Washington's 1st congressional district

Washington's 1st congressional district encompasses parts of King and Snohomish counties. The district covers several cities in the north of the Seattle metropolitan area, east of Interstate 5, including parts of Bellevue, Marysville, and up north toward Arlington.

Washington's 1st congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
Population (2023)786,950
Median household
income
$131,682[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+13[2]

In presidential elections, the 1st district has leaned Democratic. Under the old boundaries, Al Gore and John Kerry narrowly carried the district in 2000 and 2004, with 48% and 51% of the vote, respectively. In 2008, Barack Obama swept the district with 55.60% of the vote, while John McCain received 42%. Similarly, Hillary Clinton won the district in 2016 with 54% of the vote over Donald Trump with 38%, and in 2020 Joe Biden polled 59% to 38% for Donald Trump.

History

edit

Pre-2012

edit
 
The district from 2003 to 2013

Prior to the 2012 redistricting, the district encompassed part of Northwest Seattle and largely suburban areas north and east of Seattle, including Shoreline, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Kenmore, Bothell, Kirkland, and Redmond, as well as Bainbridge Island and part of the Kitsap Peninsula. Until March 20, 2012, it was represented by Democrat Jay Inslee from Bainbridge Island. Inslee resigned to focus on his run for Governor of the state;[3] the seat remained vacant until the special election that coincided with the November 2012 general election.[4][5]

The former House seat of powerful U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson, the district was a swing district throughout much of the 1990s, changing hands and parties three times in four elections. Before the election of future U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell in 1992, the district had been in Republican hands for 40 years (and 42 of the previous 46 years). Since the 1998 election, when Inslee was first elected, the growing Democratic trend in the Seattle area enabled him to turn it into a fairly safe seat. He had been re-elected six times, with little difficulty, most recently in 2010.

Post-2012

edit
 
The district from 2013 to 2023

The 2012 redistricting drastically changed the 1st district. Much of this area was previously part of the 2nd district, but in the new map, the 2nd has shrunk significantly. Jay Inslee (D) was the representative of the 1st district until resigning to run for governor of the state, but most of the district has been represented by Rick Larsen (D), of the 2nd district, in the past.

Soon after the 2012 general election polls closed, the Seattle Times and national news organizations called the district for Democrat Suzan DelBene, defeating Republican John Koster with a margin that the Seattle Times called "unexpectedly decisive",[6] reflecting the difficulty of predicting the vote in the new district. The certified results confirmed her significant margin.[7] DelBene also won the election for the remainder of Inslee's term in the old first district, and after being sworn in on November 13, 2012.

Recent election results from presidential races

edit
Year Results
1952 Eisenhower 52 - 48%
1956 Eisenhower 54 - 46%
1960 Nixon 57 - 43%
1964 Johnson 59 - 41%
1968 Nixon 50 - 45%
1972 Nixon 58 - 42%
1976 Ford 53 - 44%
1980 Reagan 43 - 39%
1984 Reagan 57 - 42%
1988 Dukakis 50 - 49%
1992 Clinton 42 - 32%
1996 Clinton 51 - 37%
2000 Gore 54 - 42%
2004 Kerry 56 - 42%
2008 Obama 62 - 36%
2012 Obama 54 - 43%
2016 Clinton 54 - 38%
2020 Biden 59 - 38%

List of members representing the district

edit

Beginning in 1909, members were elected from districted seats, instead of at-large statewide. (See Washington's at-large congressional district.)

Member Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history District location
District established March 4, 1909
 
William E. Humphrey
(Seattle)
Republican March 4, 1909 –
March 3, 1917
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
 
John Franklin Miller
(Seattle)
Republican March 4, 1917 –
March 3, 1931
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
Elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Lost renomination.
 
Ralph Horr
(Seattle)
Republican March 4, 1931 –
March 3, 1933
72nd Elected in 1930.
Lost renomination.
 
