Longtime Senator Won’T Run Again

Thu., May 4, 2000

From Staff

After nearly 30 years in the state Senate, Republican George Sellar has announced he will not run for re-election this year.

Sellar, 71, who represents East Wenatchee, was in poor health this winter and unable to attend much of the legislative session due to pneumonia and kidney problems caused by non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

“I had made this decision prior to my present health condition,” Sellar said. “I am making steady improvement in that regard and am looking forward to returning to good health.”

Sellar has served as Senate Minority Leader and has chaired several committees during his tenure. An advocate for Eastern Washington, he recently spearheaded the “Apples on Amtrak” program, which got Amtrak to add refrigerated rail cars for apple transport on their cross-country passenger lines. The new cars have been dubbed the “George Sellar Express” in his honor.

Sellar also has made education and transportation high priorities. In March, lawmakers renamed the Columbia River Bridge in South Wenatchee after him.

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