U.S. House · Washington's 9th District

South Seattle, Renton, Kent, Auburn, and parts of Tacoma in the South Sound.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 18 claims re-checked against their sources · 2 corrected · 0 removed

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

  • Corrected Adam Smith's committee role: he is Ranking Member (not Chairman) of the House Armed Services Committee in the 119th Congress (2025-2026) — Republicans hold the chairmanship (Mike Rogers). Fixed currentRole and summary, and added armedservices.house.gov as an official source.
  • Corrected the record item describing the DoD Caribbean-operations investigation to say he acted 'As Ranking Member' rather than 'As Chairman'.

On the ballot · 2 candidates

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUED. Adam Smith
D
Douglas Michael Basler
R
Protect legal access to abortionSupports[3]—
Loosen zoning rules to build more housingSupports[3]—
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsSupports[3]—
Expand public health coverageSupports[3]—
Broad tariffs on imported goodsOpposes[3]—

The candidates, in full

D. Adam Smith

DINCUMBENTU.S. Representative (since 1997); Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee

D. Adam Smith is the Democratic incumbent for Washington's 9th Congressional District, an attorney and former Washington state senator who has represented the district since 1997 and serves as Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee in the 119th Congress (2025-2026).[2][4]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

On the record — official actions

  • billSponsored the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act to require corporate landlords to divest single-family homes.[3]
  • billSponsored the Promoting Affordable Housing Near Transit Act, cutting red tape for transit agencies to develop housing near light rail stations.[3]
  • actionAs Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, brokered a bipartisan and bicameral investigation into Department of Defense military operations in the Caribbean.[3][4]
  • billCosponsored multiple War Powers Resolutions directing the removal of U.S. armed forces from Venezuela.[3]
  • billCosponsored the VISIBLE Act, requiring immigration enforcement officers to display visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions.[3]

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsLoosen zoning rules to build more housing

    Has sponsored legislation to cut construction costs and red tape to build more affordable housing, and to allow transit agencies to develop housing near light rail stations.[3]

    “Adam wrote the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act, forcing corporate landlords to divest single-family homes and leveling the playing field for first-time buyers.”
  • SupportsExpand public health coverage

    Cosponsored legislation to block cuts to Medicaid and SNAP and supported protecting Washington's health-care model, including the State-Based Universal Health Care Act.[3]

    “He co-sponsored the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act to block GOP efforts to slash health care and food assistance for seniors, veterans, and working families.”
  • SupportsProtect legal access to abortion

    Cosponsored the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act opposing efforts to criminalize interstate travel for abortion.[3]

    “He is a co-sponsor of the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, pushing back on MAGA-backed attempts to criminalize interstate travel for abortion.”
  • SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporations

    Supports creating a minimum tax rate on large corporations and ending the practice of corporate stock buybacks.[3]

    “Adam is leading the fight by introducing bills that would... create a minimum tax rate on massive corporations so they finally pay their fair share, and strengthen financial regulations and oversight on big banks.”
  • OpposesBroad tariffs on imported goods

    Signed an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit against the Trump administration's use of emergency powers to impose broad tariffs, arguing Congress holds exclusive authority to regulate tariffs and commerce.[3]

    “Adam signed onto an amicus brief that continues to affirm Congress's Article I exclusive legislative power to impose tariffs and regulate commerce and support a lawsuit brought by 12 States' Attorneys against the Trump Administration for abusing emergency powers under IEEPA to unlawfully impose reckless, across-the-board tariffs.”

In their words — priorities

  • Says he is focused on lowering rent and building more housing, standing up to the Trump administration on democracy and social-safety-net issues, and putting people before corporate profits.[3]
  • Says his approach is to listen to constituents, set realistic goals, and deliver practical solutions rather than pursue an ideological agenda.[3]

Background

  • Born in Washington, D.C.; earned a B.A. from Fordham University in 1987 and a J.D. from the University of Washington in 1990.[2]
  • Career experience includes working as an attorney in private practice and as the city attorney for Seattle, Washington.[2]
  • Served as a member of the Washington State Senate from 1991 to 1996 before his election to Congress.[2]
  • Serves on the House Committee on Armed Services for the 2025-2026 Congress.[2]

Campaign money

Raised $1.9M · spent $1.6M · $870K cash on hand (through 2026-07-15) FEC filing ↗

Douglas Michael Basler

R

Douglas Michael Basler is the Republican nominee for Washington's 9th Congressional District. Ballotpedia has not published a profile with biographical or issue detail for him, and no campaign website was located.[1]

Little public record found for this candidate.

Campaign money

Raised $99K · spent $95K · $5,021 cash on hand (through 2026-07-15) FEC filing ↗

Research notes & limits

Douglas Michael Basler has no dedicated Ballotpedia candidate page or discoverable campaign website; his footprint appears limited to the district election results page, so his entry is marked minimal. Smith's federal key votes and FEC totals are added separately by script.

Sources · 4

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.Washington's 9th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.D. Adam Smith · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Priorities - Adam Smith for Congress · Adam Smith for Congress Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Committee Members · House Committee on Armed Services Official record