Helen Sommers: An Oral History

Jim Boldt
Former representative Jim Boldt
Comments on
Rep. Helen Sommers’ early years
Dan Monahan: I’m talking with Jim Boldt, a former
member of the House of Representatives
from Kennewick,
and a longtime lobbyist. Jim,
you were first elected to the
House in 1975 at the age of
24. Talk about your career
and also your friendship with
Rep. Helen Sommers.
Jim Boldt: I grew up in the Tri-
Cities. I went to Washington
State University and graduated
with a B.S. in Environmental
Science Biology. When I graduated from WSU, I had
an opportunity to do an internship in Richland for
Congressman Mike McCormack, who was elected
to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970. Mike
had represented what was then the 16th Jim Boldt
Legislative
District in both the state House (1957-61) and the
state Senate (1961-70). When I got the internship,
Mike was in his second term.
After my internship, August of 1973, McCormack
offered me a staff job, so I loaded my car and
drove to Washington DC for the job with Mike. I
worked in D.C. from September, ’73 to April ’74.
When I was in DC, Richard Nixon was President
and I was one of the “Watergate babies.” It was a
fascinating time in D.C. The Watergate controversy
was the dominant event in the nation’s Capitol all
the time I was there. It was shortly after I left, that
Nixon resigned the Presidency (August 9, 1974).
I had returned to the Tri-Cities in April, 1974. I
was 24, I had my college degree in Environmental
Science and I had a realtor license, but I wasn’t sure
what I was going to do next! I was really fascinated
by my work with Congressman McCormack and
with the process of government. When I got home
pg. 129
in April, the two incumbent legislators in my area,
Reps. Doris Johnson, a Democrat, and Max Benitz,
a Republican, both announced they would run for
the open Senate seat for the 8 th District, which was
part of Benton County. Sen. Damon Canfield, who
served eight years, was stepping down. So, I decided
I’d run for the state House of Representatives.
I won as a Democrat and my new seatmate was
Rep. Pat Cochrane, also a new Democrat. Benitz,
a Republican, beat Doris Johnson for the Senate
seat. When I was elected, I had never even been
inside the Capitol Building in Olympia! But I had
watched Congress and I said “this is so fascinating;
this is so much Thomas Jefferson!” That’s what
drove me to run for the Legislature.
Helen was in her second term when I was
elected. She was chair of the State Government
Committee in her second term, which was very
unusual for a second-term member to be named a
chair of a committee.
Over her career, Helen had a knack of taking
new members under her wing and working with
them. When I came in as a freshman Democrat
from Eastern Washington, Helen and I formed
a friendship, and I was another one of the new
members she befriended and she worked with me to
show me the ropes. People gravitate to each other
for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s intellect;
sometimes its mutual interests; and sometimes it’s
chemistry. I must say, I was attracted to her because
of her wit – her very dry wit – and her intellect. She
was very smart, and very informed when she spoke.
One thing about Helen, when she was on the
job, she was extremely focused on the Legislature.
She was very serious all the time and always had
a serious look on her face. She could make people
feel a little uncomfortable, particularly if they didn’t
know her well, but she would always identify people
she could work with. She did that for me when I
was new. She befriended me and helped me as the
process went on.
Having been in and around the Legislature for
much of the past 35-plus years now, I can tell you
that Helen was unique. She was all about policy,
and she never played politics! Once you had her
word, if she was with you, Helen was with you!