2020 Washington Attorney General election

For related races, see 2020 United States attorney general elections.

2020 Washington Attorney General election

←  2016 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03) 2024  →

Nominee Bob Ferguson Matt Larkin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,226,418 1,714,927 Percentage 56.43% 43.47%

County results Congressional district results Ferguson:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Larkin:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Attorney General before election Bob Ferguson Democratic Elected Attorney General Bob Ferguson Democratic

The 2020 Washington Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the attorney general of Washington, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson was re-elected to a third term in office. ^[1]

Background

Ferguson was first elected in 2012 against Republican King County Councilor Reagan Dunn, winning 53% of the vote to succeed Republican Rob McKenna. ^[2] He was re-elected over Libertarian Joshua Trumbull in 2016 with 67% of the vote and was expected to easily win a third term. ^{[3] [4]}

Candidates

Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning that all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two move on to the general election.

Democratic Party

Advanced to general

• Bob Ferguson, incumbent attorney general (2013–2025) ^[5]

Declined

• Manka Dhingra, state senator ^[6]
• Lorena González, Seattle City Councilor (endorsed Ferguson) ^[5]
• Drew Hansen, state representative ^[5]
• Noah Purcell, solicitor general of Washington ^[5]

Republican Party

Advanced to general

• Matt Larkin, manufacturing executive and former Pierce County deputy prosecuting attorney ^[7]

Eliminated in primary

• Brett Rogers, attorney ^[8]
• Mike Vaska, attorney and leader of Mainstream Republicans of Washington (2017–2020) ^[9]

Primary election

Endorsements

Bob Ferguson (D)

Local officials

• Lorena González, Seattle City Councilor ^[5]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Bob Ferguson (D)	Matt Larkin (R)	Brett Rogers (R)	Mike Vaska (R)	Undecided
SurveyUSA [10]	July 22–27, 2020	513 (LV)	± 5.4%	52%	13%	7%	5%	22%
SurveyUSA [11]	May 16–19, 2020	650 (LV)	±  5.6%	47%	8%	8%	4%	32%

Results

Blanket primary results by county

  Ferguson

•   30–40%
•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Larkin

•   30–40%

  Rogers

•   30–40%

Blanket primary election results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bob Ferguson (incumbent)	1,356,225	55.79%
	Republican	Matt Larkin	575,470	23.67%
	Republican	Brett Rogers	296,843	12.21%
	Republican	Mike Vaska	199,826	8.22%
	Write-in		2,372	0.10%
Total votes			2,430,736	100.00%

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report [4]	Safe D	June 25, 2020

Post-primary endorsements

Bob Ferguson (D)

Newspapers

• The Seattle Times ^[13]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Bob Ferguson (D)	Matt Larkin (R)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling (D) [14] [A]	October 14–15, 2020	610 (LV)	± 4%	53%	39%	8%
SurveyUSA [15]	October 8–10, 2020	591 (LV)	± 5.2%	49%	38%	13%

Results

2020 Washington Attorney General election ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bob Ferguson (incumbent)	2,226,418	56.43%
	Republican	Matt Larkin	1,714,927	43.47%
	Write-in		3,968	0.10%
Total votes			3,945,313	100.00%
	Democratic hold

