Majority Coalition Caucus of the State of Washington
President Pro Tempore of the SenateTim Sheldon (D)
(2012–2015)
Pam Roach (R)
(2015–2017)
Tim Sheldon (D)
(2017)
Senate Majority LeaderRodney Tom (D)
(2012–2014)
Mark Schoesler (R)
(2014–2017)
Senate Republican Caucus LeaderMark Schoesler (R)
FoundedDecember 10, 2012 (2012-12-10)
DissolvedNovember 15, 2017 (2017-11-15)
Ideology2012–2015:
Bipartisanship
Syncreticism
2015–2017:
Fiscal conservatism
Social moderatism
Political positionCenter to center-right
Seats in the State Senate (at dissolution)
24 / 49

The Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) was a caucus formed on December 10, 2012, by all 23 Republican members of the Washington State Senate and two Democratic senators. Its membership constituted a majority of the chamber's 49 members, allowing it to take control of the Senate from the Democratic caucus whose members had previously formed a majority. The MCC, operating much like a coalition government, offered an equal number of committee leadership positions to Republicans and Democrats. Senate Democrats accepted only three of the nine positions offered them. The Republicans strengthened their position by gaining one seat in the 2013 election, but lost its majority following a special election in November 2017. The coalition has 23 Republicans and one self-identified Democratic senator, Tim Sheldon. On November 15, 2017, the Majority Coalition Caucus returned to being the state Senate Republican Caucus.[1]

Formation and organization

In the November 2012 elections, Republicans gained one seat in the Washington State Senate, reducing the Democratic majority to 26 out of 49 seats. On December 10, 2012, two Democratic state senators, Tim Sheldon and Rodney Tom, announced they would caucus with the Republicans to create a Republican Majority Caucus with 25 of 49 seats.[2][3]

The MCC has the power to appoint the chairpersons and members of the twelve policy and three fiscal committees that play a leading role in considering and advancing legislation, much like U.S. Senate committees. The MCC proposed six Republican chairs and six Democratic chairs and co-chairs drawn from both parties for the remaining committees.

Senate Democrats rejected offers to chair or co-chair any committees offered them except three: Steve Hobbs chaired the Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee, Brian Hatfield chaired the Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development Committee, and Tracey Eide co-chaired the Transportation Committee with Curtis King.[4] However, by December 2014 Hobbs, Hatfield, and Eide's roles had been reduced to "ranking minority member" on each of their committees in favor of Republican leadership.[5]

The MCC's two Democratic members were given leadership positions: Rodney Tom was Senate Majority Leader, Tim Sheldon (MCC) was the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Republican Mark Schoesler headed the Senate Republican Caucus, which continued to operate even while all its members belong as well to the MCC.[2][6]

The election of Republican Jan Angel in 2013 to the Senate gave the MCC 26 of the 49 seats. Rodney Tom characterized this as an "exponential" increase in the coalition's leverage.[7]

In the 2014 election Rodney Tom decided not to seek re-election because of family problems. However, the caucus maintained its majority with 26 senators.[8]

The Majority Coalition Caucus lost its majority in the 2017 special election, which saw the election of Democrat Manka Dhingra. On 15 November 2017 the Majority Coalition Caucus was dissolved and all of its members rejoined the Senate Republican Caucus; despite being registered as a Democrat, Tim Sheldon continued to caucus with Republicans.[9]

In the 2018 election, Washington Democratic Party regained its majority in the Senate, electing 28 seats.

Composition

The caucus at peak membership in January 2014. Majority:
  Republicans (24)
  Coalition Democrats (2)
  Non-Coalition Democrats in Majority (3)
Minority:
  Democrats (20)
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Coalition Non-coalition
Republican Democratic Vacant
After 2012 Election 23 2 24 49 0
2013 Session 23 2 3 21 49 0
2014 Session 24 2 3 20 49 0
2015–16 Session 25 1 23 49 0
2017 Session 24 1 24 49 0

