Roger G. Flygare announced his bid to run as a Democrat for the 30th District Senate seat against former state Rep. Mark Miloscia, now a Republican.
The seat is currently held by Sen. Tracey Eide, who announced in March she will not seek another term.
Flygare said Eide worked with him on issues relevant to his profession in the civil and criminal justice community in the Legislature.
He said he is running because he is “tired of watching our Legislature grind to a halt on important issues, like education, transportation and social service programs. This is gridlock at its worst and it’s truly a sad commentary on how our Legislature is performing today.”
Flygare believes the Legislature should embrace common sense policies and budgets.
“We need a responsible government as well as tolerance for all points of view. I believe in a free market system with sensible regulation and unobtrusive taxation. Today, more than ever, we need a return of etiquette and civility in society and, more importantly, in the political realm. Washington’s Legislature needs more fresh sets of eyes looking at problems, both old and new.”
Flygare noted Miloscia served 14 years in the state Legislature and “during that time tax breaks for well-connected special interests continued to increase, while funding for our children’s schools continued on a downward spiral. We have seen the Republican-controlled Senate block many popular bills that would have improved the lives of hardworking Washingtonians, all the while failing to do anything for our failing and inadequate transportation system.”
Flygare has been a small business owner for 35-plus years and a Vietnam veteran. His court reporting agencies are certified veteran-owned businesses by the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs.
Flygare grew up in Southern Idaho as the son of a dairy farmer on a small but self-sufficient farm. He graduated from Nampa Senior High in Nampa, Idaho in 1967. Shortly after graduating, his family moved to Federal Way.
After moving to Washington, Flygare worked at the Boeing Co. as a quality control inspector and attended college. After a year of college, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969 during the escalation of the Vietnam War. He served with distinction and was honorably discharged in 1971.
Flygare then returned to college and completed degrees in court reporting and business management from Green River Community College.
He has been married to Karla Warnke Flygare — daughter of the late Frank Warnke the 30th District’s former six-term state representative and the 31st District’s two-term state senator — for 38 years.
