Rodne in line to take Rossi's seat

SNOQUALMIE - Snoqualmie City Councilman Jay Rodne could be heading to Olympia next year.

Last week the King County Republican Party announced that Rodne was one of three candidates picked to fill the 5th district seat in the state Senate left vacant by Dino Rossi, who resigned earlier this year to run for governor.

Rodne said, however, that his best chances to represent the area are by taking a seat in the state Legislature that could be left vacant by Cheryl Pflug, who represents the 5th district in the state House of Representatives. Pflug was the first pick by King County Republican Party's Selection Candidate Committee to replace Rossi, with Rodne second and a woman named Katherine Kaluzny, third.

Rodne said he supports the appointment of Pflug to Rossi's seat and is not interested in trying to compete with her for it.

"If I had but one name to submit to that list, it would be Cheryl Pflug's," he said.

Rodne is, however, interested in filling the seat left vacant by Pflug. At the Jan. 5 meeting of the King County Council, the candidates chosen by the Selection Candidate Committee will speak at the meeting. The County Council will then vote on their candidate of choice. Should Pflug be named to Rossi's seat, her position will come open and the process the King County Republican Party took to pick a candidate for Rossi will repeat itself for Pflug's seat. A Jan. 12 meeting of the County Council would decide on that candidate.

Discussions over how this process would end up have taken place ever since Rossi resigned, Rodne said.

There are still some steps that need to take place and nothing has been finalized, but Rodne is optimistic about what next year could hold in store for him.

"It's an exciting time," Rodne said.

Should Rodne leave the Snoqualmie City Council, he would most likely do so soon after the Jan. 12 County Council meeting since the legislative session starts that same day. The Snoqualmie City Council would then convene to choose a candidate whom the council members would vote on.

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