Majority Coalition Caucus-Led Committees

Committee Makeup Chair Ranking Member
Accountability & Reform3 MCC / 2 DMark MilosciaPramila Jayapal
Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development3 MCC / 2 DJudith WarnickBrian Hatfield
Commerce & Labor4 MCC / 3 DMichael BaumgartnerBob Hasegawa
Early Learning & K-12 Education5 MCC / 4 DSteve LitzowRosemary McAuliffe
Energy, Environment & Telecommunications5 MCC / 4 DDoug EricksenJohn McCoy
Financial Institutions & Insurance5 MCC / 4 DDon BentonMark Mullet
Government Operations & State Security4 MCC / 3 DPam RoachMarko Liias
Health Care8 MCC / 5 DRandi BeckerDavid Frockt
Higher Education4 MCC / 3 DBarbara BaileyJeanne Kohl-Welles
Human Services, Mental Health & Housing3 MCC / 2 DSteve O'BanJeannie Darneille
Law & Justice4 MCC / 3 DMike PaddenJamie Pedersen
Natural Resources & Parks4 MCC / 3 DKirk PearsonBrian Hatfield
Rules11 MCC / 7 DBrad OwenPam Roach
Trade & Economic Development4 MCC / 3 DSharon BrownMaralyn Chase
Transportation9 MCC / 6 DCurtis KingSteve Hobbs
Ways & Means13 MCC / 10 DAndy HillJames Hargrove

List of MCC members

District Senator Party Residence First elected
2Randi BeckerRepublicanEatonville2008
4Mike PaddenRepublicanSpokane Valley2011†
6Michael BaumgartnerRepublicanSpokane2010
7Brian DanselRepublicanRepublic2013†
8Sharon BrownRepublicanKennewick2013*
9Mark SchoeslerRepublicanRitzville2004
10Barbara BaileyRepublicanOak Harbor2012
12Linda Evans ParletteRepublicanWenatchee2000
13Judy WarnickRepublicanMoses Lake2014
14Curtis KingRepublicanYakima2007†
15Jim HoneyfordRepublicanSunnyside1998
16Mike HewittRepublicanWalla Walla2000
17Don BentonRepublicanVancouver1996
18Ann RiversRepublicanLa Center2012
20John BraunRepublicanCentralia2012
25Bruce DammeierRepublicanPuyallup2012
26Jan AngelRepublicanPort Orchard2013†
28Steve O'BanRepublicanTacoma2013*
30Mark MilosciaRepublicanFederal Way2014
31Pam RoachRepublicanSumner1990
35Tim SheldonDemocratic (MCC)Potlatch1996
39Kirk PearsonRepublicanMonroe2012
41Steve LitzowRepublicanMercer Island2010†
42Doug EricksenRepublicanFerndale2010
45Andy HillRepublicanRedmond2010
47Joe FainRepublicanAuburn2010
  • Originally appointed
†Originally Elected in Special Election

Responses

Most local media initially responded with cautious optimism to the announced coalition,[10] though a columnist in the Spokesman-Review responded with skepticism.[11] Democratic leaders denounced the MCC as "the exact opposite of collaboration" and denied that it was bi-partisan.[12]

See also

References

  1. "MCC returns to the Senate Republican Caucus". Twitter. November 15, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Tom, Rodney; Schoesler, Mark (December 16, 2012). "Op-ed: State Senate's new Majority Coalition Caucus will govern across party lines". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  3. "Washington State Senate: Republicans Claim Majority After Democrats Defect". HuffPost. December 11, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  4. "Legislature: Power play puts Senate in GOP hands". Seattletimes.com. January 14, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  5. "Republicans begin remaking Senate". The Spokesman-Review. December 14, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  6. "Op-ed: 2013–14 Policy Committee Structure" (PDF). Senate Republicans. December 10, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  7. Jordan Schrader (November 7, 2013). "With Jan Angel's victory, state Senate majority will grow". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  8. "TVW, Washington States' Public Affairs Network – Public Affairs Made Public". Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  9. CoalitionWA, Majority (November 15, 2017). "MCC returns to the Senate Republican Caucus. Still a bipartisan coalition dedicated to jobs, education and the budget. Serving all of Washington's families. To continue to follow our caucus and agenda, follow @WashingtonSRC #waleghttp://ow.ly/7xCE30gBs6u". @WashingtonMCC. Retrieved November 21, 2019. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  10. Thanh Tan (December 13, 2012). "Editorial Round-Up: Washington newspapers cautiously optimistic about Senate's new Majority Coalition Caucus". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  11. Jim Camden (December 16, 2012). "Spin Control: Coalition majority might not be so great". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  12. Ed Murray and Karen Fraser (December 13, 2012). "Op-ed: Don't call the state Senate's Majority Coalition Caucus bipartisan". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
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