Hewitt will Not Seek Re-election in 2016
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Senator Mike Hewitt-R, joined here by wife Cory, visited Waitsburg last May during Waitsburg Celebration Days and spoke in honor of the city's sesquicentennial.
WALLA WALLA – State Senator Mike Hewitt announced this week that he will not seek re-election this year. The Walla Walla Republican, representing the 16th legislative district, is finishing his fourth four-year term.
"I've had 15 good years protecting the interests of my neighbors," Hewitt said in a press release. "It's time to step aside and give someone else a chance to do the same."
Hewitt, who has lived his entire life in the Walla Walla Valley was first elected to the state Senate in 2000 and was elected as Senate Republican leader in 2005, a position he held until 2012.
Hewitt will turn 70 later this month, and told The Times in a phone interview that he didn't feel he is ready to commit to four more years. "I'm not going to run and then resign after a year or two," he said. "That's not what the voters elect you for."
During his time in office, Hewitt helped form the bipartisan coalition known as the Majority Coalition Caucus, which supports public education while keeping state spending under control.
Hewitt serves on the Ways and Means Committee and the Natural Resources and Parks Committee. He also serves on the State Investment Board, the Gambling Commission, and the Lt. Governor's Committee on Economic Development and International Trade. He has actively supported business development, advocated veterans' issues and worked to complete Highway 12, the press release said.
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