Republican tops poll as Washington gubernatorial favorite — if Inslee declines to run

A According to a new poll, Republican is Washington’s top choice for the next year’s gubernatorial election. Jay Inslee will not run for reelection.

The poll, conducted by the Northwest Progressive Institute on March 7 and 8, asked 874 Washington voters who they would vote for out of four proposed candidates — Democrat Hilary Franz, Republican Bruce Dammeier, Democrat Dow Constantine, and Democrat Bob Ferguson — if Inslee opted against seeking a fourth term.

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Dammeier was the leader of the pack, with 35% vote. Ferguson received 21%. Franz and Constantine each received 7%. Another 30% of respondents were undecided about who they would vote for. Dammeier, who served eight years in Navy and two terms as a member of the state House of Representatives, is the current Pierce County executive. Ferguson is the attorney general of the state.

In a Thursday release, the institute stated that Dammeier’s 35% result was expected.

“Dammeier’s 35% percentage is pretty much what we thought we’d most likely see,” The organization stated. “In head-to-head questions in our statewide polling, we usually see declared or hypothetical Republican candidates in the mid to upper thirties.”

“The results suggest that Ferguson would have the advantage at the outset of a 2024 gubernatorial campaign among the three top Democratic officeholders in the state known to be interested in the job, but also indicates that there could be an opening for either Franz or Constantine to wage a competitive campaign, particularly if one of them decided to forgo running, resulting in just two credible Democrats competing for time, talent, treasure, and votes in the elimination round,” It was added.

Inslee, who has served three terms in office as governor since Gov. In 1972, Dan Evans considered running for a fourth term. Since there are no gubernatorial term limits, the state has never elected a governor for more than four terms.

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Governor 71 has maintained his fundraising efforts since his last win. He has $1.5million in his campaign account, with over a year and half until Election Day. According to Public Disclosure Commission filings, he also has a 2024 election campaign committee. Inslee was unsuccessful in his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. He backed President Joe Biden. Inslee has been also mentioned as a possible candidate for the 2028 race. He would be elevated to a higher position in the Democratic White House if he wins a fourth term.

A consultant from Inslee told the Seattle Times The governor was elected last September “is focused on protecting our pro-choice majorities and preparing for the next legislative session and hasn’t made any decisions about 2024 yet.”