For the first time in 20 years a Democrat, Mark Mullet, won the Fifth District senatorial primary.

The results from Tuesday’s election have shown how competitive the race is for the state, where Democrats are fighting to keep control of the senate.

The state is in political flux this year, Mullet said. “I don’t think anyone thought the Democrats could win.”

Brad Toft, who was 6 percentage points behind Mullet, wouldn’t comment on the primary results Wednesday, saying he believed when all the votes were tallied, they’d show he was even more competitive.

Before the primary, the Senate Republicans sent out fliers framing Mullet as an irresponsible Wall Street currency trader. In return, Democrats mailed fliers highlighting Toft’s unsavory court dealings.

“I think from our side, we haven’t done anything but tell the truth,” Mullet said. “I’m sleeping very well at night.”

In Washington, primaries narrow down political races to two candidates. In races where there are only two filed, it gives a clear picture of how voters are leaning.

Independent Ryan Dean Burkett, who didn’t mount an active campaign, still managed to earn 5 percent of the vote in the Fifth District for the second representative position.

It’s a sign that voters are fed up with partisan politics, said Chad Magendanz, the Republican opponent who lead that race with 52 percent of the vote. Democrat David Spring brought in 43 percent.

Spring has made it through three primaries in for this position. His easy-to-remember name, which he changed from David Clark Beaton in 1996, has given him loads of familiarity with voters, said Magendanz, who is currently the Issaquah School District board president.

At one point Magendanz gave out Haagen Dasz ice cream bars, a brand that rhymes with his name, to anyone who could properly pronounce his last name.

On a federal level, incumbent Dave Reichert (R ) held strong in the Eighth Congressional District holding 48 percent of the votes, against five other candidates.

Karen Porterfield rose above the remaining candidates with 32 percent of the vote. The Democrat is running on her history of volunteerism and her work with low-income housing for seniors. She also works part time as an instructor at Seattle University, teaching public administration.

“If we want to see change happening in D.C., we have to change the people we’re sending, and this is where it starts,” she said.

The district was redrawn this year to be the first that jumped across the Cascade Mountain Range and into historically conservative cities. The move is expected to strengthen the district for Republicans this year.

Primary Results

The top two candidates will move on to the general election November 6, 2012.  The numbers are by percent of votes counted Aug. 8.

8th Congressional District

Dave Reichert (R) – 48

Karen Porterfield (D) – 32

5th Legislative District

Senator

Mark Mullet (D) – 53

Brad Toft (R) – 47

Representative, Pos. No. 2

Chad Magendanz (R) – 52

David Spring (D) – 43

45th Legislative District

Representative Pos. No. 1

Roger Goodman (D) – 49

Joel Hussey (R) – 44

Representative Pos. No. 2

Larry Springer (D) – 56

Jim Thatcher (R) – 44

41st Legislative District

Senator

Steve Litzow (R) – 58

Maureen Judge (D) – 42

Representative, Pos. No. 1

Marcie Maxwell (D) – 57

Tim Eaves (R) – 43