OLYMPIA – State Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, today announced he will not seek re-election to the senate in 2022.
Carlyle, chair of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee, has sponsored and shepherded numerous major bills through the senate and legislature during his 13-year career. Carlyle’s proudest work includes cap and invest carbon pricing, 100% clean energy, a clean fuel standard, environmental justice, public disclosure of tax exemptions, reforming marijuana and telecommunications taxation, higher education finance, foster youth success and leadership on national data privacy policy.
Carlyle, 56, was first elected to the House of Representatives from the 36th Legislative District in 2008 in what was at the time the most expensive House campaign in state history. He succeeded 36-year veteran Rep. Helen Sommers. In the House, he served as chair of the Finance Committee and as a budget writer. He succeeded Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles in the Senate in 2015. Carlyle is proud to have been elected and re-elected six times.
Carlyle offered a statement regarding his decision:
“The ideal of servant leadership in our part-time citizen legislature—overseen by an engaged public and a rigorous and independent media—is core to the integrity of our constitutional republic. It’s a profound honor to serve as a state legislator. We are the quiet warriors in the trenches of representative democracy. I am proud that during my time leading the Senate’s climate strategy our state has passed the strongest, most comprehensive, and impactful suite of climate legislation in the United States. We are widely recognized as a premier leader in the world in tackling climate change as the most important issue of our era.
“Civic engagement is part of the soul of my DNA. I will remain passionately and enthusiastically engaged at every level in the quality of life of our community. It is now time for me to consider new opportunities for leadership in other public and private sector arenas. In gratitude for the overwhelming support I’ve enjoyed from voters, I want to repay that respect and voluntarily stand aside and allow sufficient time for everyone in our community to have a fair and equal chance to seek this important office.
“People elect us to listen, learn, do our homework and make good policy decisions and not tremble in the political winds. More than anything, I have tried to be a policy workhorse who can count votes and pass historically significant legislation. I’ve tried to live by the guiding principles of bipartisan relationships, negotiations, and compromise. I reject rigid ideology and hit-and-run politics in favor of the grace of dialogue.
“While raising our four wonderful children with my wife Dr. Wendy Carlyle and working full time in my professional career as a technology and sustainability entrepreneur, I have tried to enhance the dignity of public service. I sometimes failed and I apologize deeply for times that I missed the mark. I have worked to represent the gracious people of my community with a sense of courageous honesty, curiosity, passion, solid data, intellectual rigor and deep listening.
“My thanks begin with my fabulous wife Wendy and our children, Adi, Liat, Zev and Nava, for their unyielding support of my passion for public and community service. The voters have allowed me to fight for big ideas that make a difference in quality of life for 7.6 million Washingtonians. I am so grateful for their trust, partnership, respect and support. Thank you!"
