By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer
Former Democratic State Rep. Patty Butler has filed to run for the State Senate seat that Democrat Darlene Fairley is vacating.
Butler is running against current Democratic State Rep. Maralyn Chase and Republican David Baker.
Butler’s entry means that all three 32nd District legislative seats now have three candidates.
Democrats Cindy Ryu and Doris Fujioka McConnell, and Republican Art Coday are running for the position that Chase now holds.
Incumbent Democratic State Rep. Ruth Kagi has two opponents, Democrat Stan Lippmann and Republican Gary Gagliardi.
The top two vote-getters for each position in the August primary advance to the November general election.
Butler won election in 1996 to the seat from which former State Rep. Nancy Rust had retired, She lost a close re-election bid to Carolyn Edmonds in 1998. Edmonds won re-election in 2000, but moved to the County Council in 2001. Chase was appointed to the seat and won election to full terms in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Butler is now a small business manager for Fran’s Chocolates.
Butler has said that she is running to fight what she called the sour political climate and the inability of legislators to work together, and to restore faith with voters, balance the budget and build a more civil, cooperative demeanor among legislators.
“I believe I have a reputation for being able to work together with people, she said in a press release. “The atmosphere in Olympia is toxic these days and the people who suffer are the constituents.”
What we need in Washington is a candidate--any candidate--who can restructure and reinvent DSHS and CPS--without privatizing to "interest-based outcome" groups. The current system is toxic to CHILDREN! The best interests of vulnerable children are not being protected in this "return them home at any cost" state!
ReplyDeleteWashington State taxpayers are supporting deadbeat parents who have children in dependency, sometimes for 5 or more years, without any improvement or compliance by the parents with court orders. Some of these parents have warrants for their arrest, open criminal cases, and ongoing substance abuse issues, domestic violence and child abuse issues. And yet the state continues to allow these innocent young children to live in this dangerous, violent environment despite the children showing increasing signs of neglect, mental, physical, and psychological abuse!
ReplyDeleteIS THIS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN? Or is this in the states and the private interest groups best interest in order to make CPS look good on paper?
We need elected officials who can see the truth in this corrupt system, and be honest, concerned and care enough to do something before any more children are killed due to CPS ABUSE!