Newhouse holds onto seat after defeating Trump-backed challenger

Republican Congressman Dan Newhouse has secured a sixth term representing central Washington, fending off Trump-backed challenger Jerrod Sessler.

Newhouse has been leading since Election Day and declared victory in the race on Monday. The Associated Press called the 4th Congressional District race for Newhouse on Tuesday afternoon. As of Tuesday, Newhouse had 52.1% of the vote while Sessler had 46.2%.

"The results from this election show the people want a results-driven leader who understands the unique challenges facing Central Washington," Newhouse said in his statement on Monday. "I'm committed to protecting the Lower Snake River dams, keeping the government's promise to clean up the Hanford Site, and standing up to Communist China."

This is Newhouse's second victory since he voted to impeach former president, and now President-elect, Donald Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Newhouse and U.S. Rep. David Valadao, of California, are the only two of 10 GOP House lawmakers who voted to impeach Trump who are still serving in Congress. The others retired or were defeated in 2022. Valadao is leading a Democratic opponent in his reelection bid this year.

Newhouse, 69, of Sunnyside, was first elected to Congress in 2014. Before that, he served in the Washington House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009. Then, for four years, he was director of the state Department of Agriculture under then-Gov. Christine Gregoire, a Democrat. Newhouse's family operates an 850-acre farm. 

During his time in Congress, Newhouse has opposed calls to remove hydropower dams on the Snake River. He's served on a select committee focused on national security concerns related to China. And he's worked on immigration reforms related to agricultural labor.

Sessler, 55, of Prosser, is a Navy veteran and businessman who founded a company called HomeTask, a website that connects customers to local handymen and other home service providers. He garnered Trump's endorsement early on in the race. 

In a text to the Standard on Wednesday, Sessler did not directly answer whether he would concede the race but said he was "undeterred by the result. "God has called me to this. Because of characters like Dan Newhouse, a vacuum for great leadership will continue to exist in the government long into the future." He added that thousands of voters who are "deeply concerned about Washington state" will continue to support him.

He was one of two Trump-endorsed Republicans in Washington who tried unsuccessfully to unseat incumbent U.S. House members in this year's general election. The other was Joe Kent in the 3rd Congressional District. Kent lost to Democratic U.S. Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.

The 4th District covers central Washington, stretching from the Canadian border to the Oregon state line. It includes the agriculture-heavy Yakima Valley, the Yakama Indian Reservation, and the Tri-Cities.

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