Community Government

Krishnadasan’s lead holds after second day of ballot counting

Updated vote totals did little to change the race for state Senate representing Gig Harbor and the rest of the 26th Legislative District.

Democrat Deb Krishnadasan leads Republican Michelle Caldier by 1,955 votes out of 38,072 counted so far, according to updated totals posted Wednesday by the Washington Secretary of State’s Office. Krishnadasan has 52.52% of the vote, down slightly from the 52.66% on election night. Caldier rose from 47.26% on Tuesday to 47.39% on Wednesday.

Officials will continue tallying ballots through Nov. 25, when the election is due to be certified.

Krishnadasan ‘optimistic’

Pierce County council members and Kitsap County commissioners appointed Krishnadasan to the state Senate in December 2024 to replace Emily Randall, who was elected to Congress a year ago. Caldier is a six-term 26th District state representative. Both live in Gig Harbor.

In a statement sent to Gig Harbor Now after seeing Tuesday’s vote totals, Krishnadasan said she was encouraged but cautioned that many ballots remain to be counted.

“For now, we are optimistic that our campaign has beaten back one of the most expensive onslaughts of corporate-funded attack ads in state history,” she said in a text message. “They worked hard to misrepresent my voting record, but ultimately the voters of the 26th LD saw through the lies and understood that I am committed to bipartisan, sensible solutions to the biggest issues facing our region.”

The 26th is one of Washington’s only true swing districts, regularly electing members of both parties to the Legislature. Some speculated the results may foreshadow how voters feel about recent actions in Olympia and Washington, D.C. 

Fewer than 1,110 votes separated the two candidates in the August primary, which Krishnadasan won. Both candidates portrayed themselves as moderates willing to work across the aisle and go against their own parties. 

Krishnadasan focused her campaign around affordability, access to educational pathways to all students and bringing a bipartisan voice to the legislature. She notably voted against most of her own party’s major tax policies last session.

Caldier: Voters didn’t understand the ‘gravity of this election’

Caldier also focused her campaign on the cost of living, chastising the Democratic majority for tax hikes they passed last session and the high gas prices. She argues electing another Republican would help bring more balance back to the Legislature.

A former dentist, Calider has represented the 26th District in the state House since 2014. She won her most recent election by nearly 10 percentage points. She has long been viewed as a moderate and sought to distance herself from the Trump Administration. 

In a phone interview Tuesday, Caldier said she knew heading into this evening that results might not go her way. She said her camp would continue to watch ballot counts over the next few days and warned of the ramifications if these results hold.

“If people like $5 a gallon gas and people want a state income tax and people want convicted felons let out in the street –  those are the things I’m fighting against – and if the voters want that to happen, then maybe I’m not the right person for the seat,” she said.

Caldier said the results of the election will affirm the work the Legislature and Democrat leadership has done, saying, “that’s the unfortunate thing, I don’t think the people who voted for my opponent know the gravity of this election.”

Campaign spending

Both campaigns have been flush with cash, Krishnadasan has raised over $800,000 as of Friday, according to Public Disclosure Commission records. Caldier trail not far behind at nearly $706,000.

Outside spending also was rampant. Third-party groups opposing Krishnadasan spent about $1.33 million on the campaign. Nearly all of that comes from Sound Jobs, a business-friendly interest group, and Washington Wins, led by Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia. 

Outside groups spent about $630,000 against Caldier, entirely from the progressive New Direction PAC.

Whoever wins will serve one year in office, until the end Randall’s original term. The seat will be up again in 2026, when it returns to its regular four-year cycle.

DuCharme vs. Bruhn

Updated totals did little to change other Gig Harbor-area races, either. Candidates who led on election night mostly extended their leads.

The exception is the Peninsula School Board race between Matthew Bruhn and Emily DuCharme. Bruhn leads with 50.49% of the vote, while DuCharme has 49.15%. On election night, Bruhn had 50.95% and DuCharme 48.70%.

Just 262 votes separate the two out of 19,507 cast.