Darlene Fairley won’t seek re-election to state Senate

Published 10:53 pm Friday, April 23, 2010

OLYMPIA — State Sen. Darlene Fairley, D-Lake Forest Park, sent colleagues an e-mail informing them she won’t seek re-election because she no longer enjoys the job she’s held for 16 years.

“I’ve always believed that if you hate what you’re doing, and you can’t give it your best, stop doing it. Life is too short to waste on things you don’t enjoy doing,” she wrote.

“We never know what’s going to happen next, but I do know that I’m not running again. Sixteen years is enough,” she concluded.

Fairley, a former Lake Forest Park city councilwoman, has served in the state Senate since 1995. She is presently chairwoman of the Government Operations and Elections Committee and a member of the Ways and Means and the Health and Long-Term Care committees.

She was considered a lock to win another four-year term in November.

As of today, she had $15,000 in campaign contributions on hand and no opponent in the 32nd Legislative District, a Democratic stronghold that straddles Snohomish and King counties. It includes Edmonds, Woodway, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore.

Rep. Maralyn Chase, D-Edmonds, is likely to be one of the first entrants in the race to succeed Fairley.

“I am certainly exploring all of my options,” Chase said. “I’ve made no secret in the past of my interest in serving in the Senate.”

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.