Senator Patty Murray wins sixth term after defeating challenger Tiffany Smiley
UPDATE: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tiffany Smiley conceded the race on Wednesday evening, saying in a statement: “This evening I reached out to Senator Murray and her campaign to congratulate her on her victory after a hard-fought race. I cannot thank my family, my team and the wonderful people of Washington state enough for their support over the past 18 months. This race was never about me — it was about the amazing people of this state and I will never stop fighting and advocating for them.”
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Patty Murray defeated Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley Tuesday night after the state’s first counts were totaled.
Murray was holding 57% of the overall vote as of the first tally of mail-in votes statewide, while Republican Tiffany Smiley trailed with 42.8%, according to the Secretary of State website.
“You guys we did it! We did it,” Murray said in her victory speech to a room full of supporters Tuesday. “You all sent a message using your voice and your votes to determine the direction of this country, and I’m so proud and so grateful for every single one of you.”
However, Smiley had not conceded after the Associated Press called the race Tuesday night. According to reporting from the Seattle Times, Smiley said she will not concede yet as there are still ballots that need to be counted.
Recent polls had shown the race tightening, and some pollsters had noted that this could have been the closest race for Murray since her 2010 win over Republican opponent Dino Rossi, who she defeated by a 5-point margin. Murray has held the U.S. Senate office since 1993.
The U.S. Senate race now ranks in the top 25 for highest spending in the U.S., according to reporting from KING 5. Murray spent about $21 million on her campaign, while Smiley spent about $15 million, according to the Federal Election Commission.
The two candidates do not see eye to eye on many policies, so voters had a clear choice.
Smiley has campaigned on issues such as reducing “wasteful spending,” crime, and permanently extending former President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. She also has been firmly against President Joe Biden’s debt relief for student loans.
Smiley was asked during her campaign to clarify her positions on some issues, such as whether she believed Biden was fairly elected, and if she believed climate change was caused by humans. When asked directly, she acknowledged Biden’s win and agreed that humans have impacted climate change, both statements in contradiction to her earlier statements.
Murray’s campaign, meanwhile, has focused on abortion rights, education and healthcare. Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June, the senator has campaigned heavily on support for federal protections for reproductive healthcare. Murray also has been fully supportive of Biden’s debt relief for student loan borrowers.
During the primary, Murray walked away with nearly 52% of the vote while Smiley garnered about 33% of the vote.
Ballots will continue to be counted until results are officially certified by each county on Nov. 29. They will be certified by the Secretary of State on Dec. 8.
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 8:56 PM with the headline "Senator Patty Murray wins sixth term after defeating challenger Tiffany Smiley."