Helen Sommers: An Oral History

Chapter 13
House Democrats regain majority
Monahan: We’d previously talked about Speakers
Leonard Sawyer (1973-77), John Bagnariol (1977-
79), Co-Speakers Bagnariol and Duane Berentson
(1979-81), Bill Polk (1981-83) and Wayne Ehlers
(1983-87). In 1987, Ehlers did not run for reelection;
he went to work for DSHS. The new Speaker of the
House was Rep . Joe King of Vancouver.
Representative Sommers: Joe was a very strong
leader and he came by it naturally.
Like Wayne Ehlers, Joe was very
personable; he was very outgoing
and he stepped into the Speakership
with relative ease. Joe was
very sophisticated with great
overview. He was a very good
Speaker of the House, and he was
House Speaker
Joe King
1987-1993
a good friend.
In 1987, Joe determined to split
the Ways and Means Committee.
He named me to Chair the Capital Budget Committee,
Gary Locke became Chair of Appropriations,
and Art Wang was Revenue Chair.
In the 1987 session, House Democrats had a
strong 61-37 majority, but the
Senate Democrats again were
dealing with a bare 25-24
majority. Gov . Booth Gardner,
who had defeated Gov. Spellman
in 1985, worked well with
the House and the Senate. He
was a very popular governor
Governor
Booth Gardner
1985-1993
who was preceded by Governors
Spellman and Ray;
neither of whom was very
popular after their single
terms though each ran for reelections and lost.
Gardner was very likeable and was certainly very
popular with the citizens of Washington.
Joe King served as Speaker of the House for six
years, but when Gov. Booth Gardner completed two
terms and didn’t seek a third term. Joe decided to
run for Governor. He lost in the primary to Congressman
Mike Lowry, who was elected governor
in 1992. I believe Joe King would have made an
excellent governor.
Rep. Helen Sommers and House Speaker Joe King (1992)
As I wrote in my 1987 36th District Newsletter,
“the 1987 session approved more major policy initiatives
than I had witnessed in many years. Among
the bills passed were a landmark budget for higher
education, and critical changes in the funding and
functioning of K-12, including a vocational school
for Seattle. Other measures provided health care
coverage for the working poor and welfare reform
with an emphasis on putting recipients to work.”
It was a very successful session.
Monahan: At the time Speaker King was elected,
Booth Gardner was into his second year as Governor
and went on to serve until 1993. What are your
recollections of Gardner’s two terms?
Representative Sommers: Booth was a very friendly,
easy-going person. He had served in the Senate
for a short time and had served as Pierce County
Executive, so he came out of a political leadership
position. He came in at a very good time, as the
economy was working its way to recovery. Gardner
served two terms as Governor (1985-1993).
Booth treated people well and respectfully and
worked well with the majorities and minorities in
the Legislature. His service was notable for advancing
standards-based education and environmental
protection, among other issues. He worked very
well with the Legislature on most issues. He really
was a people person. I believe he could have been