The 2010 United States Senate election in Washington was held on November 2, 2010, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Patty Murray won re-election to a fourth term by a margin of 52.4% to 47.6% over Republican Dino Rossi, who had run for governor in 2004 and 2008. This was the last U.S. Senate election in Washington where the margin of victory was single digits.

Primary election Candidates Democrats Patty Murray, incumbent U.S. Senator Charles Allen Bob Burr

Republicans Dino Rossi, former State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Paul Akers, salesman William Chovil Clint Didier, former NFL football player Norma Gruber Michael Latimer

Others Will Baker (Reform Party) Schalk Leonard Skip Mercer, professor Mohammad Said (Centrist Party)

Polling Poll source Dates administered Patty Murray (D) Dino Rossi (R) Clint Didier (R) Paul Akers (R) UndecidedElway ResearchElway Research April 29 – May 2, 2010 48% –– 4% 8% 36%Elway ResearchElway Research June 13, 2010 43% 31% 5% 2% 17%Survey USASurvey USA June 30, 2010 37% 33% 5% 3% 19%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling July 27 – August 1, 2010 47% 33% 10% 4% 6%Survey USASurvey USA August 6–9, 2010 41% 33% 11% 5% 4%

Results

General election Candidates The top 2 candidates from the blanket primary advanced to the general election.

Patty Murray (D), incumbent U.S. Senator Dino Rossi (R), former State Senator and gubernatorial candidate

Campaign Rossi heavily criticized Murray for her support of the 2009 economic stimulus package; however, Rossi's economic promises are nearly identical to those of President Bush who asked for the stimulus. Rossi supports repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. He also criticized Murray for her support for earmarks. In response, Murray said, "You bet that seniority and leadership has a big thing to do with it, but the other part of it is, I get up every day and I work hard and I believe in this and I am going to continue fighting for the community I represent."

The National Rifle Association spent $414,100 supporting Rossi and opposing Murray in the 2010 senatorial contest.

Debates Rossi offered six debates, five of which would be in-state and one nationally. Murray agreed to two debates, and only two debates were held.

Seattle on KOMO-TV. Spokane on KSPS-TV and KXLY-TV.

Fundraising Candidate (party) Receipts Disbursements Cash on hand Debt Patty Murray (D) $10,951,403 $12,438,133 $1,032,034 $0 Dino Rossi (R) $7,365,098 $4,331,414 $2,960,039 $0 Source: Federal Election Commission

Predictions Source Ranking As of Cook Political Report October 26, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 RealClearPolitics October 26, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 21, 2010 CQ Politics October 26, 2010

Endorsements

Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated PattyMurray (D) DinoRossi (R) Other/UndecidedMarginReal Clear PoliticsReal Clear PoliticsOctober 24–31, 2010October 31, 201048.3%48.0%3.7%Murray +0.3% Poll source Date(s) administered PattyMurray (D) DinoRossi (R) Other UndecidedMoore InformationMoore Information January 23–24, 2010 500 ± 4.4% 43% 45% –– ––Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports February 11, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 46% 48% 1% 5%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports March 9, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 46% 49% 3% 2%Research 2000Research 2000 March 22–24, 2010 600 ± 4.0% 52% 41% –– 7%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports April 6, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 48% 46% 3% 4%Survey USASurvey USA April 22, 2010 517 ± 4.4% 42% 52% –– 7%The Washington PollThe Washington Poll May 3–23, 2010 626 ± 3.9% 44% 40% –– 16%Rasmussen Reports May 4, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 48% 46% 2% 3%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports May 25, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 48% 47% 2% 4%The Washington PollThe Washington Poll May 24–28, 2010 221 ± 6.6% 39% 42% 5% 13%The Washington Poll May 28 – June 7, 2010 848 ± 3.3% 42% 40% –– 12%Elway Research June 13, 2010 405 ± 5.0% 47% 40% –– 13%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports June 22, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 47% 47% 3% 3%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports July 14, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 45% 48% 3% 3%Rasmussen Reports July 30, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 49% 47% 2% 2%Public Policy Polling July 27 – August 1, 2010 1,204 ± 2.8% 49% 46% –– 5%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports August 18, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 48% 44% 4% 4%Survey USASurvey USA August 18, 2010 618 ± 4.0% 45% 52% –– ––Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports August 31, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 46% 48% 3% 3%Elway ResearchElway Research September 9–12, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 50% 41% 3% 7%CNN/TimeCNN/Time September 10–14, 2010 906 ± 3.5% 53% 44% 2% 1%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports September 16, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 51% 46% 1% 2%SurveyUSASurveyUSA September 22, 2010 609 ± 4.1% 50% 48% –– 3%Fox NewsFox News September 25, 2010 1,000 ± 3.0% 48% 47% 2% 3%Rasmussen Reports September 28, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 47% 48% 2% 3%Rasmussen Reports October 6, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 46% 49% 3% 2%Fox NewsFox News October 9, 2010 1,000 ± 3.0% 46% 47% 7% 0%ElwayElway October 7–11, 2010 450 ± 4.6% 55% 40% 0% 5%CNN/Opinion ResearchCNN/Opinion Research October 8–12, 2010 850 ± 3.5% 51% 43% 2% 0%The Washington PollThe Washington Poll October 4–14, 2010 500 ± 4.3% 50% 42% –– 8%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 11–14, 2010 606 ± 4.1% 50% 47% 0% 3%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 14–16, 2010 1,873 ± 2.3% 49% 47% –– 4%McClatchy/MaristMcClatchy/Marist October 14–17, 2010 589 ± 4.0% 48% 47% 1% 5%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports October 17, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 49% 46% 2% 3%Rasmussen Reports October 27, 2010 750 ± 4.0% 47% 48% 3% 2%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 24–27, 2010 678 ± 3.8% 47% 47% –– 6%The Washington PollThe Washington Poll October 18–28, 2010 500 ± 4.3% 51% 45% –– 4%Marist CollegeMarist College October 26–28, 2010 838 ± 3.5% 49% 48% 2% 1%Fox News/Pulse Opinion ResearchFox News/Pulse Opinion Research October 30, 2010 1,000 ± 3.0% 49% 47% 4% 0%YouGovYouGov October 25–30, 2010 850 ± 4.1% 50% 48% 0% 2%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 29–31, 2010 2,055 ± 2.2% 48% 50% 0% 2%

