House Incumbents Who Voted to Impeach Trump Face Tough Primary in Washington State

Two of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump last year are seeking to stay in Congress, when they face off against Trump-endorsed challengers in the Washington state primaries on Aug. 2.

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) is set to face eight challengers, including the Trump-endorsed Joe Kent, to represent Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. The state’s top-two primary system means that the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation.

In Washington’s 4th Congressional District, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) will face off against six Republican challengers and one Democrat. Among the challengers is Trump-endorsed Loren Culp, who lost to incumbent Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in the 2020 gubernatorial race.

Loren Culp, who was then a gubernatorial candidate, waves to the crowd during a rally supporting then-President Donald Trump in Bellevue, Wash., on Oct. 10, 2020. (Karen Ducey/Getty Images)

While Herrera Beutler and Newhouse are still fighting to remain in Congress, four other House Republicans who joined the Democratic effort to impeach Trump have opted to retire: Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), John Katko (R-N.Y.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), and Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio).

For the remaining four, Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) lost his bid in June; Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) has won to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District; Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) will be in a primary vote on Aug. 2; and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) will go through a primary on Aug. 16.

Herrera Beutler

A poll (pdf) in early July conducted by the Trafalgar Group found Herrera Beutler in the lead with 30.2 percent support, followed by Kent at 23 percent, and another GOP candidate, Heidi St. John, in third with 13.3 percent. Of the respondents, 8.2 percent said they were undecided.

Trump held a telephone rally for Kent on