Republican lawmaker resigns to work for Democrat Secretary of State Steve Hobbs
OLYMPIA [Jerry Cornfield] — In a surprise announcement, Republican state Rep. Skyler Rude of Walla Walla, said Tuesday that he will resign from office days before the election to start a new job with Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs. Rude, a moderate Republican, said he will step down Oct. 31 and begin work the […]
Gov Ferguson requests federal Major Disaster Declaration for Washington wildfires
OLYMPIA — Governor Bob Ferguson on Monday, September 28, sent a letter to President Donald Trump formally requesting a federal Major Disaster Declaration following devastating wildfires in Eastern Washington. At an event in Spokane today detailing the request, Governor Ferguson also announced additional state-level actions to help communities rebuild, including suspending additional regulations, and upcoming […]
John Braun commentary: Democrats fail to protect children, but they’ll go after sheriffs
Olympia’s majority Democrats showed again this year how their priorities are way off when it comes to the safety of the public. The bills they rejected include two I had introduced that are aimed at protecting children. One would have held adults accountable for hurting young kids by exposing them to fentanyl or similar opioids. […]
Bill targets elected sheriffs for removal by appointed state board without a public vote
OLYMPIA—A divided Washington state Senate committee advanced a bill on February 9, 2026, that would empower a state oversight board to remove elected sheriffs from office if their peace officer certification was revoked, igniting a fierce debate over balancing accountability in law enforcement with the rights of local voters. Senate Bill 5974 cleared the Ways […]
