Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley, will not be seeking re-election after accepting a new job today with the Washington Growth Management Hearings Board.
Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Pflug, a moderate Republican, to a six-year term as the board’s Central Puget Sound representative serving King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties. She will begin work July 1 and earn $92,500 a year.
The news may not shock Republican leaders in the Senate as Pflug had expressed interest in the position several weeks ago and not been raising money for a campaign.
Another Republican, Brad Toft, did file for her 5th Legislative District seat. While Pflug did file for re-election, she has until 5 p.m. today to withdraw to keep her name off the ballot. There is one Democrat in the race, Mark Mullett.
Her decision comes on the heels of Friday’s shocking news that veteran Sen. Joseph Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, will not be back in 2013. And it adds to the intrigue of an election season in which the Senate GOP is hoping to capture a majority of seats by knocking off veteran Democratic Sens. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island and Rosemary McAuliffe of Bothell.
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