Hewitt steps down as Senate minority leader

Walla Walla Republican Mike Hewitt will not seek another term as Senate minority leader.

Hewitt, who is finishing his 12th year in the Senate and seventh year as the Republican leader, said today he would step down from the leadership post and “focus my energies on the citizens of southeast Washington.”

He said he wants to promote “leadership from the center”. He also mentioned health problems that he suffered during last year’s session, when he had an operation to remove a tumor from his thymus.

The Republican caucus will elect it’s leadership at a meeting on Nov. 28.