Rep. Quall
Quall called me yesterday during the holiday (the state Legislature was in session, however) to let me know that he wasn’t going to run.
“There’s a signal that comes to me mentally over the years that says when it’s time to move on,” Quall said of why he decided to retire.
The 74-year-old leaves the Legislature the same way he came into it in 1992, with the state facing revenue shortfalls and dealing with major issues like healthcare reform.
The news saddened state Rep. Kelli Linville, D-Bellingham, who also ran alongside Quall in those first years. She worked to convince him that he should run in the first place.
“I just convinced him that I thought it would be a great thing for him to do with his experience in education, counseling and coaching, and just being an all-around common sense guy,” Linville said. I think for the last 18 years he has used his passion for education and his abilities as a calming force in the Legislature to represent his district really well, and we are sorely going to miss the coach.”
A Mount Vernon High School teacher and counselor for 27 years, Quall is often referred to as “Coach” due to his work with high school and the Skagit Valley College basketball teams. His passion for education would move to the Legislature, where he previously was vice chairman of the House Higher Education Committee and has served as the House Education Committee chairman for the last 12 years.
He’s a popular politician, having never had a close election. The narrowest margin happened to be for his first re-election bid during the 1994 Republican revolution that would sweep the nation amid another eery similarities to the 2010 elections — healthcare reform by a Democratically-controlled Congress and White House and state revenue shortfalls.
But Quall, unlike many of his Democratic peers, would survive that 1994 race with 56.6 percent of the vote to Republican Mark Hulst’s 43.4 percent. Quall would never have an election that close, if he had a challenger, in future years.
The son of The Rev. A.O. Quall, the representative is one of 10 children and happened to be the only Democrat. He’d make that political decision with inspiration from President John F. Kennedy and Minnesota Democratic Sen. Eugene McCarthy.
Quall was always involved in politics. First, tagging along with his father to political events, according to a 1992 Bellingham Herald profile. His high school friends nicknamed him “Senator.”
Seen as somewhat conservative by both Democrats and Republicans in the 1990s, Quall considered himself a moderate, declaring that was the reason for his victory in 1994. Though the son of a preacher, Quall had no qualms with calling out conservatives.
“There’s nothing meaner than a mean Christian, unless it’s a mean patriotic Christian,” Quall once told a Herald reporter in 1998. He was making an argument that the state Legislature saw more Democrats coming in at the time as a backlash response to Christian conservatives, who he believed overplayed the President Clinton impeachment issue nationally and who pushed social issues in state Legislature.
But Quall was also seen as a calm, rational influence in the House, and was considered a teacher there, too.
“Being able to be his seatmate, and frankly having him as a mentor, has been a really powerful experience for me,” said state Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island. “It really is a loss.”
Ranker said that Quall’s experience in the Legislature as well as his leadership roles in education for the state was “irreplaceable.”
But, turning political, Ranker said he was confident that, based on several potential candidates he’s heard of for Quall’s seat, a Democrat would still be sitting in the 40th LD’s Position 1 seat in 2011.
So far, one Democrat has officially announced. Bow Democrat Tom Pasma announced today that he’ll seek Quall’s seat. He runs Double S Quarter Horses ranch with his wife, Sue Sultze. He is past chair of the 40th Legislative District Democrats, and serves as state committeeman.
As blogged previously, Republican Mike Newman has already announced a bid for the seat. The Mount Vernon Realtor is running because he’s concerned about “liberal Democrats” in the Legislature and the state’s budget deficit.
February 16th, 2010 at 9:34 AM
So Sam, have you heard of any candidates yet?
February 16th, 2010 at 9:35 AM
A good public servant who took his role as representative seriously. He will be missed.
February 16th, 2010 at 9:35 AM
Oh yeah, maybe I should read the entire post, ya think?
February 16th, 2010 at 9:40 AM
I am deeply grateful for his years of sacrifice and service to the people of Washington, and I wish Mr. Quall all the best his retirement may offer.
February 16th, 2010 at 10:24 AM
“The 74-year-old leaves the Legislature the same way he came into it in 1992, with the state facing revenue shortfalls and dealing with major issues like healthcare reform.”
Hmmm.
Just coincidence?
I think not!
February 16th, 2010 at 10:49 AM
So this guy Newman running against him–
He appears to be a Tea Partier associating himself with the Bellingham Tea Party.
He touts Education as one of his top three priorities, but he seems to sign on to Alexander’s idea of emphasizing virtual schools over brick and mortar.
At a time when Democrats are emphasizing protecting schools, colleges and the social safety net this guy sees all kinds of waste in government which he hopes to clear up by lowering the revenues needed to just barely avoid trashing our schools colleges and social safety net further. Been there done that.
As for the whole bricks and Mortar over virtual debate, we are already disconnected enough as a society. I fear more long hours being spent by people glued to their monitors (yeah I know) and not interacting in one on one personal relationships and face to face dialogue. The social interaction one experiences at school and college is essential to our humanity, our understanding of the world and our connection to it; and I fear the brave new world we’re headed into as I see losses of basic communication and social skills at an alarming rate all around me already.
