Manka Dhingra Has 'Decisive Victory' In 45th District Race

REDMOND, WA - In the expensive and nationally-watched race to determine control of the Washington state Senate, Democrat Manka Dhingra looked poised to win by a large margin after the first round of ballots dropped Tuesday night.

As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dhingra was leading Republican Jinyoung Lee Englund by more than 10 points, 55.42 percent to 44.58 percent. That's roughly the same margin Dhingra won by in the August primary.

The race for the 45th District state Senate seat has drawn close to $9 million in contributions and outside spending, a record for the state. Englund spent slightly more than Dhingra, but groups supporting the Democrat were declaring near-victory Tuesday night.

"Manka Dhingra’s victory tonight is a tremendous win for Eastside voters, the entire state of Washington, and progressive voters all across the country who understand the stakes of state elections like this one," Democracy for America chair Jim Dean said in a release.

"Tonight in Redmond, Democrats won a key legislative victory that will result in real, meaningful change for people across the Evergreen state.

"Manka Dhingra is a breath of fresh air with a proven track record of standing up for domestic violence victims and marginalized communities. She will be a true progressive voice who will stand up for all Washingtonians when she arrives in Olympia," read a release from Progressive Turnout Project.

Gov. Jay Inslee weighed in on the race Tuesday calling it a "decisive victory."

Photo: In this Aug. 22, 2017 file photo, Democrat Manka Dhingra, a candidate for Washington state's 45th District Senate seat, talks with volunteers at her campaign headquarters in Redmond, Wash. Voters from the suburbs east of Seattle who vote by mail and on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, will decide whether the Washington state Senate will remain the only Republican-led legislative chamber on the West Coast as Dhingra faces Republican challenger Jinyoung Lee Englund to see who will serve the last year of a four-year term left vacant by last year's death of Republican Sen. Andy Hill. The winner will need to run again in 2018.

Image via Elaine Thompson/Associated Press