The results of Tuesday’s Washington primary have put state senator Pramila Jayapal is in the lead for the state’s 7th Congressional District seat.
Jayapal, who came to the U.S. from India when she was young, held 38 percent of the vote, advancing her to the general election in November. Her opponents Joe McDermott and Brady Walkinshaw held 21.5 percent and with 20.9 percent, respectively.
“What a great message the 7th Congressional District is going to send when we elect the first woman in the district, the first person of color in the Democratic delegation, and the first South Asian American woman in Congress,” she told a crowd of supporters at Hale’s Palladium in Ballard.
Jayapal is famous for her work with pro-immigration advocacy group OneAmerica, which she founded. There, she oversaw work on immigration reform, minimum wage and civic engagement in Washington state. In 2012, the White House recognized her as a “Champion of Change” for her work with the immigrant community.
She is one of the first congressional candidates to earn an endorsement from Bernie Sanders this year. In a statement, Jayapal’s campaign said she’s raised $1.5 million.
“We’re building a movement that can clearly stake out a positive vision for the future of America at a time when too many people feel cynical about change, and when too many people are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table,” Jayapal said.
With the race between McDermott and Walkinshaw so close it’s hard to say who Jayapal will face in November.
