2008 United States House of Representatives elections
District Incumbent Party First elected Results Candidates
Washington 1 Jay Inslee Democratic 1998 Incumbent re-elected Y Jay Inslee ( Democratic ) 67.8% Larry Ishmael ( Republican ) 32.2%
Washington 2 Rick Larsen Democratic 2000 Incumbent re-elected Y Rick Larsen ( Democratic ) 62.4% Rick Bart ( Republican ) 37.6%
Washington 3 Brian Baird Democratic 1998 Incumbent re-elected Y Brian Baird ( Democratic ) 64.0% Michael Delavar ( Republican ) 36.0%
Washington 4 Doc Hastings Republican 1994 Incumbent re-elected Y Doc Hastings ( Republican ) 63.1% George Fearing ( Democratic ) 36.9%
Washington 5 Cathy McMorris Rodgers Republican 2004 Incumbent re-elected Y Cathy McMorris Rodgers ( Republican ) 65.3% Mark Mays ( Democratic ) 34.7%
Washington 6 Norm Dicks Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected Y Norm Dicks ( Democratic ) 66.9% Doug Cloud ( Republican ) 33.1%
Washington 7 Jim McDermott Democratic 1988 Incumbent re-elected Y Jim McDermott ( Democratic ) 83.6% Steve Beren ( Republican ) 16.4%
Washington 8 Dave Reichert Republican 2004 Incumbent re-elected Y Dave Reichert ( Republican ) 52.8% Darcy Burner ( Democratic ) 47.2%
Washington 9 Adam Smith Democratic 1996 Incumbent re-elected Y Adam Smith ( Democratic ) 65.5% James Postma ( Republican ) 34.5%
Washington
Main article : 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington See also : List of United States Representatives from Washington
The 2008 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 4, 2008, to elect members to the United States House of Representatives to serve in the 111th United States Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. It coincided with the election of Barack Obama as President. All 435 voting seats, as well as all 6 non-voting seats, were up for election. The Democratic Party, which won a majority of seats in the 2006 election, expanded its control in 2008. The Republican Party, hoping to regain the majority it lost in the 2006 election or at least expand its congressional membership, lost additional seats. With one exception (Louisiana's 2nd district), the only seats to switch from Democratic to Republican had been Republican-held prior to the 2006 elections. Republicans gained five Democratic seats total, while losing 26 of their own, giving the Democrats a net gain of 21 seats, effectively erasing all gains made by the GOP since 1994. In addition, with the defeat of Republican congressman Chris Shays in Connecticut's 4th district, this became the first time since the 1850s that no Republican represented the New England region. The 10.6% popular vote advantage by the Democrats was the largest by either party since 1982, 26 years earlier. Turnout increased due to the 2008 presidential election. The presidential election, 2008 Senate elections, and 2008 state gubernatorial elections, as well as many other state and local elections, occurred on the same date.