Leadership Blog

In the News

AUDIO: Republicans on Senate Democrats’ record-setting tax package: ‘a new kind of March madness’

Published on March 20, 2025
March Madness isn’t just for basketball—Republicans say it’s happening in Olympia too. Tracy Ellis explains.
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VIDEO: Sen John Braun recaps week 9 of the Legislative Session

Published on March 15, 2025
Sen John Braun recaps week 9 of the Legislative Session, highlighting wins on public safety and housing, and progress on special education funding. He warns against tax increases and stresses the need for better outcomes in K-12 education
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AUDIO: Balancing Budgets and Defying New Taxes: Sen. Chris Gildon’s Vision for Washington on The Jason Rantz Show

Published on March 15, 2025
On the Jason Rantz Show, State Senator Chris Gildon discusses the budget realities facing Washington. With a clear stance against new taxes, Gildon outlines how education funding can be preserved, fiscal responsibility achieved, and collective bargaining agreements reimagined. He emphasizes accountability, innovation, and solutions rooted in economic pragmatism.
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AUDIO: State Senate Republican Leadership Update with Senator John Braun…

Published on March 14, 2025
Budget shortfall and $ave Washington Budget—Senate Republican Leader John Braun explains how the state’s budget shortfall is closer to $6.6 billion—not $15 billion—because of spending choices, not existing services. He outlines a balanced plan with no cuts to K-12 education or vital services for vulnerable residents.
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Sen. Chris Gildon Explains Senate Republican Budget Plan on KVI

Published on March 12, 2025
Sen. Chris Gildon told KVI’s John Carlson that the Senate Republican budget balances without new taxes or major cuts. It preserves teacher bonuses, limits certain program growth, and offers state workers a $5K bonus instead of $4B in raises. Gildon urges public support.
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News from the Caucus

November 15, 2017
John Braun

Court recognizes Legislature’s historic education investments

A ruling today by the Washington State Supreme Court largely endorses the bipartisan school-funding reforms recently adopted by the Legislature in line with the 2012 McCleary ruling, according to Sen. John Braun. “Providing students with the support they need and deserve required us to solve a generational problem with a generational solution, which resulted in...
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November 15, 2017
Senate Republican Caucus

Bipartisan coalition returns to roots as ‘Senate Republican Caucus’

The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus today returned to being the Senate Republican Caucus, although it remains bipartisan.   Five years ago the 23-member Senate Republican Caucus and two Democrat senators joined to take the majority in the Senate. They took the Majority Coalition Caucus name to reflect the new bipartisan collaboration.   Sen. Tim Sheldon,...
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October 24, 2017
Mark Schoesler

Schoesler confident Legislature satisfied McCleary with bipartisan plan to fully fund basic education

  OLYMPIA…Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued the following statement in response to today’s Washington State Supreme Court hearing regarding the Legislature’s plan to fully fund basic education.   At question is whether or not the plan satisfies the order of the court in the McCleary decision.   “This past year, the Legislature made...
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July 10, 2017
Judy Warnick

Crucial rural water-rights issue holds up adjournment of 2017 legislative session

Washington’s 2017 legislative session enters its seventh record-breaking month as a water-rights issue critical to rural property owners becomes the central issue at the statehouse. Lawmakers passed a budget June 30, averting a partial shutdown of state government – normally one of the final votes of any legislative session. But adjournment was delayed when the...
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June 21, 2017
Mark Schoesler

‘No government shutdown’ assures Senate majority leader

Schoesler maintains confidence that budget deal will be reached in time to avoid partial shutdown OLYMPIA…Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement of a third special legislative session to finalize negotiations on a budget for the 2017-19 biennium. “I fully expect the budget teams to submit a...
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June 13, 2017
Mark Schoesler

Majority leader confident Legislature will reach budget deal soon

Bipartisan plan to fully fund basic education expected to account for over 50 percent of spending   OLYMPIA…As the Legislature’s second special session for 2017 enters a third week, Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler today expressed optimism and confidence that lawmakers will reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a new budget before the end of...
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May 02, 2017
Judy Warnick

In first vote of the special session, Senate approves Hirst-fix legislation again

Vote gives Democrat-controlled House second chance to help rural families without water  While work on education-funding reform and a new state operating budget continues during the Legislature’s special session, the Senate today took up and passed Senate Bill 5239, known as the Hirst fix, to bring needed access to water for rural households. Sponsored by...
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March 16, 2017
Curtis King

Senator King tells transit agency to consider soldiers and find a fair solution

Before he adjourned a recent working session of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. King urged Sound Transit officials to consider the impact their car tab tax valuations were having on soldiers.  Sen. King related how soldiers had come to him and described struggling to make ends meet.  He said they told him that they didn’t...
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March 08, 2017
John Braun

Senate approves temporary extension of local school levy rate with increased accountability

The Washington State Senate today approved legislation extending a temporary increase in the maximum amount school districts can raise through property taxes for public schools and implementing reforms to provide accountability for how local levies are collected and accounted. “Washington students deserve a comprehensive solution that provides a world-class education system instead of a temporary...
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March 07, 2017
Phil Fortunato

Senate’s minority Democrats vote down proposed income-tax ban

OLYMPIA…The Democrat minority in the state Senate today voted against a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban a tax on individual incomes. Senate Joint Resolution 8204 needed a two-thirds majority to pass – meaning 33 votes from the 49-member Senate. All 25 members of the Senate majority supported the measure, but only two members of...
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March 01, 2017
Senate Republican Caucus

State Hispanic Commission recognizes our efforts to improve minority-owned business opportunities

Senate passes the Small Business Bonding Relief bill  
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March 01, 2017
Judy Warnick

Warnick legislation to fix flawed Hirst water decision clears Senate

  Sen. Judy Warnick’s legislation to fix the Hirst decision was approved Tuesday evening by the state Senate, despite efforts by some opposition Democrats to delay a legislative response that would aid rural homeowners. The decision, issued by the state Supreme Court in late 2016, effectively prevents the drilling of small, household wells without costly...
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