Actually, no - there is no doctor in the state House of Representatives, but a standing-room-only crowd at Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor gathered to change that this evening as local pediatrician Sumner Schoenike announced his candidacy for the 26th Legislative District seat currently held by Jan Angel (R-Port Orchard).
"We need a doctor in the House," exclaimed Sen. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor), who can himself be addressed as "doctor," having earned a PhD from the University Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
Dr. Schoenike, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician with over thirty years of pediatric experience. During the last twelve years, he has provided general pediatric care to South Sound residents, as well as practicing at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, St. Clare Hospital, and St. Joseph Hospital.
According to Kilmer:
“Dr. Schoenike’s wealth of public service to Washington State residents, as well as to our military, will add just the dimension we need in state government to assure quality health care for our citizens, a great education for our kids, and advancing job growth for the 26th Legislative District."
Dr. Schoenike also has a record of local civic engagement, having served on the Board of Trustees for the Pierce County Medical Society, the Board of Directors of the Franciscan Health System, the Board of Communities in Schools of Peninsula, and on the capital campaign for the Community Health Care clinic system.
Dr. Schoenike has a straightforward agenda:
"I will act on improving access to affordable health care, ramping up our economy by growing jobs – not taxes – championing our public schools, and protecting our extraordinary quality of life."
That said, he also offered a rational for challenging the incumbent, noting that:
“The people of the 26th Legislative District are poorly served by the incumbent, Jan Angel, at a time when real leadership is critical.”
Angel sponsored only four bills during her first session in the Legislature:
- HB 2230 - renaming the state ferry system (failed)
- HJM 4011 - renaming the Tacoma Narrows Bridge after a conservative Republican (failed)
- HB 1834 - an unfunded mandate to put GPS monitors on sex offenders (failed)
- HB1835 "Relating to using respectful language in state laws" (passed)
Considering that Angel collects more that $50,000 per year in salary, per diem and benefits - and that taxpayers also pick up the tab for her Legislative Aide and district office - you can look for her to try to pad her legislative resume with what little time is left before she starts to run for re-election.
Angel has already adopted the Republican stand-by proposal to eliminate the estate tax on family businesses and some more feel-good ideas to change antiquated language that's still on the books from a bygone era - but it's going to be hard for her to use such last-minute token efforts to justify re-election, especially when her seatmates Sen. Kilmer and Rep. Larry Seaquist are doing serious heavy lifting.
The voters of the 26LD might very well think that a doctor is just what they need in Olympia to replace Jan Angel's anemic performance.
