Kshama Sawant, the former socialist Seattle City Council member, finished third in Washington’s 9th Congressional District primary on August 4, with 8,896 votes, falling well behind incumbent Democrat Adam Smith and Republican Doug Basler in the race to challenge Smith’s nearly three-decade hold on the seat.
Smith dominated the primary with 36,070 votes, advancing to the November general election alongside Democrat Melissa Chaudhry, who finished second among the two major-party candidates with her own campaign. The top-two primary system in Washington ensures the two highest vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, move to the general election, and Chaudhry’s second-place finish secured her spot opposite Smith.
Sawant ran as an independent candidate, explicitly campaigning as an antiwar socialist against what she called Smith’s support for military aid to Israel and military spending broadly. She had served on the Seattle City Council from 2014 to 2024, becoming the first socialist elected to the body in nearly a century and building a national profile for her role in raising Seattle’s minimum wage and championing an “Amazon Tax” on large corporations.
In her congressional bid, Sawant positioned herself to the left of Smith on foreign policy, housing, and economic justice. She raised $645,401 for her campaign, a substantial sum for a challenger, though Smith’s fundraising advantage—with over $1.1 million—reflected his entrenched position as a long-serving incumbent.
Smith has represented the district since 1997 and has consistently won reelection by wide margins. In 2024, he captured 65.4 percent of the vote in the general election, signaling the district’s strong Democratic lean and the difficulty any challenger faces in dislodging him. Chaudhry, who ran against Smith in 2024 and lost by 33 percentage points, returned to challenge him again in 2026, hoping to capitalize on discontent from progressive voters.
The primary results underscored Smith’s resilience among district voters, even as progressive challengers on both his left and within his own party mounted competing campaigns. Washington primary election results showed the race was one of several across the state where incumbents faced organized challenges from the left, reflecting broader Democratic Party tensions over foreign policy and economic priorities heading into the 2026 midterms.
Sources
- NBC News — Washington House District 9 primary results showing Smith with 36,070 votes, Basler with 16,842, and Sawant with 8,896
- Ballotpedia — Background on Washington’s 9th Congressional District primary, candidate fundraising, and general election information
- Wikipedia — Kshama Sawant’s tenure on Seattle City Council from 2014 to 2024 and her role as the first socialist elected since 1877
- American Bazaar Online — Details on Sawant’s campaign platform focused on socialism, housing, and Israel arms embargo
- KUOW and King 5 News — Coverage of the August 4, 2026 Washington primary election and district races
