Senate-Elect Goehner Already Working On Issues For First Term

It appears former 12th District Rep. Keith Goehner will be moving to the State Senate for the next four years.

The Republican from Dryden, who has served in the State House for the past six years, is winning his bid for a Senate seat over Democrat Jim Mayhew in the General Election by a margin of 55.63% (33,419 votes) to 44.35% (26,643).

Goehner, who also defeated Mayhew in the August Primary by a margin of 54.52% (12,301 votes) to 45.37% (10,236 votes), says he doesn't expect a lot of differences between his role as State Representative and his upcoming post as a Senator.

Get our free mobile app

"I'll basically just be moving across the rotunda at the Capital, but you're dealing with the same legislation and it's a little bit different in that you've got half as many people in the Senate as you do the House. The relationships are also a little bit different because the committees are smaller and you've got more to cover with less people, but other than that I don't think it will be that much different."

Goehner is assuming the Senate seat vacated by fellow Republican Brad Hawkins who decided to run for Chelan County Commissioner after moving from East Wenatchee to Wenatchee following the redrawing of legislative district boundaries.

Goehner says there are several critical issues at both the state and local level he is planning to work on during his first term in the Senate.

"One of the things that's really becoming very important is fire insurance. We've has some real issues statewide with new mapping that was done and a lot of people have lost their fire insurance as a result of that. So that's a local issue that I'm already working on. Statewide, I think the energy concerns are as we transition away from some of the more conventional fuel sources, we need to make sure that whatever decisions we make we're being mindful of those people who are least apt to be able to make those transitions because of the cost involved."

Goehner adds he believes it will continue to prove challenging to pass Republican-backed legislation in Olympia with Democrats maintaining their majority and the election of new Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson.