Mike Padden, who has served Spokane Valley in the Washington state legislature for more than 26 years, is retiring.
Padden announced on Wednesday that he’ll leave after his term expires at the end of the year. He has served in the Senate since 2011. He also had seven terms in the state House, from 1981 to 1995.
“I enjoyed both. I guess I enjoyed the Senate a little more, especially during the four or five years Republicans were in control, when I was the chair of the Law and Justice Committee and was able to set the agenda there and also have influence on more things in the Senate,” he said.
Padden says he has always emphasized maintaining cordial relationships with Democratic legislators and points to his success in crafting bipartisan bills that became law.
“Even when we weren’t in the majority, we were still able to get things done. Usually you can find some commonality on issues and life experiences,” he said.
In between his House and Senate terms, Padden served 12 years as a Spokane County District Court judge.
He has focused on criminal justice-related issues during his time in Olympia, including a multi-year effort to increase penalties and treatment options for repeat offenders of driving while impaired laws. The governor recently signed into law some of the changes for which Padden advocated.
He has also become a vocal proponent of “Ditching the Switch,” abolishing the twice-yearly ritual of shifting in and out of standard and daylight saving time. He was prime sponsor this year of a bill that would have moved Washington exclusively to standard time, which wouldn’t require Congressional approval. The bill died, though he insists momentum is building to put at least the Northwest in a year-round time regime.
In and out of office, Padden has long been active in conservative causes. For decades, he’s been a leading voice in the anti-abortion movement. He says he expects he’ll continue to stay active in politics.
“I’m very involved in Senator Mike Baumgartner’s race for Congress and trying to help him out as one of the co-chairs of the committee. We’ll see how all that turns out. I’m not going to go out to pasture or anything,” he said.
Padden has endorsed Spokane Valley businessman Mike Kelly as his potential successor. Kelly announced on Wednesday that he’ll run for the Fourth District Senate seat.
Padden is the latest eastern Washington state legislator to announce plans to , joining Third District Senator Andy Billig, D-Spokane, and Seventh District Representatives Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, and Jacquelin Maycumber, R-Republic. Maycumber has announced she’ll run for the congressional seat to be vacated by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
