Inslee claims win in race

OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee declared victory in the general election Tuesday night over Republican challenger Loren Culp.

“I cannot express the honor I feel to be elected to a third term as governor,” Inslee said, celebrating victory when even more than a million ballots have yet to be counted statewide. “The people of Washington have given my administration a unique place in history, and I will work hard for you every day, just as I have for the past eight years.”

As of press time, Inslee received 1,958,787 votes, or 59.37% of the initial statewide tally. Culp, the police chief of Republic, had received 1,330,647 votes, or 40.33%.

The election night totals show Whitman as the only county in Eastern Washington to gravitate toward Inslee. In Whitman County, Inslee was leading Culp 7,608 votes to 7,002.

While Gov. Inslee has a very comfortable margin, more than 1.5 million ballots have yet to be counted statewide.