Oregon Public Broadcasting

Voters in southeast Washington appear to have rejected the last rural Democratic state lawmaker east of the Cascades. Anna King explains.

There are only a handful of democratic lawmakers in Eastern Washington. All but one call Spokane home.

Democrat Laura Grant ran in Washington's 16th District which includes Walla Walla and Pasco.

She campaigned to replace her late father, Bill Grant, who held the seat for 22 years. But the younger Grant couldn't overcome the challenge Tuesday from Republican Terry Nealey.

He won nearly 58 percent.

Voters appear to have been won over by Nealey's promise to bring more conservative fiscal values to Olympia.