February 16th, 2010 at 11:47 AM
So Shaun…have you gotten out from behind your monitor and actually talked to the Republican candidate? Or are you making assumptions and best guesses? Have you actually talked to any “tea-partiers”? Or do you base your opinion on sound bites you get off the TV or off the internet? Do you even know why most of them are there? You can’t paint all people that are “associated” with the Tea Party as crazies any more than you can say all environmentalists must be just like those in ELF or GreenPeace.
As far as face to face dialogue and interaction, I’ve seen some of the face to face contact on campus and that is NOT comforting to me. Social graces are DEFINITELY not a shining example for the most part. Most of the time the motto of college goer is “who gives a fig who I hurt, offend or use, I’m going to do what I want, what makes me feel best”…hardly learning how to have “relationships” with others…at least healthy ones. There are many people who have not attended college and their social interactions are just fine…probably because they know life is more than just being book smart, having shallow social interactions and “hook-ups”.
February 16th, 2010 at 11:50 AM
I too wish him the best. I hardly ever agreed with him but appreciate that being a public servant has many sacrifices. Best wishes Rep. Quall.
February 16th, 2010 at 11:59 AM
Gee, McGee, you sure like to paint with a broad brush:
“There are many people who have not attended college and their social interactions are just fine…probably because they know life is more than just being book smart, having shallow social interactions and “hook-ups”.”
Yes, all college kids are hiding behind textbooks, twittering on facebook with acquaintances and having wild sexual romps. Have you truly had any contact with the young people of today or did you just watch a few episodes of “Jersey Shore” and call it good?
This generation has the highest rate of monthly community service hours since they started keeping track right after WWII. Let me repeat that, this generation is deeply involved in helping others. While they might not vote as often as they should, they are feeding the homeless, spending time with the elderly and cleaning up Whatcom Parks. So, while your misgotten impressions might be of flighty and uncaring troublemakers (who doubtlessly need to get off your lawn), you will find that most of this college kids are socially conscious, reasonably polite and quite socially well adjusted.
Yeesh.
February 16th, 2010 at 12:09 PM
So Riley I’m just old and worried. All this social media stuff is frightening to me. Too easy to misuse or be abused by rogue elements. But I like your stuff about the volunteers and am glad that is the case.
February 16th, 2010 at 12:12 PM
It is perfectly fine to be intimidated by new technology, my parents just got a microwave for the first time and still approach it like a strange beast lurking in their Kitchen. But using that fact that people connect with each other online as reasoning that ALL young people are socially shallow sexual fiends is just plain wrong.
February 16th, 2010 at 2:18 PM
I’m wondering if this means Rep Quall was able to find a democratic successor to his seat. From what I heard he was waiting to retire until he could find someone willing to run in his place.
Frankly from my talks with Mike Newman I think he will make a great 40th LD representative should he be given the opportunity by voters.
Also Shaun, I’m not sure about Mike’s stances in brick and mortar vs virtual schools, but I think his overall stance on education funding would help reverse the Democratic trend of channeling revenues designed to fund education (like the lottery and state education bond fund) to the general fund would help the state in meeting its primary obligation to adequately fund public education.
February 16th, 2010 at 3:15 PM
It’s all a balancing act BHammer. I did read about that (the channeling)but I’m not up on the pros and cons of that argument. I just believe my Reps. like Linville, share my basic core values.
Seems lots of people go through a lot of shifts and can’t really be pegged as R’s or D’s, their entire lives.
D’s when they’re young, independents when they go to school, D’s when they ‘re working, R’s when they make a little , and D’s at the end.
As I said I don’t know the man, but you know my stripes…
I don’t know this other person either, but I’ve driven past his ranch a lot as the Skagit Flats are a favorite haunt.. When is the filing deadline?
February 16th, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Riley is an amazing comedic writer! Completely slayed the McGee. Romps! LOL
February 16th, 2010 at 8:56 PM
Pasma is a solid guy, with as much cattle as hat, so to speak. In this case horses.
I can’t help but suspect a repeat of the Spanel vacancy, though, with several of those folks trying to run again, or even more. Hopefully Democrats will rally around one guy such as Pasma, so that the real dialogue can begin among the two eventual successors to the November ballot.
February 17th, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Suzy I had a pretty good post in support of Riley’s romp, but I guess I shouldn’t have referred to the Tea Partiers as being POed about the government and Obama. My bad I guess. Though I was sure someone else used that phrase not long ago, but alas there is no freedom of speech here. I wish there were a way to amend or edit a comment awaiting moderation since I don’t feel like spending the time again to just remove one word used in even polite company.
February 17th, 2010 at 8:26 AM
Thank you guys. I have to say, I desperately miss writing comedy. I used to write for and host a monthly community access television show in Olympia. It was an absolute hoot to produce. If you want to see our promo for it (with me as a much skinnier guy and perhaps in drag), check it out here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO0b3Ja-oys
February 17th, 2010 at 10:03 AM
You will need sound.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:45 PM
Ugh. Spam.
March 1st, 2010 at 2:23 PM
The spam is gone.