East Wenatchee Man Enters 4th Congressional Race

An East Wenatchee man is running for Congress.

READ MORE: Dan Newhouse Will Not Seek Re-Election

Devin Poore filed to run for Washington's 4th Congressional District on Jan. 2. He joins a field that is hoping to replace longtime incumbent Dan Newhouse. In December, 2025, Newhouse announced he will not seek re-election.

Who is Devin Poore?

Poore (pronounced poor-ay) is running as an independent in a district that has long leaned Republican, and where most challengers to Newhouse in recent cycles have come from within the GOP. His entry adds a left-leaning, non-party candidate to a race expected to draw a crowded field.

Raised in Curlew in Ferry County, Poore is a software engineer by trade. He moved to East Wenatchee in 2024 with his wife, Emma, where they have two dogs - a German Shepherd-Husky mix named Moro, and a lab-mix named Chocco. He went to college at the University of Washington. He said that experience gave him a big culture shock.

"A place like Seattle has very little in common in how it operates as a community compared to a place like Ferry County," Poore said. "It was weird to me running to the store in Seattle because you're just keeping your head down trying to get what you need and head home. [In Curlew], you couldn't leave the house without running into people you know and stop on the sidewalk and have a 10-minute conversation with them and that could happen two or three more times."

Why Poore is Running

Poore said his decision to enter the race was largely motivated by concerns about campaign financing and the role of money in federal elections. He said he believes large donors and political action committees wield disproportionate influence over lawmakers.

"The system does not represent the people as much as it represents the people who cut the checks to the politicians," Poore said. "People have that inherent view, and yet it is not talked about that often."

Challenges for an Independent in the 4th District

As an independent candidate, Poore faces an uphill path in a district that has consistently elected Republicans. Jay Inslee was the last Democrat elected to the District in 1992, and lost re-election in 1994. Washington has a "Top 2" Primary - meaning the top two vote-getters in the primary advance to the General Election, regardless of party affiliation.

The race includes Republicans Jarrod Sessler, Wesley Meier, and Adam McKinney. Democrat John Duresky is also in the race.

Election Timeline and Key Dates

The deadline to file for federal offices is May 8. Primary Day is Aug. 4, with the General election taking place on Nov. 3. You can find out more about Poore's campaign on his official campaign website.