Schoesler elected Senate Majority Leader

Ninth District lawmaker credits his Adams County upbringing for his current leadership approach

Adams County has produced two state senators since statehood; the second, Sen. Mark Schoesler, has now moved up to one of the highest leadership positions in all of state government, as Senate majority leader.

“That’s pretty good for a kid from Ritzville,” said Schoesler, who was elected Monday to head the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus, making him Senate leader for the next two years, “but I didn’t get here all on my own. The lessons I learned from the fine teachers at our Ritzville schools, from Little League, football, wrestling, 4-H and FFA, from growing up on the farm, plus the support of my family through many years as a legislator – without those I wouldn’t be in this position.”

Two years ago Schoesler was chosen Senate Republican leader. Soon after he and his 22 fellow Republican senators joined with two like-minded Democrat senators to make history as the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus, with 25 of the 49 Senate seats. Schoesler continued as Republican leader within the bipartisan coalition, which grew to 26 members after a special Senate election last year.

Last month’s election allowed the coalition to continue for two more years, still with 26 members. Schoesler succeeds Sen. Rodney Tom of Bellevue as Senate majority leader; Tom chose not to seek re-election.

Although the first state senator from Adams County, Daniel A. Scott, began serving his single term more than a century ago, Schoesler sees a line from Scott to himself through Scott’s daughter, Alma Galbreath Luiten, now 100 years old and still a Ritzville resident.

“I could not be more proud to be from Adams County and to continue serving my friends and neighbors in this new role,” added Schoesler, who is also the longest-serving legislator from the 9th Legislative District, which includes Adams and all or part of five other counties. He is in his third term as a state senator, after six terms in the House of Representatives. Prior to becoming Senate Republican leader in 2012, Schoesler served eight years on the Senate Republican leadership team, including the position of floor leader.

Schoesler, who raises wheat, canola and cattle on land in Adams and Lincoln counties, said the Senate majority has set the bar high for itself after what it accomplished in 2013 and 2014.

“We proved state government can live within its means, with two sustainable budgets; we respected taxpayers by making sure “temporary” tax increases ended on schedule; we have upheld Washington’s constitutional promise to make providing for those schools, and the students they serve, the “paramount duty” of state government; and I am especially proud of the two-year freeze on tuition at state-run colleges and universities.”

“For the past two years our Senate majority also provided a critical counterbalance to the governor and the House of Representatives. I look forward to continuing that as well these next two years.”

The 2015 legislative session begins Monday, Jan. 12 and lasts 105 days.