This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington was May 8, 2026.
This year has the second-highest number of candidates since 2014. Sixty-nine candidates — 29 Democrats, 20 Republicans, 16 minor-party candidates, and four independents — are running for Washington’s 10 congressional districts. That’s 6.9 candidates per district. There were 6.2 candidates per district in 2024, 6.8 in 2022, 7.3 in 2020, 4.9 in 2018, 5.6 in 2016, and 4.9 in 2014.
Nine incumbents — eight Democrats and one Republican — are running in contested primaries. There were eight incumbents in contested primaries in 2024, 10 in 2022, nine in 2020, seven in 2018, nine in 2016, and nine in 2014.
All 10 primaries are contested this year. Since 2014, there has been only one election cycle in which all 10 primaries were not contested — 2018, when eight were.
One district is open this year. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R) is retiring from public office, leaving the 4th Congressional District open. There were two open districts in 2024, none in 2022, one in 2020, one in 2018, one in 2016, and one in 2014.
The 5th Congressional District has attracted the most candidates. Twelve candidates — Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R), six Democrats, and five Independent Party candidates — are running for the district.
Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all 10 districts, meaning no districts are guaranteed to either party.
Washington and four other states — Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia— are holding U.S. House primaries on Aug. 4, 2026.
Washington uses a top-two primary system. In a top-two primary system, all candidates are listed on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of their partisan affiliations, advance to the general election.
