Alexander kicks off re-election campaign

Some 200 Republicans, independents and even a Democrat or two were on hand Wednesday morning when State Representative Gary Alexander kicked off his 8th campaign for his 20th Legislative District seat.

Alexander, who has been in the legislature for 14 years and is the ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee thanked the people at the Worthington Center for supporting him.

“Money and organization are important,” Alexander said, “but it also takes the people in this room to make a difference.”

He said the election this year isn’t about yesterday or even today.  “It’s about tomorrow.” 

Looking forward to Republican control of the House Alexander said the current slate of Republicans is the best ever.  He said the Republicans would work for better fiscal management, integrity, common sense and putting people back to work.

“Government can’t spend its way out of this recession,” Alexander said.  “We have to trust our employers, gain fiscal responsibility, reduce the regulatory burden and reform unemployment compensation.”

He offered six common sense solutions to the current problems which included funding education, promoting private sector jobs, providing market-based affordable health care, protecting and repairing the state’s safety net for vulnerable populations, holding offenders accountable, and building a sustainable budget based on priorities of government.

“When Republicans are in control we’ll put those solutions into action,” he said.

He also said that he had some unfinished business including flood relief in the Chehalis River basin, the possible closing of Maple Lane School, and keeping Trans Alta in business.

There were few elected Republicans in the room, but many former elected officials and many candidates.  Two of the state’s most senior Republicans, Secretary of State Sam Reed and State Attorney General Rob McKenna are in Washington DC to argue Referendum 71 before the United States Supreme Court.

The most senior Republican elected officials present were Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman and Republican House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt (who is having his own kickoff on May 17 at the Great Wolf Lodge.)