Electoral Circumstances

Last Election

In her most recent election, Jayapal defeated Craig Keller who has been on the general election ballot multiple times in the past decade. It was a landslide victory, with 83.6% of the vote - 329,000 votes. Her fiercest opponent during the primaries has been Washington State House member Brady Walkinshaw, who has taken just over 20% of the vote during his most successful run. There is doubt Walkinshaw will run in the next election given he has just been named CEO of Grist, an online environmental magazine. 

Primary Election Outlook

Pramila Jayapal has outperformed herself in each Washington Primary since 2014. From a 42% win in 2014 to 56% in 2016, Jayapal seems to be well positioned for nomination. Unlike many other states, Washington's primaries have Democrats and Republicans side by side on the same ballot. The runner up from each primary has always been from the left alongside Jayapal, and it should be expected multiple Democrats will challenge her again for her seat in 2020.

General Election Outlook

For the 7th District, a Democrat in the seat is nearly a sure thing. Jayapal consistently receives upwards of 80% of the vote in the general elections, and it was no different for her predecessor. Her win stems almost entirely from Seattle, with surrounding rural areas often leaning to the Republican candidate. With such a large urban base to offset any challengers, Jayapal's attention is still largely in DC. 

Campaign Finance Status

For her initial House run in 2016, Jayapal raised just over a million more dollars than the average raised by house members, largely due to an endorsement received by Bernie Sanders. In 2017 her fundraising looked a bit different, with only 20% from small individual contributions, 64% large individual contributions, 15% PAC contributions, and no self-funding. Her top contributors are Microsoft Corp at $28,000, the University of Washington with $27,000, and the National Education Association at $11,000.

Major Issues

Jayapal's most recent legislative move was over gun control, an issue of high concern to Seattle residents. An immigrant herself, Pramila Jayapal often campaigns on pushing for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. She initially separated herself from other Washington State democrats through issues regarding campaign finance, Racial Justice, and environmental impact - all of which are still at the forefront of American politics. These issues should provide Jayapal with enough election material for at least a few more cycles.