Newhouse holds a narrow lead over Sessler in a race for a seat in the House

By Reneé Diaz
U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, left, and Jerrod Sessler. (Credit: Dan Newhouse and Jerrod Sessler)

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U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse holds a slim lead over President-elect Donald Trump-endorsed challenger Jerrod Sessler.

As of Wednesday evening, the Associated Press had not officially called a winner in the race.

In the primary, Newhouse trailed Sessler in all counties, according to election results. In early results of the general election, Newhouse leads narrowly, ahead in Okanogan, Douglas, Benton, Franklin, Yakima and Klickitat counties. Sessler leads in Adams and Grant counties. Many counties are still counting ballots.

In a press call on election night, Newhouse said it’s still early but added that he likes the trend the results are showing.
 
“I’ve got to think that a lot of people who voted for Tiffany Smiley came back and voted for me in the general, at least enough to make a difference, and I think that was pretty key as well,” Newhouse said.
 
Sessler said that he is still waiting on the counties to finish counting their ballots.
 
“We are disappointed that the incumbent Dan Newhouse could not run on his resume, but had to run only on defaming me with his lies. We are confident that the late votes will favor us in this race. Washington needs strong, principled public leaders,” Sessler said.
 

On Tuesday, Trump took to Truth Social in one last push to urge voters to vote against Newhouse. Trump previously endorsed Sessler and Smiley, another Republican challenger in the primaries.

“He is running against a weak and pathetic RINO named Newhouse, who voted to, for no reason, impeach me. Newhouse has to go. He wished he didn’t do what he did, but it’s too late. Besides that, he didn’t represent the people nearly as well as Jerrod will,” Trump said.

Newhouse and Rep. David Valadao, of California, are one of the last two remaining Republican members of Congress among the 10 who voted to impeach Trump in 2021.

Newhouse said that he has worked with Trump in the past and he will continue to push for a conservative agenda with the best interests for central Washington.

Washington’s 4th Congressional District includes most of central Washington, covering Okanogan, Douglas, Grant, Adams, Klickitat, Franklin, Benton and Yakima counties, a heavily agricultural region.

Reneé Diaz may be contacted at renee.diaz@wenatcheeworld.com. Collaborative reporting by The Wenatchee World, NWPB and WSU’s Murrow College of Communication Newsroom Fellowship.

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