By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald

In a night of sweeping Democrat victories across the nation, two Republicans held onto their seats in the 31st Legislative District and one Democrat challenger ousted an incumbent.

After a bitter, hard-fought campaign between Republican incumbent Sen. Pam Roach from Auburn and Democratic challenger Yvonne Ward, also from Auburn, Roach appears to have held onto her Senate seat in the 31st.

As of about 5 a.m. today, Wednesday, the Secretary of State's Web site had Roach ahead by 961 votes. Roach had gained 10,355 or 52.4 percent to Ward's 9,394, 47.6 percent.

In the two House of Representative races in the district, Democrat challenger Chris Hurst from Greenwater appears to have beaten incumbent Republican Rep. Jan Shabro for Position 2.

Hurst had 10,355 votes or 52.9 percent and Shabro had 9,195 votes, 47 percent.

Rep. Dan Roach, R-Bonney Lake, appears to have held his House Position 1 seat with 10,345 votes, 52.8 percent, to Democrat Karen Willard's 9,212 votes and 47.1 percent.

The 8th Congressional District race for the U.S. House of Representatives between Rep. Dave Reichert, the Republican incumbent, and Democrat Darcy Burner did not follow the national Democratic swing, which shifted control in the U.S. House over to the Democrats.

Reichert gained 61,921 votes, 51 percent, to Burner's 59,268 votes and 48.9 percent.

For updated election results on all races, initiatives and propositions across the state click on the Secretary of States Web site. http://www.secstate.wa.gov/

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.