OLYMPIA—State Senator Maureen Walsh, R-Walla Walla, is announcing she will not seek re-election to her seat, but will complete the last year of her term, which ends Jan. 11, 2021.

Walsh’s impending retirement will mark the end of a long and productive career in Olympia. Walsh started as a legislative assistant to Rep. Dave Mastin, R-Walla Walla, in 1993, and took his place in the House in 2005. After six terms in the House, she ran for an open seat in the Senate in 2016.

Walsh said, “It is with fondness and sadness that I have made the decision to move on. I will have had a long and wonderful 28-year career in the state Legislature. I’m honored that the people of the 16th District have allowed me to represent them in Olympia all these years.

“I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish, in helping to shape legislation on human services, mental health and early childhood education. And I don’t think I’ll ever forget the uproar after the speech I made on the House floor in favor of marriage equality, an issue I care deeply about – and which appeared to touch many across the country. Over the years I have watched this district flourish and grow, and I’ve been proud to be a part of that.