The State of Washington holds its gubernatorial election every fourth year, concurrent with the United States presidential election. This election took place on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Democratic Governor Dixy Lee Ray ran for a second term, but lost in the primary to State Representative Jim McDermott. McDermott was defeated in the general election by Republican candidate John Spellman, the King County Executive. As of 2021, this is the last time a Republican was elected Governor of Washington and thus beginning of the longest streak for Democrats in any gubernatorial office in the United States.