Democrats re-elect Brown as Senate majority leader

OLYMPIA – Despite legislative losses in last Tuesday’s election, Lisa Brown was re-elected majority leader by Democrats in the state Senate.

Brown, who represents central Spokane’s 3rd Legislative District, was re-elected Senate majority leader, a job she’s held since 2005. A press release from Senate Democrats said Brown ran unopposed and was re-elected unanimously by the caucus.

Brown faces the session with a smaller majority than last year, when Democrats held a 31-17 edge in the Senate. Although some races remain close, Democrats appear to have a 27-22 majority at this time. The current split is more common, she said recently, and could lead to more bipartisan cooperation.

First elected to the state House of Representatives in 1992, Brown was elected to the Senate in 1996, and served as minority leader from 2002 to 2004, when Democrats last won a majority in the chamber.

Jim Camden