2020 Washington gubernatorial election
The 2020 Washington gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2020, to elect the governor of Washington, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The top-two primary is scheduled for August 4.
Washington does not have gubernatorial term limits; incumbent Democratic Governor Jay Inslee is eligible to run for a third term. Inslee initially launched a campaign for President of the United States in the 2020 election. When he dropped out of that race in August 2019, he announced he would seek a third term. Several other Democratic political figures considered entering the race if Inslee did not run, including Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, but no Democrats have challenged him. Jay Inslee is the first governor to seek a third term since 1972.
Background
Washington has not had a Republican governor since John Spellman left office in 1985, the longest streak of Democratic-party leadership of any state in the country and the third longest streak of one-party leadership after South Dakota, which has not had a Democratic governor since Harvey L. Wollman left office in 1979, and Utah, which has not had a Democratic governor since Scott M. Matheson left office nine days prior to Spellman in 1985. Incumbent Governor Jay Inslee, who previously served in the U.S. House, was first elected to the governorship in the 2012 election and won reelection in 2016.When Inslee announced his candidacy for President, several political figures expressed interest in running for Governor if Inslee won the Democratic primaries. These included Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz and King County executive Dow Constantine. They stated they would only run if Inslee was not, avoiding a primary challenge. So far, Jay Inslee is the sole major Democratic candidate.
Several Republican politicians have announced their own campaigns to challenge Inslee, including businessman Anton Sakharov, Republic police chief Loren Culp, and state senator Phil Fortunato.
Democratic candidates
Declared
- Jay Inslee, incumbent Governor of Washington and former candidate for President of the United States in 2020
Declined
- Dow Constantine, King County executive
- Bob Ferguson, Washington Attorney General
- Hilary Franz, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands
Republican candidates
Declared
- Loren Culp, police chief of the city of Republic, Washington, and U.S. Army veteran
- Tim Eyman, activist, initiative promoter
- Phil Fortunato, state senator
- Joshua Freed, former mayor of Bothell
- Raul Garcia, emergency physician
- Nate Herzog, former Lake Forest Park city councilman
Declined
- Bill Bryant, former Seattle Port Commissioner and nominee for Governor of Washington in 2016
- Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County executive
- Doug Ericksen, state senator
- Drew C. MacEwen, state representative
- Dori Monson, radio personality
- Dave Reichert, former U.S. Representative for Washington's 8th congressional district
- Drew Stokesbary, state representative
- J.T. Wilcox, minority leader of the Washington House of Representatives
Other candidates
Green Party
Declared
- Liz Hallock, attorney
Independents
Declared
- Cregan Newhouse, City of Seattle Consumer Protection Division acting manager and former public television director
Withdrew
- Asa Palagi, Army officer and businessman
Primary election
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Tim Eyman | Loren Culp | Phil Fortunato | Joshua Freed | Anton Sakharov | Raul Garcia | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 513 | ± 5.4% | 55% | 8% | 9% | 3% | 6% | – | 4% | 16% | |
| July 11–15, 2020 | 402 | ± 5.0% | 46% | 4% | 14% | 2% | 5% | – | 6% | 24% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 650 | ± 5.6% | 50% | 8% | 4% | 6% | 6% | 1% | 2% | 23% | |
| January 26–28, 2020 | 1,103 | ± 3.9% | 39% | 11% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 3% | – | 34% | |
| December 26–29, 2019 | 405 | ± 5% | 46% | 7% | 4% | 4% | 5% | – | – | 34% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Tim Eyman | Loren Culp | Phil Fortunato | Joshua Freed | Anton Sakharov | Raul Garcia | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 257 | – | 86% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% | – | 1% | 7% | |
| July 11–15, 2020 | 162 | – | 92% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 1% | – | 0% | 6% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 217 | – | 84% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 0% | – | 1% | 12% | |
| January 26–28, 2020 | 452 | – | 73% | 4% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | – | 22% | |
| December 26–29, 2019 | 168 | – | 87% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | – | – | 12% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Tim Eyman | Loren Culp | Phil Fortunato | Joshua Freed | Anton Sakharov | Raul Garcia | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 144 | – | 5% | 20% | 24% | 7% | 12% | – | 10% | 23% | |
| July 11–15, 2020 | 116 | – | 3% | 10% | 29% | 5% | 14% | - | 10% | 32% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 150 | – | 7% | 18% | 9% | 6% | 17% | 4% | 6% | 34% | |
| January 26–28, 2020 | 287 | – | 4% | 11% | 13% | 11% | 11% | 6% | – | 44% | |
| December 26–29, 2019 | 99 | – | 0% | 10% | 12% | 10% | 15% | - | - | 53% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Tim Eyman | Loren Culp | Phil Fortunato | Joshua Freed | Anton Sakharov | Raul Garcia | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 103 | – | 48% | 6% | 10% | 8% | 2% | – | 4% | 23% | |
| July 11–15, 2020 | 124 | – | 25% | 5% | 18% | 2% | 2% | – | 6% | 44% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 134 | – | 43% | 7% | 4% | 13% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 29% | |
| January 26–28, 2020 | 298 | – | 27% | 22% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 2% | – | 37% | |
| December 26–29, 2019 | 138 | – | 28% | 12% | 3% | 4% | 4% | – | – | 48% |
;with Bryant, Constantine, Ferguson and Franz
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Bill Bryant | Bob Ferguson | Dow Constantine | Hillary Franz | Other / Undecided |
| March 8-10, 2019 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 46% | 25% | 6% | 1% | 21% |
Results
General election
Predictions
Polling
;with Jay Inslee and Loren Culp| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Loren Culp | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 534 | ± 5.2% | 61% | 32% | 7% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 530 | ± 5.4% | 56% | 31% | 13% |
;with Jay Inslee and Tim Eyman
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Tim Eyman | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 534 | ± 5.2% | 62% | 31% | 7% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 530 | ± 5.4% | 60% | 31% | 9% |
;with Jay Inslee and Phil Fortunato
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Phil Fortunato | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 534 | ± 5.2% | 61% | 32% | 8% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 530 | ± 5.4% | 56% | 34% | 10% |
;with Jay Inslee and Joshua Freed
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Joshua Freed | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 534 | ± 5.2% | 60% | 31% | 9% | |
| May 16–19, 2020 | 530 | ± 5.4% | 57% | 30% | 13% |
;with Jay Inslee and Raul Garcia
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Jay Inslee | Raul Garcia | Other / Undecided |
| July 22–27, 2020 | 534 | ± 5.2% | 60% | 32% | 8% |