(The Center Square) – With just five days until the Nov. 4 election, party leaders are busy canvassing neighborhoods and hosting campaign events to encourage voters to get their ballots turned in by Tuesday.
Plenty of eyes are on two key Senate races, one in the 5th Legislative District, where Democratic Sen. Victoria Hunt and Republican challenger Chad Magendanz are squaring off, and the other in the 26th Legislative District, pitting Democratic Sen. Deb Krishnadasan against Republican Rep. Michelle Caldier.
Minority Republicans are hoping to flip at least one seat in their favor.
On Thursday, The Center Square spoke with Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad about the election, next year’s legislative session, and the direction of the party.
Conrad said Democrats are feeling confident about holding both the 5th and 26th district seats.
Washington’s 5th Legislative District includes parts of south and east King County, including Issaquah, Black Diamond and Enumclaw. The 26th Legislative District encompasses an area across southeastern Kitsap Peninsula from Bremerton and Port Orchard to Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula.
“You know, we don’t want to take anything for granted, but we are tracking ballots coming in already,” Conrad said. “And we’re seeing there are more Democratic people that seem to be voting in both of those districts. And so we are cautiously optimistic, but we’re not taking anything for granted. I’m going to personally go canvassing to make sure that we are knocking on all those last doors and getting everybody to turn in their ballots, particularly in the 26th Legislative District.”
Democrats currently hold a 30-19 majority in the Senate.
Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh tells The Center Square that the numbers in recent weeks have been trending more favorably for both Caldier and Magendanz.
“The real issue going on in Washington state is voters are shifting, and that means models based on performance in the last few cycles are obsolete or outdated,” Walsh explained. “Now, does this mean the conservative candidates are a lock in either race? Of course not. Both of these races are close. That’s the reason why they’re getting so much attention.”
The Center Square asked Conrad how Democrats will position themselves going into the 2026 session when it comes to another potential round of tax hikes to deal with Washington’s budget challenges due to slower revenue growth, increased costs, and the end of federal COVID-19 funding, which could lead to a budget shortfall of nearly $2 billion.
“I think everyone is very aware that it’s been a tough budget cycle … and we want to be as fiscally protective as we can. We know that people are struggling in this state, and we don’t want to pass costs onto them,” Conrad said. “We’ve also got to be making sure that we are still providing these core services and that we are delivering for Washingtonians.”
Conrad added that Democrats will be mindful that the budget cannot have any “extra fat” in it.
Walsh, who also serves in the state House of Representatives, said he has no doubt Democrats will push through more tax hikes in the next session.
“They’re going to raise taxes. It’s the only trick in their book. It’s the only play in their repertoire. It’s all they’ve got, and you know where their money is going. Their priorities are pay increases to bureaucrat employees,” he said. “We know their priority is to give grant money to grifty NGOs, and there’s no way they can cut back from the operating budget and still give payola to all of their cronies. There’s no way.”
Conrad was asked if her party has moved too far to the left, embracing progressive candidates like Seattle mayoral candidate Katie Wilson, who has drawn comparisons to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist.
“First of all, Katie Wilson is running as a Democrat, so I think these terms and categories kind of get thrown around, but I think voters are picking who they want to represent them,” Conrad responded. “And I always say I believe that we have to build the biggest tent possible for the Democratic Party. And that’s got to be able to encapsulate people that used to consider themselves Republicans and are saying no to Trump and no to a MAGA style of the Republican party. And it also has to include people that are on the sort of further left and folks that are pushing for much more progressive policy. I think that’s a good thing.”
Walsh suggested Conrad knows the far-left radicals in the party are not good for Democrats.
“No doubt she is scared about the bad effects that the Katie Wilsons of the state will have on Washington Democrats,” he said.
According to the Washington Secretary of State, there are more than 5 million active voters in the state, as compared to “the eligible 4.4 million voters” in the August primary election.
“There are often spikes in registered voter numbers after WA elections, including primary elections,” Walsh texted The Center Square.
He suggested it’s a symptom of what he called “Washington’s unhealthy voter registration policies and one more reason that proof of citizenship when people register to vote in WA is important.”
