(The Center Square) – The Washington State Legislature’s Republican leadership found itself at a loss for words during a Wednesday press conference following Gov. Bob Ferguson’s inaugural address.
House Minority Leader Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, opened the media availability along with Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and other party heads. While Republicans have anxiously awaited Ferguson’s arrival as governor, many were surprised by his seemingly overlapping priorities.
“You know, this was a really interesting speech, and I actually am trying to figure out exactly how to respond,” Stokesbary said. “I think that Gov. Ferguson’s speech looked a lot more like mine than it did Gov. Inslee’s.”
Stokesbary noted “there was a lot of scowls from Democrat members” as Ferguson listed his priorities. While Inslee’s farewell mainly focused on policy where he thought Washington was pushing the needle, Ferguson didn’t hesitate to point out where the state fell short.
Washington anticipates a revenue shortfall of $10 billion to $16 billion over the next four years. While Inslee and Senate Democrats made plans to raise taxes by billions, Ferguson digressed, noting the options as a “last resort” after exhaustive cuts to upcoming spending.
The now-governor laid out steps earlier this month for initial cuts in state spending by as much as $4.4 billion and plans to budget from scratch, justifying each expense worked into the framework.
Stokesbary’s opening remarks earlier this week focused on Washington sitting among the five most expensive states for gas, groceries and housing. The Washington State Republican Party has pushed to combat this, but with the consequence of cutting spending and services.
“Gov. Inslee didn’t paint that kind of picture when he gave his State of the State on Tuesday,” Stokesbary said. “He talked a lot about puppies and rainbows, but Gov. Ferguson was honest, and I appreciate that.”
The Republicans said they will continue to call out policy where they disagree with Ferguson and intend to hold him accountable for his promises to both parties on Wednesday.
“He said, I’m not here to defend government, I’m here to reform it,” Braun said, referencing the governor’s inaugural address. “Well, let me tell you, Gov. Ferguson, here’s your team.”
Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, said Ferguson’s real test will be his ability to work with the Democratic majorities in the state Senate and House of Representatives.
“Republicans here in Washington state are not about party politics,” Corry said, “so when we hear things we like from the governor, we’re going to support him and help him get that done, even though he’s not from our party.”
During Ferguson’s speech, Stokesbary said he leaned over to the caucus chair to note how happy their party was compared to the majority. He estimated that the Republicans stood up eight to ten times in support of Ferguson compared to the Democrat’s stoic look and less frequent approval.
“From initial reactions, we seem a little more encouraged by what he had to say than our counterparts on the other side of the aisle,” he said, “but that also presents a challenge for Bob.”
