Tim Sheldon

Tim Sheldon has served two terms as a Democrat in the Washington State Senate, representing the [http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/results.aspx?District=35 35th district] , after serving four terms in the state House of Representatives. [cite web | title = SDC - Senator Tim Sheldon | publisher = Senate Democratic Caucus | url = http://www.sdc.wa.gov/sheldonbio.htm | accessdate = 2006-11-10] In November 2006 he was re-elected to a third, four-year term. [cite web | title = 2006 General Election Results | publisher = Washington Secretary of State | url = http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/general/Results.aspx?o=540da7ef-37c0-475c-8811-8c462d51ff54 | accessdate = 2006-11-10]

Sheldon currently serves on the Senate Transportation and Higher Education Committees. [cite web | title = Senator Tim Sheldon | publisher = Washington State Senate | url = http://www1.leg.wa.gov/senate/sheldon/ | accessdate = 2006-11-10]

Conflicts with Democratic Party

Sheldon is frequently in conflict with the Democratic Party. On many votes he has sided with the Republican caucus, giving them a majority to defeat Democrat-supported legislation. While this helped him obtain influential committee placements when Republicans controlled the Senate, it has resulted in his losing power with the Democrats in control. [Citation | last = Thomas | first = Ralph | title = Meet the loneliest Democrat in Olympia | newspaper = The Seattle Times | year = 2007 | date = March 27 | url = http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003637693_sheldon27m.html]

In 2005 Sheldon was one of two Democrats (the other being Senator James Hargrove) to vote against HB 1515 (providing gays and lesbians with protection from discrimination in housing, employment and insurance). With the Democrats holding a 26-23 majority in the Senate, the bill failed by a single vote. [cite web | title = HB 1515 - 2005-06 | publisher = Washington State Legislature | url = http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1515 | accessdate = 2006-11-10] The following year, Republican Senator Bill Finkbeiner broke ranks with his own caucus to vote for a similar bill, HB 2661, which passed the senate by one vote and became law on June 7, 2006. [cite web | title = HB 2661 - 2005-06 | publisher = Washington State Legislature | url = http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2661 | accessdate = 2006-11-10]

In 2004 Tim Sheldon campaigned for George Bush and Republican Gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi. This outraged many Democrats. [Citation | last = Thomas | first = Ralph | title = Meet the loneliest Democrat in Olympia | newspaper = The Seattle Times | year = 2007 | date = March 27 | url = http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003637693_sheldon27m.html]

In 2002, the Mason County Democrats contributed money to Senator Sheldon's Green Party opponent, Marilou Rickert [cite web | title = Detailed Contributions to Candidates and Political Committees | publisher = Washington State Public Disclosure Commission | url = http://www.pdc.wa.gov/servlet/ContServlet | accessdate = 2006-12-10] , but did not endorse a candidate in the race. In 2006, the Washington State Democratic Party, as well as several county Democratic parties openly supported Senator Sheldon's primary election opponent, Kyle Taylor Lucas [http://www.kyleforsenate.com/] , contributing both money and endorsements. [cite web | title = Detailed Contributions to 2006 Legislative Candidates | publisher = Washington State Public Disclosure Commission | url = http://www.pdc.wa.gov/servlet/LegCont2006Servlet | accessdate = 2006-12-10] [cite web | author = Rachel La Corte | title = Democrats turn their back on senator | publisher = Seattle Post-Intelligencer | url = http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/283073_dems30.html | accessdate = 2006-12-10]

Sheldon, who refers to himself as a "maverick," often responds to unhappy Democrats by saying that he represents his district before he represents his party. Critics claim he is not honest with his constituents about what principles he supports. [Citation | last = Thomas | first = Ralph | title = Meet the loneliest Democrat in Olympia | newspaper = The Seattle Times | year = 2007 | date = March 27 | url = http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003637693_sheldon27m.html]

Notes

External links

* [http://www1.leg.wa.gov/senate/sheldon/ Sheldon's official State Senate page]
* [http://www.sdc.wa.gov/sheldon.htm Sheldon's SDC page]
* [http://www.35thdemocrats.org/ 35th District Democrats]
* [http://www.kyleforsenate.com/ Kyle Taylor Lucas for State Senate (2006)]