Independent Veterans of America · Field Dispatch

Four Veterans.
One Ballot.

On August 4, four independent veterans appear on Eastern Washington's top-two primary ballot. In a top-two system, they don't skip to November — they have to finish in the top two that day. Here's the electorate that decides.

Aug 4, 2026 · Washington Top-Two Primary
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Nate Powell — WA-05 Danny Tarkenton — Spokane County Spokane WA-05 · Eastern Washington
The electorate that decides

Where the Four
Are Running

All four races sit inside WA-05 — Eastern Washington — and three of them center on Spokane. Together that's the veteran and independent electorate on the August 4 ballot. Hover the map or a race.

53,106Veterans · WA-05
131,260Est. independents · WA-05
Candidate & raceVeteransEst. ind.
Nate Powell
U.S. House · WA-05
53,106
131,260
Danny Tarkenton
County Prosecutor · Spokane County
41,887
87,999
Aaron Croft
State House · Legislative Dist. 6
13,858
25,386
Ronald McCoy
State Senate · Legislative Dist. 7
12,394
26,057
Veterans: ACS S2101 (WA-05 · 2024 1-Yr; county & legislative districts · 2019–2023 5-Yr) · independents modeled — WA's 20.83% independent share (IVP) × adults · races nest inside WA-05, so figures aren't summed

Same day. Same ballot. Top two advance.

Washington doesn't run separate party primaries. Every candidate — Democrat, Republican, and independent — shares one August ballot, and only the two highest finishers move on to November.

For an independent, that changes everything: there's no petitioning quietly onto the fall ballot. You have to win a spot on August 4.

US Senate → localSpokane & Eastern WA4 IVA-tracked veterans

Veterans & estimated independents by constituency
Each = 1,000 veterans (ACS). Independents modeled — WA's 20.83% independent share (IVP) × adults. Registered-voter counts are actual (WA SOS, May 2026).

These blocs decide who advances.

Tens of thousands of veterans and hundreds of thousands of independents live in these four races. On August 4, they choose the top two.

Meet the Independents
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