By the numbers, the Washington legislature is a very partisan organization – overwhelmingly Democratic, dominated by one party a little more than the legislature in Oregon, though a little less than the legislature in Idaho.
But Representative Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, makes an interesting case today in the online Seattle Post-Intelligencer that the Washington legislature is more bipartisan in practice than many people think.
“I enjoy watching the criss-cross traffic on the Floor of the House as Reps from one side walk over to consult with a colleague of the party opposite.
The votes tell the same story. The House had 857 recorded votes in the 105 day session just ended. I’ve not recounted, but my guess is that about 800 of those Yea or Nay questions gathered 90 or more of the 98 Representatives to the same conclusion,” he writes.
Of course, most votes in most legislatures are pro forma, acceptable to pretty much everybody, and the measure really comes in those tougher calls when the caucuses tend to break apart. And it’s probably easier for someone in the majority party to make this sort of an argument. Still, his take on this is worth the read.
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