Helen Sommers: An Oral History

Looking back at Helen Sommers’ 36-year career!
he continued on in that leadership post until 2008.
He was a great Caucus Chair. He wasn’t so much
into issues, but he had things that were a big concern
to him in eastern Washington – especially
agricultural issues! He was always very solid and
he’d vote with the caucus and support the decisions
and so on. But he did retain his eastern Washington
philosophy in great part, and he certainly was very
able to gain support for those issues in our caucus.
Bill got along very well with everyone, and I believe
he had a strong impact on the issues important to
him. He was a real loss to the Legislature.
And, sadly, we also lost another
outstanding lawmaker, Rep .
Mary Skinner of Yakima.
She was a member of the
Republican Caucus and was
a wonderful friend to me.
She had retired from the
House after 14 years of service,
(1995-2009) and died of
cancer just a month after her
term ended.
Rep. Mary Skinner
(R-14 th Dist) served in the
House from 1995-2009
Another big loss to the Legislature
was when Rep . Ruth
Fisher left after 20 years (1983-
2003). Ruth retired from the House in 2003 and she
died on Feb. 21, 2005. Ruth was a special friend and
a fine Legislator. Her frank, open leadership serves
as an inspiration for many members from both sides
of the aisle. She had an extraordinary ability to
see the bigger picture, and the courage to vote her
conscience. She was wonderful.
Monahan: We’re getting toward the end of this
series of interviews on your
historic 36 year career in the
House. What are your views
on Washington’s progress in
your 36 years? You’ve been
here not only to observe the
progress, but to help create
that progress as a legislator!
Rep. Ruth Fisher (D-Tacoma)
served in the House
from 1983-2003.
Representative Sommers: High
Tech is certainly vital to Washington.
We were very fortunate
that we had the entrepreneurs
pg. 77
and the brain power here for that kind of development.
Not only Seattle, but certainly on the east side.
The birth of Microsoft, that was hugely important
because there were so many spin-offs on those things.
You know, Bill Boeing and Bill Gates were both
born here; and we are darn
lucky! Those entrepreneurs
have had a strong impact on
our state’s and our nation’s
economy and growth over
the decades.
Greater Seattle grew into a
high technology powerhouse
because of the ‘two Bills!’
But the developments also
Bill Gates Jr. occurred because of investments
we made in the University of Washington
and other educational institutions. They’ve drawn
the need for advanced higher education to this
state. Something I’d worked my whole career was
to advance higher education.
When I came to the Legislature 36 years ago, I
remember we had typewriters,
mimeograph machines, dial
phones; those kinds of things.
The high-tech options we have
today, from computers, the
internet, cell phones and the
like, were just on the drawingboard
back then.
With the advance of computers
and cell phones and
Bill Boeing so many high-tech advances
over the years, its just mind-boggling to imagine
how far we’ve come in the nearly four decades since
I first came to Olympia.
Politically, you can certainly say that Seattle
has become very Democratic city. When I first
ran in 1972, I was the first Democrat to win in my
36th District in many, many years. That was a big
change. And, it even spread across to Bellevue and
other areas around Seattle. That’s another one of
the changes.
Monahan: Helen, I have one last question. As you
look back on your amazing career, how would you