Republican tide ebbs in Issaquah-area races

Observers said the national GOP tide fizzled in the Evergreen State due to the nature of the local electorate.

“But the Tea Party angst that added on to that elsewhere was nowhere as near pronounced in Washington,” Western Washington University political science professor Todd Donovan said. “It sort of makes sense to see Dems lose seats in Kirkland, Bellevue, Bothell — those are swing areas. But the weak national wave maybe spared some Dem incumbents in other areas.”