Walla Walla legislative assistant seeks his boss’ House seat

A lifelong Walla Walla resident is running for the state House of Representatives seat being vacated by his boss.

Skyler Rude announced this week he is running to represent Legislative District 16. The seat was held by Rep. Maureen Walsh, R-College Place.

Walsh is running for the state Senate seat being left by Sen. Mike Hewitt, who is retiring.

Rude, a Republican, was Walsh’s full-time legislative aide before announcing his candidacy for the position.

In Walla Walla, he serves on the city’s Parks, Recreation and Urban Forestry Advisory Board, the executive board of the Walla Walla County Republican Party and is a committeeman for the Washington Republican Party.

Bill Jenkin, a Prosser businessman and school board member, announced this week he too is seeking Walsh’s seat. He is running as a Republican as well.

The filing period for open elected positions is May 16-20. The state primary is Aug. 2 and the general election is Nov. 8.

In a statement, Rude said he will prioritize economic and education issues.

“The Legislature must focus on creating policy that promotes economic growth and eliminates over-regulation, while efficiently providing the core services of state government,” he said in a statement.

“These services include providing world-class educational opportunities for our children and ensuring quality of life for our aging populations and individuals with disabilities.”

This story was originally published May 6, 2016 at 8:21 PM with the headline "Walla Walla legislative assistant seeks his boss’ House seat."