CQ Politics

The 6th includes the Olympic Mountains, which drop to the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the district’s west. The lush Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest constitute more than one-third of the 6th’s land — about 1.6 million protected acres — making the area a very popular tourist destination.

Surrounding the mountainous region, small towns strive to move beyond a reliance on the lumber and fishing industries, which have suffered from mill closures and industry downturns. Hoquiam, located in the district’s southwest, seems to be succeeding: Imperium Renewables plans to build the largest biodiesel plant in the nation there by 2008. Port Angeles and Sequim in the northeast have become havens for retirees.

More than half of the 6th’s residents live in its eastern portion, near Tacoma and its suburbs. Once a main railroad terminus, the city’s economy continues to be driven by the manufacturing and shipping industries. Recent revitalization plans have lured residents back downtown, especially near the University of Washington-Tacoma campus and the waterfront. The eastern portion of the 6th near the Puget Sound also depends heavily on the military. Bremerton, located north of Tacoma, is home to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Navy base, and the 6th has a substantial local Coast Guard presence.

Tacoma’s blue-collar, heavily unionized electorate generally gives Democrats the edge in the district’s populated Pierce County portion. But independent voters, who can be socially moderate, prevent the district from moving out of the reach of Republicans. The 6th gave John Kerry 53 percent of its vote in the 2004 presidential election.

Major Industry

Lumber, fishing, shipping, health care, tourism

Military Bases

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, 927 military, 9,386 civilian (2005); Naval Base Kitsap (Bremerton), 320 military (5,740 military on home-ported ships), 16 civilian (2002)

Cities

Tacoma (pt.), 176,853; Bremerton, 37,259; University Place, 29,933; Lakewood (pt.), 26,878; Port Angeles, 18,397

Notable

Port Townsend celebrates the rhododendron bloom with “Rhodyfest.”