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I just got a text message from Herald reporter Michelle Dupler indicating that longtime state Rep. Shirley Hankins has just announced she wont seek a 13th term this fall. Hankins is holding a rare press conference in Richland that was scheduled for 11 a.m.
And so ends the legislative career of one of the Legislatures longest serving members. Only retiring Rep. Helen Sommers, D-Seattle, and Sen. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane Valley, have served more time in Olympia.
Hankins, 76, first ran for the Legislature in 1978 but lost to Ray Isaacson in the Republican primary.
Running for an open seat two years later, Hankins narrowly escaped a three-way Republican primary and cruised to victory in the general election.
After the death of Republican Sen. Max Benitz in 1990 Hankins was appointed to replace him. But not two months later she was defeated by Democrat Jim Jesernig for the seat in the upper chamber.
She attempted a comeback in 1992, losing to Democratic Rep. Lane Bray, but she easily won in a battle for an open House seat in 1994 and hasnt been seriously challenged since.
In Olympia Hankins has been known as a feisty moderate and shes waged many battles within her own caucus. In 2003 she left the House Republican Caucus altogether but returned a year later.
Shes gained the respect of House Democrats over the years, providing her with some measure of influence. When Republicans refused to re-appoint her to a bipartisan transportation panel in 2003 House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, did.
Hankins final term in the House has been somewhat tumultuous with a Tri-City Herald report chronicling her efforts to use her office to promote her daughters tire baling business. The Legislative Ethics Board, after a studying the issue for most of 2007, assessed a record fine against her in December.
Hankins has never publicly answered questions about it.
Potential challengers began lining up last fall. Republicans Rick Jansons, Brad Klippert and Steve Simmons have announced plans to run for the seat and so has Democrat Carol Moser.
UPDATE: During her press conference Hankins took one final shot at legislative Republicans.
The Republicans dont have a plan she said. There is not a plan to proceed and get this state on track.
She said the decision in her ethics case had nothing to do with her retirement.
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