The 1980 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Democratic governor Dixy Lee Ray ran for a second term, but lost in the primary to State Representative Jim McDermott. McDermott was defeated in the general election by Republican candidate John Spellman, the King County Executive. As of 2026, this is the last time a Republican was elected Governor of Washington, thus beginning the longest Democratic streak in any of the 50 state governorships once Spellman left office.
Primary election
Candidates
Democratic
- Robert L. Baldwin, Sr.
- Douglas P. Bestle
- Caroline "Hope" Diamond
- Lloyd G. Isley
- Jef Jaisun
- Jim McDermott, psychiatrist, state senator, and candidate for governor in 1972
- Dixy Lee Ray, incumbent governor of Washington
Republican
- Duane Berentson, Speaker of Washington House of Representatives
- Bruce Chapman, Secretary of State of Washington
- Patrick Sean McGowan
- Louise A. Saluteen
- John Spellman, King County Executive
- Rabbine Matthew Sutich
General election
Candidates
- Jim McDermott (D), psychiatrist, state senator, and candidate for governor in 1972
- John Spellman (R), King County Executive
Results
By county
John Spellman was the first Republican to carry Franklin County, Mason County, and Pierce County since Roland H. Hartley in 1928. Franklin County has voted Republican in every subsequent gubernatorial election. Spellman is the most recent Republican to have won King County and Thurston County. Snohomish County and Whatcom County have voted Republican only once since this election.
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Benton
- Clallam
- Clark
- Cowlitz
- Douglas
- Franklin
- Island
- King
- Kitsap
- Kittitas
- Klickitat
- Lewis
- Mason
- Okanogan
- Pend Oreille
- Pierce
- Skagit
- Snohomish
- Thurston
- Whatcom