Krishnadasan Leads 26th District Senate Race
Early returns show Democrat Deb Krishnadasan ahead of Republican Gary Parker in the Washington state Senate contest.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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Deb Krishnadasan holds an early lead over Gary Parker in the 26th Legislative District state Senate race, with 58.65% of the vote (15,465 votes) to Parker's 41.25% (10,877 votes) as of Tuesday night. Adison Richards and Renee Hernandez Greenfield also lead their House races in the district.
Why it matters
The race determines who holds the seat Krishnadasan was appointed to in December 2024 after Emily Randall left for the U.S. House. All three state Legislature seats in the district are on the ballot, so the results will shape the district's representation in Olympia.
Krishnadasan led Parker by roughly 17 percentage points Tuesday night, with 15,465 votes to 10,877. The figures are early, unofficial counts, and Pierce and Kitsap counties will release updated totals starting the afternoon after Tuesday.
The players
Deb Krishnadasan
A Democrat appointed to the 26th District Senate seat in December 2024, she previously served on the Peninsula School District board, including as its president from 2018 to 2020.
Gary Parker
Parker is the Republican challenger in the 26th Legislative District Senate race.
The details
Pierce County and Kitsap County officials are counting ballots and will publish updated numbers regularly as more are processed. The 26th Legislative District spans the Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, Port Orchard and Bremerton areas.
Timeline
December 2024: Krishnadasan appointed to the 26th District Senate seat.
February: Michelle Valdez announced she would not seek re-election.
Tuesday night: Early returns released.
Nov. 24, 10 a.m.: Election certification.
Political Context
This race is the electoral follow-through on the vacancy created when Emily Randall won a seat in the U.S. House, which led to Krishnadasan's December 2024 appointment. The outcome will decide whether the appointed incumbent keeps the seat for a full term.
Washington residents in the 26th District will get the representatives who vote on state budgets and laws for the next term. The final certified results will determine who holds each seat.
The takeaway
Early leads can shift as more ballots are counted, so check certified results before drawing conclusions about who will represent the 26th District.
What happens next
Pierce and Kitsap county officials will release updated counts starting the afternoon after Tuesday, and the election will be certified on Nov. 24 at 10 a.m.
Further reading
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