Leadership Blog

In the News

The Elephant in the Dome Podcast – Out of Order – When Politics Turn Violent and Budgets Break

Published on July 01, 2025
Following the tragic act of political violence in Minnesota, Washington Senate Republican Leader John Braun urges bipartisan condemnation of all violence. He also warns of looming budget shortfalls after a sobering revenue forecast, criticizes tax hikes, and argues that unsustainable spending threatens essential services.
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AUDIO: Sen. Chris Gildon on KVI’s Ari Hoffman Show – Budget “Reckless,” Ferguson “Caved to the Left”

Published on June 26, 2025
Washington’s budget is “$3.50 from disaster,” says Sen. Chris Gildon on KVI’s Ari Hoffman Show. Gildon slams the Legislative Democrats’ spending and Gov. Ferguson’s record tax hikes after new forecasts show a looming shortfall.
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AUDIO: Sen. Chris Gildon on the Lars Larson Show – Budget Barely Misses Iceberg

Published on June 25, 2025
Sen. Chris Gildon joins Lars Larson to unpack Washington’s shaky budget outlook, blasting record tax hikes and warning of looming shortfalls despite billions in new revenue. “It didn’t have to be this way,” he says.
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AUDIO: New revenue forecast is ‘near-miss’ but big trouble may be ahead, says Republican budget leader

Published on June 24, 2025
A near financial disaster is looming in Washington State. Tracy Ellis reports.
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Elephant in the Dome Podcast: Washington’s Health Care Crisis: Hospital Closures & Hidden Costs

Published on June 17, 2025
Hospitals across Washington are hurting, clinics are shutting down, and costs are skyrocketing. In this episode of Elephant in the Dome, state senators break down the crisis hitting our health care system—from new taxes impacting hospitals to hidden costs that could drive up insurance premiums for families. What role does government play in this growing...
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News from the Caucus

February 27, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

NEWSFLASH: Reaction to Gov. Ferguson’s budget plan & victory on wood stoves

    LISTEN: Reaction to Gov. Ferguson’s budget plan Democrats want to raise taxes. We want to implement savings and efficiencies. What does Gov. Ferguson want? The new governor held a press conference Thursday to share “savings and efficiencies” he’d like to see incorporated into the budget. Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, is the Senate Republican...
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February 27, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

AUDIO: Republican budget leader welcomes Ferguson’s savings suggestions

Gov. Bob Ferguson released his cost-cutting ideas, and Senate Republican budget leader Chris Gildon is giving credit—with some skepticism. Tracy Ellis explains.
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February 26, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

SRC On-Air—KVI—Ari Hoffman—State’s budget shortfall another example of Democrats using scare tactics to justify unnecessary tax increases

Senator Chris Gildon reveals that the real deficit is around $6.7 billion—far lower than the $12–16 billion figure Democrats are pushing. The inflated number comes from overspending, including Governor Inslee’s reckless $4 billion in state employee raises without a real feasibility study. Meanwhile, Democrats refuse to consider cuts to wasteful programs, instead insisting on raising...
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February 26, 2025
Matt Boehnke

Senate unanimously passes Boehnke election-security bill

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… The state Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed legislation from Sen. Matt Boehnke that is intended to improve the security of Washington’s electoral process. Senate Bill 5014 would strengthen election security by expanding the Secretary of State’s oversight of equipment and platforms used in elections. It also would...
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February 25, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

VIDEO: Legislative Republican Leadership Media Availability

Republican lawmakers hold a media availability to discuss key legislative priorities. They focus on public safety, affordability, and education, raising concerns over new tax proposals and state budget shortfalls. They also oppose bills on parental rights and initiatives, arguing they limit parent and citizen participation. With fiscal deadlines approaching, Republicans emphasized their commitment to responsible...
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February 25, 2025
Matt Boehnke

Boehnke bills aimed at improving access to education move forward

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… Two of Sen. Matt Boehnke’s pro-education bills have cleared the first deadline for legislation to move forward from policy committees in the Senate. “Both of these bills will allow our higher-education system to accommodate more students to be successful as they move beyond the K-12 level,” Boehnke...
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February 24, 2025
Matt Boehnke

Boehnke bill to update vehicle-emissions rule attracts strong public support

OLYMPIA… As Sen. Matt Boehnke suspected, there is strong public support for legislation he has proposed to realign Washington’s vehicle-emissions rules with federal standards instead of California’s. Today the Senate Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee held a public hearing on the Kennewick Republican’s measure, which also aims to bring more accountability to state emissions standards....
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February 24, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

BILL ALERT: Senate and House budget committees hearing bills this week to raise taxes/fees

TELL DEMOCRATS THEY DON’T NEED MORE OF YOUR MONEY The Senate Ways & Means Committee and the House Appropriations Committee will both hear a variety of bills this week that will impose new or higher taxes and fees on Washington taxpayers.  Two of the bills give state and/or local governments the ability to raise taxes...
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February 24, 2025
Keith Goehner

Senate passes Goehner bill to expand local housing options

Sen. Keith Goehner/R-Dryden/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… Sen. Keith Goehner’s work to give counties more options for promoting affordable housing received a big boost last Wednesday. The Senate gave overwhelming bipartisan support to Senate Bill 5471, Goehner’s effort to let counties authorize at least one “middle housing” unit on every parcel zoned for single-family homes...
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February 22, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

The Elephant in the Dome Podcast: Washington Senate Republicans Push for Housing Solutions

In this episode of The Elephant in the Dome, Senate Republican Leader John Braun and Senator Keith Goehner discuss Washington’s housing crisis and the Senate Republican plan to address affordability. They break down the impact of restrictive regulations, the risks of rent control, and why empowering private sector development is key to increasing supply. Tune...
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February 21, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

AUDIO: Sen. Keith Wagoner critical of Democrats for weakening emergency powers reform

Did Washington’s emergency powers reform just get watered down? The state senator leading the charge says yes. Tracy Ellis reports.
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February 20, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

NEWSFLASH: Emergency powers, the mileage tax and more

CORRECTION: The original version of this Newsflash incorrectly quoted the proposed mileage tax at 26 cents per mile. The correct tax rate per mile is 2.6 cents per mile. The article below has been corrected to reflect the 2.6 cent rate.   IN THE NEWS: Emergency powers reform During the pandemic, former Gov. Jay Inslee...
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