Island primary voters largely supported President Joe Biden but split on former President Donald Trump in Washington’s presidential primary this March, according to voting precinct-level election data from the Secretary of State and King County.
The results reflected the Democrat lean of Vashon and the region as a whole. About 54% of primary voters across the state were Democrats; in King County, that number was 73%, and on the island, it was 85%.
Kevin Jones, founder and a leadership team member of Indivisible Vashon, pointed to the evolution of the state legislature: Republicans last controlled the state’s Senate in 2017. Since then, Democrats have consolidated control over the Senate, House and Governor’s office, and the pull toward progressive values is even stronger on Vashon, Jones said.
Both he “and a strong majority of Vashon-Maury Islanders” have a strong affinity for Biden administration, Jones said.
The primary numbers also offer insight into how Washington, King County, and Vashon-Maury Island Republicans and Democrats felt about the upcoming rematch between Biden and Trump.
Take the Republicans. Trump earned 76% of Republican’s support statewide. But only 65% of King County chose him, and on Vashon, that support was just 51%.
Meanwhile, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley took just 19% statewide, but jumped up to 29% in King County and 43% on the island.
Altogether, 324 island Republicans voted for Trump. A total of 272 pitched in for Haley, and other candidates totaled just 34 votes.
In seven island precincts, Haley matched or outperformed Trump — she found her greatest margin of support in Burton, and her least in Chautauqua.
Trailing were Republicans Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie and Ron DeSantis, who each dropped out in January; and Republican write-ins. They all took a total of about 5% of Republican voters’ support statewide, 6% in King County and 5.5% on the island.
For the Democrats, incumbent President Joe Biden had long been the presumptive nominee.
But a protest vote against the President emerged across the country as community organizations urged voters to vote for “uncommitted delegates,” in a call for the Biden administration to more forcefully demand a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas and invasion into Gaza.
Altogether, 3042 island Democrats voted for Biden. Uncommitted delegates earned 396 votes, and other candidates totaled 170.
Biden’s support was fairly consistent, though he flagged slightly in King County overall. 84% of Democrats picked him statewide; 81% in King County; and 84% on Vashon.
“Uncommitted delegates” earned about 14% of the Democrat vote in King County, 11% on the island, and 10% statewide. That was enough to send two uncommitted delegates from the Seattle area to the Democratic National Convention this year.
The remainder of the vote was scooped up by Marianne Williamson or Dean Phillips, who dropped out in February and early March respectively, or a write-in candidate.
For Graham Murphy, a West Seattle resident and chair of the 34th District Democrats, Trump’s relatively weaker performance among his own party compared to Biden signals vulnerability for him in the general election.
(The 34th Legislative District includes Vashon-Maury Island, West Seattle, White Center and west Burien.)
“I think there’s been an inordinate amount of press about Biden’s vulnerabilities with the electorate, but I don’t think it’s been as well reported that Trump is even weaker with the voters declaring themselves Republican and coming out to vote,” Murphy said.
Locally, he said the results signal that “there are probably more moderate voters in our area … as opposed to die-hard, MAGA (voters),” especially given Haley dropped out March 6 — nearly a week before primary election day on March 12.
Eric Kirkbride, a West Seattle resident and vice-chair of 34th District Republicans, said he believes those Haley voters will mostly coalesce around Trump come election day. (Kirkbride said he’s also running for mayor of the City of Seattle.)
“The simple fact of the matter is, there are Republicans who don’t like Donald Trump,” Kirkbride said. “I’m assuming those voters will … back Mr. Trump later on.”
Kirkbride himself preferred Trump over Haley. But at the end of the day, he said, most voters want the same kinds of things from their politicians, such as clean drinking water, a fair tax code, and a healthy police force to handle public safety.
“I think that’s just what it boils down to on the presidential race — (and) the Republicans here, we think that maybe Trump, or Haley … would fix those issues nationwide,” he said.
You can see the county’s precinct-level data for yourself here, or comb through The Beachcomber’s math by going here.
