilman and State Representative. Though Marine gave Inslee one of the closest races of his career, the Congressman was successful on election day and bested Marine by a fourteen point margin.

Washington's 1st congressional district election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jay Inslee (inc.) 114,087 55.64
Republican Joe Marine84,69641.31
Libertarian Mark B. Wilson6,2513.05
Total votes205,034 100.00
Democratic hold

District 2

WA02 109.png

Freshman Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen, who represents this northwestern Washington-based district, ran for re-election. Larsen faced Republican Norma Smith, an aide to former Congressman Jack Metcalf and a former South Whidbey school board member in the general election. Though Larsen attained a majority of the vote and retained his seat, Smith was able to keep her Democratic opponent to only a five point margin, surprisingly close in this marginally liberal district.

Washington's 2nd congressional district election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rick Larsen (inc.) 101,219 50.07
Republican Norma Smith 92,52845.77
Libertarian Bruce Guthrie7,9662.52
Green Bern Haggerty4,0772.02
Total votes202,150 100.00
Democratic hold

District 3

2002 Washington's 3rd congressional district election
Flag of Washington.svg
  2000
2004  
  Brian Baird.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Brian Baird Joseph Zarelli
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote119,26474,065
Percentage61.69%38.31%

2002 WA-03 election results.svg
County results
Baird:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. Representative before election

Brian Baird
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Brian Baird
Democratic

WA03 109.png

Though the southwestern Washington-based district that two-term Democratic incumbent Congressman Brian Baird represents is essentially a centrist district, the Congressman was able to perform surprisingly well against Republican State Senator Joseph Zarelli. Baird was overwhelmingly re-elected over Zarelli, receiving over sixty percent of the vote on election day.

Washington's 3rd congressional district election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Brian Baird (inc.) 119,264 61.69
Republican Joseph Zarelli 74,06538.31
Total votes193,329 100.00
Democratic hold

District 4

WA04 109.png

In this solidly conservative, central Washington congressional district, incumbent Republican Congressman Doc Hastings faced Democrat Craig Mason, a sociology professor at Columbia Basin College in the general election. Owing to Congressman Hastings’s popularity and his district’s strong proclivity towards electing Republican candidates, the Congressman was re-elected in a landslide.

Washington's 4th congressional district election, 2002)
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Doc Hastings (inc.) 108,257 66.90
Democratic Craig Mason53,57233.10
Total votes161,829 100.00
Republican hold

District 5

WA05 109.png

Running for his fifth term in Congress, incumbent Republican Congressman George Nethercutt faced Democratic candidate Bart Haggin and Libertarian candidate Rob Chase as obstacles to another term. In this staunchly conservative district rooted in the socially conservative counties of eastern Washington, Congressman Nethercutt hardly faced a challenge and easily won another term.

Washington's 5th congressional district election, 2002)
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican George Nethercutt (inc.) 126,757 62.66
Democratic Bart Haggin65,14632.21
Libertarian Rob Chase10,3795.13
Total votes202,282 100.00
Republican hold

District 6

WA06 109.png

Long-serving Democratic Congressman Norm Dicks, the longest-serving of Washington congressmen, has represented this liberal-leaning, Kitsap Peninsula-based district since he was first elected in United States House of Representatives elections, 1980#Washington. Congressman Dicks faced Republican nominee Bob Lawrence in the general election, who was also his opponent in the previous two elections. Lawrence hardly faced a chance in the general election, and Dicks was swept into his fourteenth term in a landslide.

Washington's 6th congressional district election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Norm Dicks (inc.) 126,116 64.20
Republican Bob Lawrence61,58431.35
Libertarian John A. Bennett8,7444.45
Total votes196,444 100.00
Democratic hold

District 7

WA07 109.png

This district, the most liberal in Washington, encompasses most of the city of Seattle and has been represented by Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott since he was first elected in 1988. Running for a seventh term this year, McDermott faced off against Republican Carol Cassady and Libertarian Stan Lippman, whom he crushed in the general election by a convincing margin.

Washington's 7th congressional district election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jim McDermott (inc.) 156,300 74.07
Republican Carol Cassady46,25621.92
Libertarian Stan Lippman8,4474.00
Total votes211,003 100.00
Democratic hold

District 8

United States House of Representatives, Washington District 8 map.png

Incumbent Republican Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn ran for a seventh term in this liberal-leaning district and faced Democratic nominee Heidi Behrens-Benedict and Libertarian Mark Taff in the general election. Though this district, based in the eastern suburbs of Seattle, has a tendency to vote Democratic, the potential potency of Behrens-Benedict’s candidacy was hampered by the fact that she has achieved perennial status, running for the same seat two previous times. Ultimately, Congresswoman Dunn was re-elected by a solid margin on election day.

Washington's 8th congressional district election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jennifer Dunn (inc.) 121,633 59.82
Democratic Heidi Behrens-Benedict75,93137.34
Libertarian Mark A. Taff5,7712.84
Total votes203,335 100.00
Republican hold

District 9

WA09 109.png

In his bid for a fourth term, incumbent Democratic Congressman Adam Smith was opposed by Republican State Representative Sarah Casada and Libertarian candidate J. Mills in the general election. Congressman Smith represents a liberal-leaning district that runs from the state’s capital of Olympia to some of the southern suburbs of Seattle, and, true to the liberal tendencies of his constituency, Smith was re-elected by a substantial margin over Casada and Mills.

Washington's 9th congressional district election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Adam Smith (inc.) 95,805 58.52
Republican Sarah Casada63,14638.57
Libertarian J. Mills4,7592.91
Total votes163,710 100.00
Democratic hold

References

  1. "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".