Republican Dave Reichert beat out a number of other candidates to take the top spot in the Washington state gubernatorial primary on Tuesday night. He now faces off against the state’s Democratic Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, who came in second in Tuesday’s primary. The two will compete for governor in the Nov. 5 general election.
In Washington’s “top two” primary system, all candidates running for congressional and state office appear on the same ballot. The two candidates who receive the most votes, regardless of party, advance to the general election.
Reichert served as King County Sheriff for 33 years and is best known for helping capture the notorious serial killer, the Green River Killer. His tenure as sheriff and his subsequent work in the Legislature have been central to his campaign message, positioning him as a public safety candidate who will take a tough stance on crime.
Ferguson’s campaign, meanwhile, has been marked by sharp criticism of Reichert on hot-button issues such as abortion, with Ferguson attacking the former Republican congressman for his previous support for a nationwide abortion ban as inconsistent with Washington values.
Ferguson’s supporters include prominent state leaders such as Sen. Pro Tem Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee.
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Aerial view of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Washington. (David Ryder/Getty Images)
Byrd has also been endorsed by the state’s Republican Party. Byrd has faced legal issues related to his 1993 bank theft conviction. He was found guilty of applying for a loan using his father’s name and Social Security number, to which he pleaded guilty. Byrd acknowledged this past guilt, said he regretted his actions, and emphasized that he has not been convicted of any crime since. These issues have been an issue and have come under scrutiny in his campaign.
Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
