Jim Walsh (Washington politician)

James W. Walsh[2] (born 1964)[3] is a Republican member of the Washington State House of Representatives.[4]

Jim Walsh
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 19th district
Assumed office
December 8, 2016 (2016-12-08)
Serving with Joel McEntire
Preceded byJD Rossetti
Personal details
Born1964 (age 58–59)
Jacksonville, Florida[1]
Political partyRepublican
Alma materAmherst College (BA)

"Jim" Walsh attended Amherst College, graduating cum laude in 1986. He formed a small publishing company in 1998 that he continues to operate today. He lives in Aberdeen with the youngest of his five children, who attends school in the area. His wife was killed in a car crash on October 24, 2022 after a logging truck swerved into her lane on Highway 101.[5]

He was first elected to the state legislature in 2016. He represents the 19th Legislative District, including parts of Grays Harbor, Pacific, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Thurston and Lewis counties.[6]

As a Representative, Walsh actively focuses on issues related to economic development, rural issues and personal freedom. He has a very popular weekly legislative Q&A video series with over 26,000 followers.[7]

In October 2018, roughly two weeks before the elections, Walsh was sued by two constituents for banning them from his Facebook page. The constituents argued that Walsh's actions constituted a violation of their first amendment rights. Walsh countered that they were blocked from his page for defaming his supporters and specifically bashing on Christians, claiming he had warned them to stop their disruptive posts on multiple occasions before finally removing them.[8] The chief plaintiff in the lawsuit, Jeff Nichols of Montesano, was the outgoing chair of the 19th Legislative District Democrats at the time.[9]

In 2021, Walsh wore a yellow Star of David (the symbol that Nazis forced Jews to wear during the Holocaust), likening individuals who refuse to vaccinate against COVID-19 to the Jews in Nazi Germany. Walsh said, "In the current context, we’re all Jews." The Seattle-based Holocaust Center for Humanity said that Walsh trivialized the Holocaust and distorted history.[10] He subsequently apologized recognizing that this "gesture went too far."[11]

Representative Walsh currently serves on the following committees for the 2023-2024 session:

Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, Ranking minority member Education Committee, Asst. ranking minority member State Government & Tribal Relations Committee, Asst. ranking minority member House Transportation Committee

Representative Walsh is considering a run for Washington’s Third Congressional District after it unexpectedly flipped in the 2022 midterm elections.

References

  1. "Jim Walsh's Biography". VoteSmart. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  2. "Summary, Full Report Receipts and Expenditures, James W Walsh". Public Disclosure Commission, State of Washington. 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  3. "Legislative Manual 2021-2022" (PDF). Washington State Legislature.
  4. "About Rep. Jim Walsh". Jim Walsh. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  5. "https://www.chinookobserver.com/news/local/state-representatives-wife-dies-in-traffic-accident/article_1fbe4abc-5405-11ed-a525-b7f08d39e7fd.html
  6. "November 8, 2016 General Election Results - Legislative District 19 - State Representative Pos. 1". results.vote.wa.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  7. "Jim Walsh Videos". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  8. Press, Rachel La Corte | Associated (2018-10-26). "Lawmaker sued for banning 2 constituents from Facebook page". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  9. “19th Legislative District Democrats”. 19th LDDC. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  10. "Washington lawmaker wears yellow Star of David, evoking Nazi persecution, to protest COVID vaccine mandates". The Seattle Times. 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  11. Cox, Chelsey. "Washington state lawmaker apologizes for wearing yellow star to protest covid restrictions". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.