Rep. Kim Schrier to face off against Republican Matt Larkin in November; Dunn concedes primary race

On Thursday, five-term King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn conceded the primary in the race for Washington’s 8th Congressional District. Dunn’s concession leaves incumbent U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, who holds a sizable lead in early results for the August primary as of Thursday evening, to face off against former state attorney general candidate Matt Larkin.

Larkin is currently trailing Schrier in the polls.

“I just called Matt Larkin to congratulate him on his primary victory,” Dunn said in a statement Thursday. “Matt ran an honorable and positive campaign, and I am proud to endorse him in this November’s election. Matt will make a wonderful Congressman, and I encourage all of my supporters to support him as well. I am proud of the campaign we ran, and I look forward to continuing to serve this area on the King County Council.”

Former Army Ranger Jesse Jensen also conceded the primary race on Thursday and said in a tweet, “Just got off the phone with Matt Larkin to congratulate him on being the Republican nominee and the next Congressman for Washington’s 8th Congressional District. Matt is a great man, fantastic father, and the conservative leader we need in Washington.”

In a statement on Thursday, Schrier claimed that Larkin is “out of step with voters in Washington’s 8th Congressional District,” highlighting Larkin’s pro-life stance and cheering on “the end of Roe v. Wade.”

“I have driven thousands of miles, hosted nearly 100 town halls, and have been delivering on the needs of this district. This community knows me and knows that I am out there listening and advocating for them every day, " said Schrier. “I have proven to be an independent and effective voice for the people of the 8th District and will always stand up for a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. With the looming threat of a nationwide ban on abortion from Republicans in the other Washington, we cannot leave the fate of this district, or this country, in the hands of my anti-choice opponent.”

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Currently represented by Democrat Kim Schrier, Washington’s 8th Congressional District includes portions of King and Pierce counties, crossing the Cascade mountains, including Chelan and Kittitas counties.

After the retirement of Republican Dave Reichert, Schrier was first elected in 2018 by defeating Republican Dino Rossi. She was then re-elected in 2020 after facing off against Jensen.

More election results: kiro7.com/election

Big campaign themes from all four of the leading candidates are crime, gas prices, and inflation.

“The number one, two, and three issues are the economy, the economy, the economy,” Jensen told KIRO 7′s Graham Johnson.

Larkin, a businessman and former prosecutor who ran in 2020 for state attorney general, asserts that Seattle’s issues are beginning to move beyond the city’s borders.

“I woke up one day and didn’t recognize my state,” Larkin said. “I see crime going up everywhere. It used to be a Seattle problem, it’s creeping out right now.”

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn makes a similar case.

“We have to get serious about addressing the crime problem. The defund, disarm, and disparage movement has failed,” said Dunn, who is also vying for the seat once held by his mother, the late Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn.

“I’m running on a civility platform. I think modern American political discourse has gotten nasty, increasingly tribalism. I think we need to elect leaders who bridge that divide,” he added.

Congresswoman Schrier said she’s already bridging the divide, cracking down on oil company profits, calling for a federal gas tax holiday, and addressing crime.

“We absolutely should not defund the police, I have never wanted to defund the police. It is absolutely foolish and what we should be doing, especially at a time of rising crime, is fully funding the police,” Schrier said.

More results for the primary election are expected to arrive each evening over the rest of the week.

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