New leader for WA State House Republicans selected Monday

Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn) has been elected Leader of the Washington State House Republicans.

Stokesbary was chosen for the leadership post during a caucus meeting in Olympia on Monday, a day after the 2023 legislative session ended.

He succeeds Rep. J.T. Wilcox, (R-Yelm), who announced over the weekend he was stepping down.

“As a lifelong Washingtonian, I know the incredible potential of our state, but too many of our challenges have been exacerbated by single-party control,” said Stokesbary.

“I’m proud that House Republicans are fighting for real solutions to the critical issues affecting our state, including public safety, student performance and tax relief.”

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The Washington State House Republicans also elected Rep. Mike Steele (R-Chelan) as Deputy Leader today. He succeeds Rep. Joel Kretz, (R-Wauconda), who also announced he was stepping down.

“As Representative Drew Stokesbary steps into the top leadership position, with a phenomenal group of leaders behind him, it will be exciting to see our accomplishments as we continue to prioritize the top public policy concerns of the people we represent,” Steele said.

The rest of the GOP leadership include:

• Caucus Chair: Rep. Paul Harris, (R-Vancouver)
• Floor Leader: Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, (R-Republic)
• Assistant Floor Leader: Rep. Chris Corry, (R-Yakima)
• Assistant Floor Leader: Rep. Peter Abbarno, (R-Centralia)
• Whip: Rep. Dan Griffey, (R-Allyn)