The 8th sprawls from bedroom communities near Seattle like Sammamish, across the Cascade mountains to Chelan, and through Ellensburg where farms and ranches still dot the landscape.
Political consultant Ben Anderstone said with polls showing a Republican surge this year, incumbent Democrat Kim Schrier may be in trouble.
“This district is basically tailor-made to be tough to hold onto during a swing year, and with the polling we’re seeing right now, it’s going to be a challenge for Schrier,” he said.
The eastern portion of Schrier’s district, over the Cascades, always tends to vote Republican. But even on the west side of the mountains, there are pockets of strong support for Republican candidates and ideas.
Outside the public library in Bonney Lake, which is 20 minutes east of Tacoma, conservative voter Melissa Girges stops to chat. She believes Trump's false assertions about the 2020 election.