New poll: Democrat Bob Ferguson dominates Dave Reichert in WA Governor Race

As the election for Washington’s next governor enters its final stretch, Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson holds a commanding lead over former Republican Congressman Dave Reichert, according to a new statewide poll.

The KING 5 News Poll, commissioned by KING 5, The Seattle Times and the University of Washington (UW) Center for an Informed Public, shows Ferguson with 50% support among likely voters, compared to 34% for Reichert. Another 16% of respondents remain undecided.

Ferguson’s lead is bolstered by strong support on key issues. When polled separately, voters expressed more trust in Ferguson over Reichert on public safety, the economy, education, affordable housing and reproductive rights. Specifically, 53% of voters trust Ferguson more on reproductive rights, compared to 23% for Reichert. On education, 51% favor Ferguson, while 29% trust Reichert. Ferguson also leads on affordable housing (49% to 28%), the economy (48% to 32%), and public safety (48% to 34%).

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Reichert, however, polls well among likely voters who prioritize border security, the cost of living, or crime. He also leads among those likely, but not certain, to vote and voters with high school educations. Despite this, Reichert has struggled to gain significant ground since the Aug. 3 primary, where Ferguson placed first with 45% in a 28-candidate field, while Reichert came in a distant second with 27%.

Ferguson’s campaign has also maintained a substantial fundraising advantage. Recent filings with the state Public Disclosure Commission show Ferguson raised about $2.4 million between Sept. 1 and Oct. 14, compared to $1.2 million for Reichert. Overall, Ferguson has raised more than $13 million for his campaign, while Reichert has raised $6 million.

In his statement, Ferguson emphasized his message of improving public safety, increasing affordability and protecting reproductive freedom, resonating with voters concerned about Reichert’s support for Donald Trump’s policies. The poll results suggest that divisions within the state Republican Party have further hampered Reichert’s campaign. The party had endorsed his MAGA rival, Semi Bird, before the primary, and Bird has since declined to endorse Reichert for the general election.

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Ken Alper of SurveyUSA, which conducted the poll, noted that some MAGA-oriented voters may still be withholding support from Reichert. Additionally, non-MAGA Republicans might be debating whether to vote at all this cycle. Alper highlighted that 7% of Republicans in the poll are undecided for president, compared to 1% of Democrats and 12% of Republicans are undecided for governor, compared to 6% of Democrats.

Jeff Harvey, Reichert’s senior political adviser, acknowledged the challenges but remained optimistic.

“The only poll that matters is the one coming on Nov. 5,” Harvey said, noting that ballots have started hitting mailboxes. “Our team is working day and night to share Dave’s message that he is the change we need to keep our communities safe and bring down our cost of living.”

The state has not elected a Republican governor since 1981, and current Governor Jay Inslee, first elected in 2012, did not seek reelection to a fourth term. With Democrats holding the governor’s office since 1985, the poll indicates they are poised to continue their record-setting streak, barring a late change in the political climate.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.