Eide calling it quits
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Tracey Eide, a Federal Way Democrat, said she will not run for re-election this year, opening up a seat in one of the state's swing districts.
Eide, an 18-year-veteran of the Legislature, has served for the last two years has shared bipartisan leadership of the Senate Transportation Committee. During that time the Legislature has tried, without success, to find a package of major transportation projects and related tax increases that would satisfy both the Democrat-controlled House and the Senate controlled by a coalition that is predominantly Republican.
As part of that effort, Eide joined with Republican senators for a statewide "listening tour" of voters on transportation issues last summer and fall.
Eide said in a press release that she had decided after her 2010 election that this term would be her last "and that I would pour myself into this term and then open the door for someone else."
She's the senator from the 30th District, which has a Democrat Rep. Roger Freeman and Republican Rep. Linda Kochmar.