By county

County results

County [17]	Bob Ferguson Democratic		Matt Larkin Republican		Write-in Various		Margin		Total votes
	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%
Adams	1,772	31.34%	3,876	68.54%	7	0.12%	-2,104	-37.21%	5,655
Asotin	4,182	36.52%	7,255	63.35%	15	0.13%	-3,073	-26.83%	11,452
Benton	37,124	37.32%	62,257	62.58%	107	0.11%	-25,133	-25.26%	99,488
Chelan	17,943	42.90%	23,839	56.99%	48	0.11%	-5,896	-14.10%	41,830
Clallam	23,696	49.66%	23,979	50.25%	41	0.09%	-283	-0.59%	47,716
Clark	132,248	50.53%	129,184	49.36%	290	0.11%	3,064	1.17%	261,722
Columbia	656	27.37%	1,740	72.59%	1	0.04%	-1,084	-45.22%	2,397
Cowlitz	23,346	40.32%	34,505	59.60%	44	0.08%	-11,159	-19.27%	57,895
Douglas	7,386	35.85%	13,193	64.03%	25	0.12%	-5,807	-28.18%	20,604
Ferry	1,440	34.26%	2,751	65.45%	12	0.29%	-1,311	-31.19%	4,203
Franklin	12,964	40.97%	18,650	58.94%	30	0.09%	-5,686	-17.97%	31,644
Garfield	369	26.19%	1,039	73.74%	1	0.07%	-670	-47.55%	1,409
Grant	11,463	31.50%	24,885	68.37%	48	0.13%	-13,422	-36.88%	36,396
Grays Harbor	16,983	45.57%	20,238	54.31%	46	0.12%	-3,255	-8.73%	37,267
Island	27,139	51.95%	25,053	47.96%	44	0.08%	2,086	3.99%	52,236
Jefferson	16,561	68.34%	7,658	31.60%	14	0.06%	8,903	36.74%	24,233
King	844,858	72.37%	321,559	27.55%	930	0.08%	523,299	44.83%	1,167,347
Kitsap	85,262	55.50%	68,176	44.38%	177	0.12%	17,086	11.12%	153,615
Kittitas	10,689	42.03%	14,719	57.88%	24	0.09%	-4,030	-15.85%	25,432
Klickitat	5,750	43.95%	7,312	55.89%	21	0.16%	-1,562	-11.94%	13,083
Lewis	14,022	31.80%	30,010	68.05%	65	0.15%	-15,988	-36.26%	44,097
Lincoln	1,654	24.15%	5,188	75.76%	6	0.09%	-3,534	-51.61%	6,848
Mason	16,402	45.34%	19,721	54.51%	55	0.15%	-3,319	-9.17%	36,178
Okanogan	8,625	41.91%	11,919	57.92%	34	0.17%	-3,294	-16.01%	20,578
Pacific	6,570	48.17%	7,042	51.63%	27	0.20%	-472	-3.46%	13,639
Pend Oreille	2,659	32.18%	5,593	67.68%	12	0.15%	-2,934	-35.50%	8,264
Pierce	233,651	52.05%	214,768	47.84%	502	0.11%	18,883	4.21%	448,921
San Juan	9,276	72.60%	3,492	27.33%	8	0.06%	5,784	45.27%	12,776
Skagit	35,159	50.05%	35,006	49.83%	88	0.13%	153	0.22%	70,253
Skamania	3,112	44.10%	3,929	55.68%	15	0.21%	-817	-11.58%	7,056
Snohomish	236,332	55.53%	188,921	44.39%	375	0.09%	47,411	11.14%	425,628
Spokane	131,171	46.20%	152,388	53.67%	378	0.13%	-21,217	-7.47%	283,937
Stevens	7,642	27.70%	19,902	72.15%	41	0.15%	-12,260	-44.44%	27,585
Thurston	91,643	56.25%	71,053	43.61%	217	0.13%	20,590	12.64%	162,913
Wahkiakum	1,124	39.52%	1,717	60.37%	3	0.11%	-593	-20.85%	2,844
Walla Walla	13,270	43.79%	17,005	56.12%	28	0.09%	-3,735	-12.33%	30,303
Whatcom	79,975	59.42%	54,518	40.51%	89	0.07%	25,457	18.92%	134,582
Whitman	10,703	52.63%	9,613	47.27%	21	0.10%	1,090	5.36%	20,337
Yakima	41,597	44.75%	51,274	55.16%	79	0.08%	-9,677	-10.41%	92,950
Totals	2,226,418	56.43%	1,714,927	43.47%	3,968	0.10%	511,491	12.96%	3,945,313

By congressional district

Ferguson won six of ten congressional districts, with the remaining four going to Larkin, including one that elected a Democrat. ^[18]

District	Ferguson	Larkin	Representative
1st	55%	45%	Suzan DelBene
2nd	60%	40%	Rick Larsen
3rd	46%	54%	Jaime Herrera Beutler
4th	39%	61%	Dan Newhouse
5th	44%	56%	Cathy McMorris Rodgers
6th	56%	44%	Derek Kilmer
7th	83%	17%	Pramila Jayapal
8th	49%	51%	Kim Schrier
9th	71%	29%	Adam Smith
10th	54%	45%	Denny Heck (116th Congress)
			Marilyn Strickland (117th Congress)

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by the Northwest Progressive Institute

References

1. "Bob Ferguson defeats Matt Larkin in Washington state attorney general election results". The Seattle Times. November 3, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
2. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/ferguson-pulls-in-strong-support-over-dunn/
3. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-state-attorney-general-bob-ferguson-joshua-trumbull/
4. "An Updated Look at Handicapping the 2020 Attorney General Elections". The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
5. Gutman, David (August 22, 2019). "With Inslee running again for governor, leading Washington state Democrats put their ambitions on hold". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on January 16, 2025. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
6. O'Sullivan, Joseph; Gutman, David (August 22, 2019). "Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to seek reelection, hours after dropping presidential bid". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
7. https://www.kentreporter.com/northwest/woodinville-republican-to-run-for-state-attorney-general/
8. Cornfield, Jerry (October 9, 2019). "A boring election for state seats in 2020? Try nine of them". The Everett Herald . Retrieved September 29, 2025.
9. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/attorney-and-mainstream-republicans-leader-mike-vaska-to-run-against-attorney-general-bob-ferguson/
10. SurveyUSA
11. SurveyUSA
12. Wyman, Kim (August 21, 2020). "Canvass of the Returns of the Primary Held on August 4, 2020" (PDF). Secretary of State of Washington . Archived (PDF) from the original on March 15, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
13. Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (September 25, 2020). "The Times recommends: Bob Ferguson for state attorney general". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
14. Public Policy Polling (D)
15. SurveyUSA
16. Wyman, Kim (December 1, 2020). "Canvass of the Returns of the General Election Held on November 3, 2020" (PDF). Secretary of State of Washington . Archived (PDF) from the original on June 29, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
17. Wyman, Kim (November 3, 2020). "Attorney General - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on February 28, 2025. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
18. "2020Gen Results by Congressional District" (PDF). sos.wa.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 22, 2024.

External links

Official campaign websites

• Bob Ferguson (D) for Attorney General
• Matt Larkin (R) for Attorney General