U.S. Senate Election Results: Murray and Smiley Advance in Washington
U.S. Senate Election Results: Murray and Smiley Advance in Washington
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In the November general election, US Senator Patty Murray will face Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley, with issues such as abortion rights and inflation likely to dominate their debates.

Murray, a Democrat seeking a sixth term, led Smiley by approximately 24 percentage points as of Tuesday night’s primary election results, with most counties reporting.

The Associated Press called the primary resolved, with Murray and Smiley expected to win.

According to Washington Secretary of State records, Murray received 54% of the votes cast in the statewide contest so far, while Smiley received 32%. More primary ballots will be counted in the coming days.

“I’m grateful to all of the people who have placed their trust in me to be their voice in the Senate,” Murray said in a statement after the results were announced, adding that Republicans like Smiley are attempting to “undermine our liberties and our democracy.”

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Smiley did not immediately respond.

There were 18 candidates on the ticket, but Murray and Smiley grabbed all of the attention in Washington state’s nonpartisan, top-two primary. Their respective parties rallied behind them, and no other contenders in the race raised much money.

With 3 percent of the vote, Leon Lawson, who identified with the “Trump Republican Party,” came in third.

Murray spent Tuesday at work in Washington, D.C., after participating in get-out-the-vote events in Seattle suburbs over the weekend. Smiley attended a Republican watch party in Issaquah on Tuesday night.

Murray, 71, of Bothell, originally won her seat 30 years ago. She is campaigning on Democratic themes such as expanding child care aid, cutting prescription drug prices, and restoring abortion rights.

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Smiley, 41, of Pasco, is a veterans advocate and former nurse attempting to appeal to people concerned about inflation, border security, and crime. The first-time candidate would be Washington’s first Republican senator in 22 years.

The race is important nationally because Democrats are hoping to keep or expand their shaky Senate majority in this election year. Republicans only need to flip one seat to gain control of the house.

Smiley cited high petrol costs and store shortages in the run-up to the primary, asking voters, “Do you want more of the past two years?” Murray reminded voters about the COVID-19 recovery efforts, which included the distribution of millions of vaccines and the distribution of billions of dollars in relief funds.

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Smiley wants to “rein in” federal spending, which she blames for inflation, but she evaded questions about where she would reduce. Murray said Congress should “go after price gouging by oil firms,” but she wouldn’t say whether she agreed with President Joe Biden’s proposal to repeal the federal gas tax.

Smiley’s popularity has grown as a result of her Fox News appearances and her personal story: her husband was blinded by a suicide bomber in Iraq, and she abandoned her career to become a carer and advocate. Murray launched commercials portraying Smiley laughing with former President Donald Trump, and the incumbent informed voters that Smiley’s first vote in the Senate would be to make Republican Mitch McConnell majority leader.

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Murray has stated that her top priority in the next Congress will be to legalise abortion access throughout the country. Smiley has stated that she would vote against both national abortion legalisation and a nationwide abortion ban. The United States Supreme Court, which overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in June, has returned the issue to state courts, “where it belongs,” according to Smiley.

According to federal statistics, as of mid-July, Murray had raised $14.5 million in campaign contributions and had $6.7 million in accessible cash. Smiley had amassed $7.1 million in earnings and $2.3 million in cash.

In an early July poll of Washington voters conducted on behalf of The Seattle Times and partners, Murray led Smiley 51 percent to 33 percent, dominating among Democratic voters and breaking even with independents. Earlier polls showed Murray leading Smiley by narrower margins.

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Murray received substantial support in the WA Poll among women, urban voters, and respondents who identified abortion as the most important issue to them. Smiley performed well with rural voters and voters who ranked inflation as the most critical issue.