Republican Skyler Rude, who represents the Walla Walla district, announced that he will leave office on Oct. 31 — just days before the general election. On Nov. 1, he will begin working as legislative director for Democrat Steve Hobbs, Washington’s secretary of state. Rude said the job offer only became final recently and that he did not want to conceal his decision until after the election because he considers honesty and transparency more important than political advantage.
Despite his resignation, Rude’s name will remain on the Nov. 3 ballot. Before the announcement, he was considered the favorite in the race for a fifth term against Democrat Derek Sarley. If Rude wins, Republicans will have to fill two vacancies: one for the remaining weeks of the current term and another for the new two-year term beginning in January. If Sarley wins, Republican representatives from the four districts will be able to temporarily appoint Rude’s successor until the Democrat takes office. Sarley expressed surprise and noted that, if Rude wins, voters will effectively be unable to choose his replacement.
Rude urged Republican supporters to vote for him if they want the seat to remain under party control. He emphasized that Republicans are seeking to preserve their influence in the Legislature, where Democrats hold a 59–39 advantage, and called the current partisan imbalance an obstacle for moderate lawmakers and compromise. Rude, who was elected in 2018, will also leave his own business — horse-drawn stagecoach tours in the Walla Walla Valley. He said he was grateful for eight years of service and saw the new job as an opportunity to combine his interest in the state’s history with protecting election integrity.
Based on: WA state lawmaker to resign 3 days before the election