WA-3 Congressional District: Herrera Beutler Vs. Long

VANCOUVER, WA — Heading into Tuesday's general election, residents of Washington's 3rd Congressional District await the results of the race between republican incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler and democratic newcomer Carolyn Long, a law and public policy professor with tenure at Washington State University in Vancouver.

A U.S. Representative of Washington since 2011, Herrera Beutler this election campaigned as a champion for small businesses, an advocate for preserving the Columbia River's endangered fish, and as a staunch supporter of repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Conversely, Long presented herself as a politician who would fight to repair the Affordable Care Act and preserve Medicare and Social Security programs. Campaigning under the slogan, "People Over Politics," Long chooses to focus on the communities she hopes to represent rather than special interest groups with their own agendas.

The pair are battling over the state's 3rd Congressional District, which comprises Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis, Pacific, Skamania, Wahkiakum, and a small portion of Thurston counties — an area in which Herrera Beutler has soundly defeated her democratic opponents for the past four elections.

While political forecast reports indicate Herrera Beutler may very well take this election as well, voter polls appear to show the result might not be so guaranteed; while one shows Herrera Beutler a few points ahead of Long, another shows the opposite.

Election results will begin posting at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Check back here for updated vote tallies.

Images via HerreraBeutler.house.gov, ElectLong.com