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PUYALLUP… Although the year’s third quarterly revenue forecast makes the state’s budget picture brighter, the budget leader for Senate Republicans says Olympia’s focus should be on following through on calls to save money and avoid new spending. The forecast, approved today by the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, has revenue for the 2025-27 budget...

OLYMPIA — The Washington Supreme Court today struck down Initiative 2066, the voter-approved 2024 measure that aimed to protect access to natural gas for homes and businesses and limit state and local policies that restrict or discourage its use. The court ruled 6-3 that I-2066 violated the Washington Constitution’s single-subject requirement. The majority concluded that...

OLYMPIA — Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, released the following statement after 33 people charged with first-degree criminal trespass following the May 2025 occupation of the University of Washington’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Building entered stipulated orders of continuance. Under the agreements, the charges can be dismissed after 12 months if the defendants meet certain requirements, including community...

“Why is an equity, environmental justice, and civil rights person at $12,000 a month really that important when the job’s already being done?” “I thought it was appropriate that we shed the light of day on the silliness that’s going on when there are real serious natural resources budget issues.”

Hosted by Senator Chris Gildon, this episode of The Elephant in the Dome features Washington Retail Association guests Jan Himebaugh and Crystal Leatherman. Together, they explore Washington’s escalating organized retail crime crisis, examine its connection to broader illegal networks, and discuss actionable solutions to rebuild accountability. TRANSCRIPT

In this episode of The Elephant in the Dome, Senator Chris Gildon hosts Senator Ron Muzzall the ranking Republican on the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee. They break down the complex 340B Drug Pricing Program—a federal initiative designed to help safety-net health clinics and hospitals acquire discounted prescription medication for low-income patients. They discuss...

Washington business leaders are sounding the alarm on state spending — and it’s not just Republicans. Tracy Ellis explains. Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke — a lifelong Democrat — is urging lawmakers to ‘wake up’ as spending nears 80 billion dollars. State Senator Chris Gildon notes that Leiweke joins two former Democratic governors and other critics...

PUYALLUP — A prominent Washington business leader and self-described lifelong Democrat has joined former Governors Gary Locke and Christine Gregoire in raising concerns about Olympia’s budgeting practices. Sen. Chris Gildon said the comments add to a growing debate over the state’s fiscal direction. Gildon, R-Puyallup, pointed to remarks by Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of the...

In a letter sent this week to Governor Ferguson, a group of Senate Republicans demanded that a special session be called to address how the so-called “Climate Commitment Act” affects our gas and diesel prices. According to AAA, the average price in Washington for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline on July 1 was $5.125...

Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, explains his vote against Senate Bill 5981, legislation expanding protections for Washington’s 340B Drug Pricing Program. Speaking on the Senate floor, Muzzall makes clear that his vote was not against helping hospitals. Instead, he argues that while the 340B program provides important financial support, expanding it does not address the...

Citing the extreme financial pain being felt at the pump, State Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, is leading a formal legislative push for the governor to convene a special session of the Legislature to address Washington’s unaffordable fuel prices. “We cannot afford to wait until the next regular legislative session while our families choose between...

In this episode of The Elephant in the Dome, Senator Chris Gildon pulls back the curtain on the real issues facing Washington. From the controversial impacts of the Climate Commitment Act on gas prices and utility bills to a deep dive into Olympia’s looming budget shortfall, Sen. Gildon breaks down the numbers that the majority...