Rep. Matt Manweller to step down on Jan. 14

State Rep. Matt Manweller, R-Ellensburg, officially submitted his resignation Wednesday in a letter to the governor’s office.

He said he will step down on Jan. 14, the first day of the new legislative session.

Central Washington University fired the political science professor this fall after an investigation into his conduct with female students. Manweller has vehemently denied the allegations and is suing for wrongful termination.

He was asked to resign from the Legislature by Republican party leaders in September following allegations he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old former high school student in 1997. He has denied the account.

During his campaign this fall, Manweller said he would resign if reelected, emphasizing it was important to keep a Republican in the 13th Legislative District seat. He won with 61 percent of the vote.

It is now up to the county commissioners in the four counties covered by the 13th District to pick a replacement from three candidates forwarded by local Republican Party officials. The 13th District includes Grant, Lincoln, Kittitas and part of Yakima counties.

The candidates are Danny Stone, a wheat farmer from Grant and Lincoln counties who has been a pastor for 28 years, Quincy School Board member Alex Ybarra and former state legislator Ian Elliot, who lives in the Ellensburg area.

Yakima County Commissioner Ron Anderson said commissioners are expected to meet in Moses Lake soon to meet the candidates and appoint one, but a date has yet to be decided.