House Democrats Losing Minority Leader

State House Minority Leader Brian Ebersole has stepped down from his leadership post after announcing he is running for mayor of Tacoma.

“I think it is in the best interest of the caucus to have a leader that is solely focused on preparing for the next session and beyond,” Ebersole said. Ebersole, was elected to the House in 1982 and served as speaker in 1993 and 1994. He was House majority leader from 1987 through 1992. He took the minority leader’s job this year after the Democrats lost the majority in last fall’s election.

Two lawmakers are known to be considering the job - House Democrats’ floor leader Marlin Appelwick of Seattle and Rep. Greg Fisher, D-Normandy Park, former chairman of the House Revenue Committee.