Chris Gregoire, the second woman governor in Washington state history, was first elected governor in 2004. She defeated Republican Dino Rossi, a former state senator, by just 133 votes out of 2.9 million ballots cast. It was the closest governor's race on a percentage basis in national history, and Gregoire's victory was actually uncertain until June 2005, when Republicans lost a lawsuit challenging the election's legitimacy.

Gregoire defeated Rossi again in a heated rematch in 2008. It was easily the costliest election in state history, in part because the two candidates had finished in a virtual tie four years earlier. Gregoire's 2008 margin of victory was a surprisingly strong 53 percent to 47 percent, ending the race on Election Night.

Gregoire's first bid for public office was in 1992, when she won an open seat for attorney general, becoming the state's first woman attorney general. She was re-elected in 1996 and 2000 by wide margins.

(Last updated by Curt Woodward on May 18, 2009.)

Maria Cantwell won her Senate seat in 2000, defeating incumbent Republican Slade Gorton in one of the closest Senate races in the country.

In 2006, Cantwell defeated Republican Mike McGavick, an insurance executive and Gorton's former top aide, winning by nearly 17 percentage points.

Cantwell was elected to the state House in 1986. She elected to the U.S. House six years later, at the age of 34. Cantwell was ousted from the House in the 1994 Republican takeover.

(Last updated by Gene Johnson on May 4, 2009.)

Patty Murray was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 with 55 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Rod Chandler. She won re-election in 1998, defeating Republican Rep. Linda Smith, and in 2004, defeating Republican Rep. George Nethercutt with 55 percent of the vote.

Murray was elected to the state Senate in 1988, defeating incumbent Republican Bill Kiskaddon, and served until January 1993.

(Updated by Matthew Daly on March 24, 2009.)