Evan Smith: CORRECTION: We sent a Republican to Olympia in 1986

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

When I wrote Friday about the Seattle Times’ endorsement of Republican David Baker for 32nd District State senator, I misstated how long it has been since this area has elected a Republican.

Former Democratic State Rep. Nancy Rust tells me that the area elected Republican Bill Kiskaddon to the State Senate in 1984, when Shoreline and Lake Forest Park were part of the 1st Legislative District.

Rust noted that almost all of what was then the 1st District became the 32nd District after the 1990 census. She said that in the 16 years that she served in the State House of Representatives, beginning when she won the 1980 election, she represented the 44th, 1st and 32nd districts, all while living in the same Shoreline home.

When the area became part of the 32nd District for the 1992 election, Democrat Al Williams was the District’s senator. Because Williams didn’t live within the new boundaries of the district, he couldn’t run for another term. Democrat Darlene Fairley won the seat in 1994.

That makes Kiskaddon the last Republican to represent Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and Williams the last male Democrat.

In the House, the string of female Democrats goes back to 1980.

Since 1982, Position 1 has been held by Democrats Rust, Patty Butler, Carolyn Edmonds and Maralyn Chase, and Position 2 by Democrats Grace Cole and Ruth Kagi.