Maria Cantwell projected to secure 5th term as U.S. Senator, beating Raul Garcia

Democrat Maria Cantwell is projected to secure her fifth term as U.S. Senator for the state of Washington, beating Yakima doctor Republican Raul Garcia.

As of Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., Cantwell has 59.77% of the vote, while Garcia trails behind with 40%, according to the Associated Press.

The numbers were on par with a poll from October showing Cantwell overall pulling ahead of Garica, 55% to 32%. The poll showed Cantwell winning in every age group, region, income bracket and race. However, regarding border security and the cost of living, Garcia came out on top.

In an Oct. 17 debate, Garcia said that Dreamers who came to the country under 18 should be given citizenship.

“We should have a path to legalization, maybe a permanent residency, and for those that break the law, no, you won’t come to our country to break the law,” he said.

Cantwell opted to increase border security.

“We do want to increase border security,” Cantwell said in a debate last month. “It was a compromise I have voted for.”

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As reported by The Seattle Times, Democrats have occupied both Senate seats since Cantwell was first elected in 2000 — narrowly winning by less than 0.1%. Cantwell, as outlined on her website, was also elected in 2006, 2012 and 2018.

AXIOS Seattle highlighted that Garcia hasn’t held elected office before but ran for governor in 2020. He said one of his greatest strengths is that he is not a career politician. However, The Spokesman-Review pointed out Cantwell has become an influential member of the Senate, leading the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

The Seattle Times reported Garcia struggled to fundraise for his campaign and did not run any television ads. The media outlet said Garcia’s campaign raised $660,000 through the end of September while Cantwell raised more than $11.7 million in the same time frame.

On October 17, KIRO 7 hosted a debate between the two candidates.

On the topic of affordable housing, Cantwell focused on increasing the low-income housing tax credit, while Garcia said he wanted to have programs with lenders so that citizens could afford to buy a house with a down payment.

More details: Maria Cantwell and Raul Garcia face off in debate for U.S. Senate

The candidates had similar views on the topic of abortion.

“I think a woman’s right to choose is a constitutional right to privacy,” Cantwell said. “I would hope all Washingtonians would view this as an issue of our freedom.”

Garcia said he would protect that right.

“The voters of Washington state have made it very clear that this is a pro-choice state, and as your next United States Senator, I am going to protect and defend that choice,” he added.

The two also faced off in a Spokane debate on October 9, as reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB). On the topic of fentanyl and homelessness, Garcia said he wanted to push legislation that would require felony charges and significant prison time for fentanyl dealers while Cantwell highlighted her work to create “health engagement hubs.”

The hub model, created by a research professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Washington (UW) showed a 68% reduction in overdose mortality rates among 800 participants, according to data from UW, as cited by The Washington State Standard.

The Seattle Times stated Cantwell has sought bipartisan solutions for issues, citing semiconductor production and the Federal Aviation Administration, among others. The media outlet said Garcia, an emergency room doctor, pitched himself as more of a moderate Republican.

Cantwell said in an interview, as reported by The Spokesman-Review, she wants to continue modernizing the U.S. economy and help Washington residents take advantage of investments in research, manufacturing and infrastructure.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.