Rep. Kim Schrier to face off against Republican Matt Larkin in November; Dunn concedes primary race

On Thursday, five-term King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn conceded the primary in the race for Washington’s 8th Congressional District, leaving incumbent U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, who holds a sizable lead in early results for the August primary as of Thursday evening, to face off against former state attorney general candidate Matt Larkin. Larkin is trailing Schrier in the polls, with former Army Ranger Jesse Jensen sitting in third.

Rep. Kim Schrier to face off against Republican Matt Larkin in November; Dunn concedes primary race

“I just called Matt Larkin to congratulate him on his primary victory,” Dunn said in a statement Thursday. “Matt ran an honorable and positive campaign, and I am proud to endorse him in this November’s election. Matt will make a wonderful Congressman and I encourage all of my supporters to support him as well. I am proud of the campaign we ran, and I look forward to continuing to serve this area on the King County Council.”

Currently represented by Democrat Kim Schrier, Washington’s 8th Congressional District includes portions of King and Pierce counties, crossing the Cascade mountains, including Chelan and Kittitas counties.

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After the retirement of Republican Dave Reichert, Schrier was first elected in 2018 by defeating Republican Dino Rossi. She was then re-elected in 2020 after facing off against Jensen.

Big campaign themes from all four of the leading candidates are crime, gas prices, and inflation.

“The number one, two, and three issues are the economy, the economy, the economy,” Jensen told KIRO 7′s Graham Johnson.

Larkin, a businessman and former prosecutor who ran in 2020 for state attorney general, asserts that Seattle’s issues are beginning to move beyond the city’s borders.

“I woke up one day and didn’t recognize my state,” Larkin said. “I see crime going up everywhere. It used to be a Seattle problem, it’s creeping out right now.”

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn makes a similar case.

“We have to get serious about addressing the crime problem. The defund, disarm, and disparage movement has failed,” said Dunn, who is also vying for the seat once held by his mother, the late Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn.

“I’m running on a civility platform. I think modern American political discourse has gotten nasty, increasingly tribalism. I think we need to elect leaders who bridge that divide,” he added.

Congresswoman Schrier said she’s already bridging the divide, cracking down on oil company profits, calling for a federal gas tax holiday, and addressing crime.

“We absolutely should not defund the police, I have never wanted to defund the police. It is absolutely foolish and what we should be doing, especially at a time of rising crime, is fully funding the police,” Schrier said.

More results for the primary election are expected to arrive each evening over the rest of the week.