Democrat starts write-in campaign in Central WA Congressional race

Cherissa Boyd launched her campaign to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse and Jerrod Sessler in the general election. Among the eight primary candidates, Sessler, who challenged Newhouse from the right, got first place in the Aug. 6 primary with 33% of the vote. Newhouse came in second with 23%, passing Republican Tiffany Smiley.  

Democrats Mary Baechler and “Birdie” Jane Muchlinski placed fourth and fifth with 14% and 6.2% of the vote.  

“I’m just trying to give people an option,” Boyd said.  

Richard Reuther, Boyd’s campaign manager, said Boyd was asked earlier in the year to run, but that she wasn’t able to due to recovering from back surgery. They ultimately chose the write-in route when no Democratic candidate advanced to the general election.  

Reuther believes Boyd has a path to win if the Republican vote splits between Sessler and Newhouse. The past three Democratic candidates have received anywhere from 31% to 37% in the general election.  

If Boyd pulls independent and Republican voters concerned about reproductive rights, there’s a shot to get the votes needed to win, Reuther said. “This year was the golden opportunity to do just that.”  

Earlier this month, Sessler declined to participate in two Congressional debates that excluded Boyd, saying he supported her inclusion in the events.   

KNDU Nonstop Local said it has cancelled its debate, which had been scheduled for Friday. Meanwhile, KIMA said it will proceed with its event on Oct. 28 either as a debate between Sessler and Newhouse or as a candidate forum with Newhouse if Sessler doesn’t participate.  

Boyd said that while she would have liked the opportunity to participate in the debate, she felt Sessler’s campaign had used her to draw votes away from Newhouse. That said, she’s happy that her name is getting out there.  

“Every time he gets on TV and he talks about Cherissa, there’s potentially hundreds more people hearing her name for the first time,” said Reuther.  

Boyd has worked various jobs, including as a caretaker and owner of a cleaning firm. She has not listed any previous campaign or public office experience on her website or social media platforms. However, Boyd said she worked on campaigns for Doug White and Doug McKinley, former Democratic candidates in the 4th Congressional District.  

According to her website, her top issues are women’s rights, including abortion; better access to mental health services; ensuring equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community and promoting opportunity and inclusivity for immigrants.  

Write-in candidates do not appear on any materials for the general election, including the ballot and the voters’ pamphlet. Boyd filed a declaration with the Secretary of State’s office to have her votes tallied. The Write-in candidate’s votes tally is only listed if there are more votes for the write-in candidate than for the top candidate on the ballot.

Boyd is listed as a candidate on the Federal Election Commission website, but there is no information on her fundraising efforts, as the latest data covers fundraising only up to July 17 this year.