Results Murray defeated Rossi by about 119,000 votes. King County, the home of Seattle, likely gave Murray a victory.

By county

CountyPatty Murray DemocraticDino Rossi RepublicanMarginTotal%#%#%#Adams27.26%1,02872.74%2,743–45.48%–1,7153,771Asotin39.20%3,29260.80%5,105–21.59%–1,8138,397Benton35.67%22,30564.33%40,230–28.66%–17,92562,535Chelan36.75%10,08263.25%17,349–26.49%–7,26727,431Clallam47.05%15,63952.95%17,602–5.91%–1,96333,241Clark45.75%67,05254.25%79,499–8.49%–12,447146,551Columbia31.21%66568.79%1,466–37.59%–8012,131Cowlitz47.13%17,33152.87%19,443–5.74%–2,11236,774Douglas32.66%4,28767.34%8,838–34.67%–4,55113,125Ferry36.01%1,14463.99%2,033–27.98%–8893,177Franklin34.53%5,91265.47%11,209–30.94%–5,29717,121Garfield29.26%34070.74%822–41.48%–4821,162Grant28.97%6,88471.03%16,880–42.06%–9,99623,764Grays Harbor51.73%13,08648.27%12,2093.47%87725,295Island49.74%17,79450.26%17,980–0.52%–18635,774Jefferson62.99%10,91737.01%6,41325.99%4,50417,330King64.92%489,19035.08%264,36829.83%224,822753,558Kitsap51.23%52,95248.77%50,4142.46%2,538103,366Kittitas38.63%5,83861.37%9,276–22.75%–3,43815,114Klickitat42.89%3,71757.11%4,950–14.23%–1,2338,667Lewis33.71%10,35266.29%20,354–32.57%–10,00230,706Lincoln31.23%1,66668.77%3,668–37.53%–2,0025,334Mason48.97%12,06151.03%12,568–2.06%–50724,629Okanogan39.37%5,76660.63%8,881–21.27%–3,11514,647Pacific53.11%5,15646.89%4,5526.22%6049,708Pend Oreille37.56%2,16562.44%3,599–24.88%–1,4345,764Pierce49.79%132,92450.21%134,025–0.41%–1,101266,949San Juan65.24%5,99434.76%3,19430.47%2,8009,188Skagit48.55%23,22351.45%24,609–2.90%–1,38647,832Skamania46.72%2,11853.28%2,415–6.55%–2974,533Snohomish51.86%137,36548.14%127,5313.71%9,834264,896Spokane43.73%78,98456.27%101,628–12.54%–22,644180,612Stevens32.79%6,37967.21%13,076–34.42%–6,69719,455Thurston56.16%58,95043.84%46,01412.32%12,936104,964Wahkiakum45.14%91554.86%1,112–9.72%–1972,027Walla Walla38.84%8,18061.16%12,882–22.32%–4,70221,062Whatcom52.49%44,78347.51%40,5394.97%4,24485,322Whitman43.04%5,77656.96%7,644–13.92%–1,86813,420Yakima36.78%22,71863.22%39,044–26.43%–16,32661,762Total52.36%1,314,93047.64%1,196,1644.73%118,7662,511,094

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Clallam (largest city: Port Angeles) Cowlitz (Largest city: Longview) Island (largest city: Oak Harbor) Mason (largest city: Shelton) Pierce (largest city: Tacoma) Skagit (largest city: Mount Vernon) Skamania (Largest city: Carson) Wahkiakum (Largest city: Puget Island)

By congressional district Murray won five of nine congressional districts. District Murray Rossi Representative 56% 44%Jay Inslee 51% 49%Rick Larsen47%53%Brian BairdJaime Herrera Beutler 36% 64%Doc Hastings 41% 59%Cathy McMorris Rodgers 53% 47%Norm Dicks 81% 19%Jim McDermott 49% 51%Dave Reichert 53% 47%Adam Smith

Notes

References

External links Elections and Voting at the Washington Secretary of State U.S. Congress candidates for Washington at Project Vote Smart Campaign contributions from Open Secrets 2010 Washington Senate General Election: All Head-to-Head Matchups graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com Election 2010: Washington Senate from Rasmussen Reports 2010 Washington Senate Race from Real Clear Politics 2010 Washington Senate Race from CQ Politics Race profile from The New York Times Editorial board endorsement interview: Senate 2010 from The Seattle Times

Official campaign websites (Archived) Patty Murray for U.S. Senate incumbent Dino Rossi for U.S. Senate