Starting in January, the Washington State House of Representatives and Senate will have 15 new members, who were elected to office in November.
These new legislators are:
- 4th – Bob McCaslin (R) – Spokane Valley
- 13th – Tom Dent (R) – Ellensburg/Cle Elum
- 14th – Gina McCabe (R) – Yakima
- 17th – Lynda Wilson (R) – Vancouver
- 21st – Strom Peterson (D) – Lynnwood/Mukilteo
- 25th – Melanie Stambaugh (R) – Puyallup
- 26th – Michelle Caldier (R) – Port Orchard/ Gig Harbor
- 28th – Christine Kilduff (D) – Lakewood
- 31st – Drew Stokesbary (R) – Emunclaw
- 35th – Dan Griffey (R) – Shelton
- 42nd – Luanne VanWerven (R) – Lynden
- 44th – Mark Harmsworth (R) – Lake Stevens
- 48th – Joan McBride (D) – Redmond
- 30th – Mark Miloscia (R) – Federal Way (Miloscia is a former Representative, but is new to the Senate)
- 37th – Pramila Jayapal (D) – Seattle/Renton
Why do we want you to know who the new legislators are?
Because we want the first constituents they meet in their new job to be the people who share our values. They need to know who you are and that you care about them. Not just as legislators, but as people.
This week is Session Days down in Olympia, where legislators are holding pre-session hearings, vote for caucus leadership, as well as discuss upcoming legislative issues.
This is the time to start building those relationships. If you do, you never know what kind of impact it’s going to have down the road when critical decisions are being made.
The abortion lobby and the homosexual lobby are in their offices early and often, and they’ll be making the case for why more government money should be spent on abortions and why businesses like Arlene’s Flowers should be sued because of their beliefs. If those are the only people who take the time to build relationships with them that share difference values than yours, who do you think will have the most influence when important decisions are being made?
Remember, life, marriage, religious freedom, and parental rights are not organizational issues. They are family issues that affect all of us.
The legislative session will be starting in a few weeks and once it starts, our legislators will be busy making laws, creating budgets, meeting with other legislators, lobbyists and constituents on top of their other jobs and their family. In other words, they will be really busy.
So before the Christmas and New Years break, we encourage you to reach out to your legislators, no matter how they stand on the issues that matter to you. Let them know what is important to you; they need to hear that from their constituents.
When you are talking with your legislators, please be kind and courteous. Don’t give them a reason not to listen to you. You don’t have to become the best of friends with them, but be friendly.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a hard word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1