Marion Zioncheck
(Seattle)
Democratic March 4, 1933 –
August 7, 1936
73rd
74th
Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Died.
Vacant August 7, 1936 –
January 3, 1937
74th
 
Warren Magnuson
(Seattle)
Democratic January 3, 1937 –
December 13, 1944
75th
76th
77th
78th
Elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Retired to run for U.S. senator and resigned when elected.
Vacant December 13, 1944 –
January 3, 1945
78th
 
Hugh De Lacy
(Seattle)
Democratic January 3, 1945 –
January 3, 1947
79th Elected in 1944.
Lost re-election.
 
Homer Jones
(Bremerton)
Republican January 3, 1947 –
January 3, 1949
80th Elected in 1946.
Lost re-election.
 
Hugh Mitchell
(Seattle)
Democratic January 3, 1949 –
January 3, 1953
81st
82nd
Elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Retired to run for Governor of Washington.
 
Thomas Pelly
(Seattle)
Republican January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1973
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Retired.
 
Joel Pritchard
(Seattle)
Republican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1985
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
98th
Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Retired.
 
John Miller
(Seattle)
Republican January 3, 1985 –
January 3, 1993
99th
100th
101st
102nd
Elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Retired.
 
Maria Cantwell
(Mountlake Terrace)
Democratic January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 1995
103rd Elected in 1992.
Lost re-election.
 
Rick White
(Bainbridge Island)
Republican January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 1999
104th
105th
Elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Lost re-election.
 
Jay Inslee
(Bainbridge Island)
Democratic January 3, 1999 –
March 20, 2012
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
Elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Resigned to run for Governor of Washington.
2003–2013
 
Vacant March 20, 2012 –
November 6, 2012
112th
 
Suzan DelBene
(Medina)
Democratic November 6, 2012 –
present
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
Elected to finish Inslee's term.
Elected on the same day in 2012 to the next term.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
2013–2023
 
2023–present
 

Recent election results

edit

2010

edit
United States House of Representatives elections in Washington, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jay Inslee (incumbent) 172,642 57.67
Republican James Watkins 126,737 42.33
Total votes 299,379 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2012 short term (2010 boundaries)

edit
United States House of Representatives elections in Washington, 2012 One Month Short Term
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Suzan DelBene 216,144 60.42
Republican John Koster 141,591 39.58
Total votes 357,735 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2012

edit
United States House of Representatives elections in Washington, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Suzan DelBene (incumbent)[a] 177,025 53.94
Republican John Koster 151,187 46.06
Total votes 328,212 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2014

edit
Washington's 1st Congressional District - November 4, 2014[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Suzan DelBene (incumbent) 124,151 55.04
Republican Pedro Celis 101,428 44.96
Total votes 225,579 100
Democratic hold

2016

edit
Washington's 1st Congressional District - November 8, 2016[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Suzan DelBene (incumbent) 193,619 55.42
Republican Robert J. Sutherland 155,779 44.58
Total votes 349,398 100
Democratic hold

2018

edit
Washington's 1st Congressional District - November 6, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Suzan DelBene (incumbent) 197,209 59.27
Republican Jeffrey Beeler 135,534 40.73
Total votes 332,743 100
Democratic hold

2020

edit
Washington's 1st Congressional District - November 3, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Suzan DelBene (incumbent) 249,944 58.55
Republican Jeffrey Beeler 176,407 41.33
Write-in 511 0.12
Total votes 426,862 100
Democratic hold

2022

edit
Washington's 1st Congressional District - November 8, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Suzan DelBene (incumbent) 181,992 63.5
Republican Vincent Cavaleri 104,329 36.4
Write-in 363 0.1
Total votes 286,684 100
Democratic hold

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ DelBene was the incumbent by virtue of winning the simultaneous One Month Short Term election

References

edit
  1. ^ Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
  2. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Congressman Inslee to step down and focus on run for governor, Reuters
  4. ^ Cornfield, Jerry (March 29, 2012). "Gregoire: Election in works to replace Inslee". HeraldNet. The Daily Herald. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  5. ^ RCW 29A.28.041 Congress — Special election, Revised Code of Washington
  6. ^ DelBene beats Koster in race for U.S. House, Seattle Times
  7. ^ "Federal - All Results". Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  8. ^ "November 4, 2014 General Election Results". Washington Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  9. ^ "November 8, 2016 General Election Results". Washington Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
edit

47°50′N 122°24′W / 47.833°N 122.400°W / 47.833; -122.400