Former Democratic State Senator Nathan Schlicher announced April 3 he will seek in the 26th Legislative District House Position 1 seat, according to Max Fox, Schlicher’s campaign manager.
Earlier, Schlicher’s campaign staff sent out an email announcement stating the Gig Harbor Democrat was running for the Position 2 held by Rep. Larry Seaquist, also a Democrat.
The earlier announcement cause a buzz on the internet and Facebook sites with Schlicher going against Seaquist, who was elected to the House in 2006.
Currently, Rep. Jesse, a Republican from Gig Harbor, holds the District 26 Pos. 1 seat. Young was appointed to the seat earlier this year after Rep. Jan Angel defeated Schlicher for the district’s State Senate position in November.
Angle was the district’s Pos. 1 House representative from 2008 until her election to the Senate.
Schlicher was appointed in January 2013 to the State Senate seat after Derek Kilmer was elected to the U.S. Congress.
“Like so many of you, I’m tired of the gridlock and bickering in Olympia,” said Schlicher in his statement. “As an emergency room doctor, I’ve spent my life fixing problems, using resources wisely, and findings ways to do more with less. That is the common sense approach to getting things done I’ll bring to Olympia.”
In his announcement, Schlicher stated there has been big changes in the state’s health care system, but there are “career politicians in Olympia that have not cared for patients and making important decisions that affect all of us.”
“We need someone who understands how these laws affect patients and providers and has a record of success in fixing healthcare. That’s why I’m running,” stated Schlicher.
Schlicher is the associate director for the TeamHealth National Patient Safety Organization, responsible for patient care quality across the 7,000-provider company.
Schlicher practices emergency medicine at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Tacoma, and is also an attorney at Johnson, Graffe, Keay, Moniz, & Wick, LLP, also in Tacoma.
He also serves on multiple medical specialty boards dedicated to patient advocacy and is active in the Gig Harbor United Methodist Church.
Schlicher, a native of Kitsap County, attended public schools in Bremerton and Silverdale, and graduate from Central Kitsap High School in 1997 at age 14.
Schlicher, 31, graduated from Pacific Lutheran University – with a double major in biology and political science – in only three years at 17.
Two years later, he had a law degree from the University of Washington and a job with a Seattle firm. Schlicher was the law school’s youngest graduate and the first student ever to complete his courses in two years rather than the standard three-year course.
While working as an attorney, he attended the University of Washington School of Medicine to become a physician. Schlicher completed his residency in Dayton, Ohio, studying emergency medicine.
Schlicher lives in Gig Harbor with is wife, Jessica, and two children.
