(The Center Square) – State Rep. Skyler Rude, R-Walla Walla, will resign from the Washington House of Representatives on Oct. 31, just three days before the general election, after accepting a position as legislative director for Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs.
Rude announced his decision Tuesday, saying he accepted the position after the November ballot had already been finalized and decided to disclose his plans to voters rather than wait until after the election.
“I think the unusual thing about this announcement is the timing,” Rude told The Center Square Wednesday. “The unusual thing about this is that I’m campaigning for reelection at the same time that I’m announcing that I had this opportunity and will be resigning later next month.”
Rude said he applied for the legislative director position because he was interested in the mission of the Secretary of State’s Office, including administering elections and preserving Washington’s historical records.
The offer became final Sept. 22, according to Rude. He will begin the new position Nov. 1, one day after leaving the Legislature.
“When I saw that opportunity, obviously the timing was very inconvenient, but it looked like a good opportunity, so I applied for it and here we are,” Rude said.
Rude has served in the House for nearly eight years. Before being elected, he worked for former state Sen. Maureen Walsh as a legislative assistant for four years.
On the ballot
Rude’s resignation creates an unusual situation for voters in the 16th Legislative District because his name will remain on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
Rude is the Republican candidate for House Position 2, while Democrat Derek Sarley is also running for the seat.
If Sarley wins the election, he would serve the next two-year term. If Rude wins, however, Rude would have already resigned before the election and the resulting vacancy would be filled through Washington’s legislative appointment process.
Under the Washington Constitution, partisan legislative vacancies are filled by appointment from the same political party as the departing legislator. For a joint legislative district, the county legislative authorities in the district jointly make the appointment from nominees submitted by the party.
Rude said that means a vote for him would effectively allow Republicans to retain the seat through the appointment process.
“Essentially a vote for me is a vote for a Republican slot to be filled,” Rude told The Center Square. “A vote for me will lead to a Republican filling the spot.”
Rude said he intends to help with the transition if Republicans are responsible for filling the vacancy.
“I just want to be that resource in the process,” Rude said. “I can help to make it smooth, transparent.”
Sarley addressed Rude’s announcement in a video posted Wednesday on his campaign’s Facebook page.
“I wish him well in that happiness,” Sarley said of Rude’s new position. “I want to thank him for his service, especially during some tough times like COVID.”
Sarley said Rude’s departure changes the nature of the November race.
“The difference now is that I’m the only one on the ballot who’s looking to serve next year,” Sarley said.
Sarley said he plans to continue campaigning throughout the district and invited voters who have not yet spoken with him to contact him.
He said the issues he hears about while campaigning – including affordability and concerns that residents’ voices are not being heard – across party lines.
“I think the issues that I keep hearing about when I’m out there on the campaign trail transcend party lines,” Sarley said in the video.
Sarley said he wants to represent residents regardless of political affiliation.
“I want to represent every single person in the district, every family, every working family, every small business, every farm, every farm worker,” he said.
Rude said he knew announcing his departure while campaigning for reelection could raise questions among voters.
“There was concern that maybe some voters would maybe feel betrayed or wonder why, why are you looking for a job while you’re running for office?” Rude said.
He said the legislative director position was not available when he filed for reelection and became available later in the campaign.
Rude said he considered waiting until after the election but rejected that approach because he believed voters deserved to know before casting their ballots.
“The politically strategic way of handling this, transparency aside, voters aside, would have been after the election,” Rude said. “But the strategic option happens to be 180 degrees from what I feel is the ethical, transparent option.”
Rude said he has received a largely positive response from constituents and colleagues since announcing the decision.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised that people are really understanding,” he said.
New role
Rude said the new position gives him an opportunity to remain involved in state government after leaving elected office.
The Secretary of State’s Office oversees Washington elections and state archives, among other responsibilities.
“It’s a great way to transition out of being a House member in a role that still keeps me connected,” Rude said. “I can still serve the constituents more broadly in this case Washington state and my district and engage in policy areas that are important to me.”
Rude also said he views his hiring by a Democratic secretary of state as an example of bipartisan cooperation.
“Elections are not partisan,” Rude said. “Conducting audits is not partisan.”
He said he believes administrative offices such as the Secretary of State’s Office should focus on good government rather than party politics.