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2026 Election: Top issues driving WA voters to the polls
From cost-of-living battles to contentious Congressional seats, ballots are out and Election Day is just eight days away. Joining us on Good Day Seattle is Patrick Schoettmer, political science professor at Seattle University, to talk about what's driving voters to get to the polls.
Washington’s 8th Congressional District stretches from the suburban neighborhoods of King and Pierce counties over the Cascade Mountains to the agricultural orchards of Eastern Washington. The district is both geographically and politically vast.
For the first 35 years following its creation in 1983, District 8 was the largest Republican stronghold in the Seattle area. It was held for decades by Republican representatives Rod Chandler, Jennifer Dunnand Dave Reichert.
The red streak ended in 2018 when Democrat Kim Schrier flipped it blue after defeating Republican Dino Rossi. Schrier, a former pediatrician who has served seven years in Congress, is now seeking reelection. Her Republican challenger is Spencer Meline, a Leavenworth small business owner, husband, and father who is making his first run for public office.
Candidates focus on economic pressures
Local perspective:
Rising daily expenses, including food, gas, energy, and insurance, sit at the center of the contest.
"I'm hearing a lot of pain right now, a lot of frustration with the administration and the unwillingness of Republicans who hold the majority right now to hold this administration accountable for everything they've done to hurt the people I represent," Schrier said in an interview with Fox 13. "Right now people are drowning. They're getting hit with higher and higher insurance premiums, if they can get insurance at all."
WA 8th Congressional District race: What to know about Kim Schrier vs Spencer Meline
Democratic incumbent Rep. Kim Schrier is seeking reelection in Washington's 8th Congressional District, facing Republican small-business owner Spencer Meline.
Meline, who declined requests for an on-camera interview, has kept much of his campaign out of the public eye. However, in a video posted to Facebook following his primary election performance, Meline outlined his vision for the district.
"This campaign has never been about winning an election, it's been about restoring the hope to the people of this district," Meline said. "It's been about believing we can make life more affordable for working families."
Meline’s campaign platform centers on restoring affordability by curbing federal spending, cutting regulations, boosting domestic fuel production, and preventing institutional investors from buying up single-family starter homes.
Policy priorities and technology integration
Why you should care:
While both candidates express support for law enforcement, budget relief, and public land protections, their core legislative focuses diverge.
Schrier, who lives with diabetes, focuses heavily on healthcare reforms, advocating for lower insulin costs and preserving access to affordable coverage. Serving on the House Subcommittee on Health, Energy, Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, she also advocates for balanced energy investments across hydro, wind, nuclear, and technological infrastructure.
"Data centers are going to have to be somewhere. And they're either here in the U.S. or they're in China, or Saudi Arabia, and I think they need to be here," Schrier said. "But here's the thing, they can't hurt us, they can't jack up our energy prices, they can't take our water resources for cooling."
Addressing artificial intelligence and tech innovation, Meline noted on his campaign site that AI represents a major generational shift. He stated that while government should not suppress innovation, federal safeguards are necessary to protect American workers, privacy, market competition, and national security.
What's next:
Voters across the district will cast their ballots through Election Day on November 3.
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