Leadership Blog

In the News

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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Legislative leaders condemn political violence in Minnesota

Published on June 15, 2025
OLYMPIA – The leaders of all four caucuses in the Washington State Legislature released the following statement regarding the assassination and attempted assassinations of Minnesota elected officials: “Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and we are sending wishes for a complete recovery to Senator...
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News from the Caucus

January 18, 2018
Mark Schoesler

Republican leader: Amazon’s HQ2 list should be a wake-up call

OLYMPIA…In response to today’s announcement by Amazon.com that it has narrowed its search for a second-headquarters location to a short-list of 20 cities, Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued the following statement.   “The fact that Amazon’s finalists for HQ2 only include one West Coast city and none from Washington should be a wake-up...
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December 14, 2017
John Braun

Sen. John Braun statement on Gov. Inslee’s 2018 supplemental budget plan

Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and the ranking Republican on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, gave this statement after Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled his 2018 supplemental budget proposal Thursday morning.   “I’m encouraged by a few components of the governor’s budget plan. I’m glad he is finally adhering to the four-year balanced budget law in...
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December 14, 2017
Mark Schoesler

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler cautious about governor’s budget

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered this comment about Gov. Jay Inslee’s budget released today:   “While it’s promising that the governor finally proposed a budget that balances over four years, I call on him to publicly commit to veto any budget that doesn’t. “I’m glad that undoing the levy reform enacted in the...
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December 14, 2017
Mark Schoesler

Schoesler: Here’s what to look for in tomorrow’s budget proposal from Gov. Jay Inslee

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered this comment about Gov. Jay Inslee’s budget proposal, expected to be released Thursday: “In a year when a single political party will control the House, the Senate and the governor’s mansion, the governor’s budget proposal will set the tone for everything that follows. The first thing to look...
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December 11, 2017
Judy Warnick

Senators welcome House Democrats’ reengagement on Hirst

Senators Judy Warnick and Jim Honeyford welcomed news that House Democrats have planned a work session Dec. 12 to discuss the Hirst water rights court decision. “I have remained hopeful since the Legislature adjourned that we can deliver a Hirst fix for rural Washington,” said Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who sponsored Senate Bill 5239, the only...
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November 28, 2017
Senate Republican Caucus

Senate Republican Caucus announces 2018 committee appointments

 The Senate Republican Caucus today announced its appointments to the 2018 Senate committees.   “Our members are anxious to get the session started and will continue to serve everyone in Washington with dedication and integrity,” said Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville.   “I’m always proud and impressed by their level of commitment when tackling...
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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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