‘Issues’ with leader caused this WA state lawmaker to leave the Republican caucus

Rep. Michelle Caldier is no longer caucusing with the Washington State House Republicans.

Caldier represents the 26th District, which includes Gig Harbor, the Key Peninsula, Port Orchard, and other parts of Pierce and Kitsap counties.

Gig Harbor Now reported this month that Caldier left the caucus after having issues with House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox.

Caldier confirmed in a phone interview with the Gateway last Thursday that she left voluntarily in November.

She declined to explain the issues that caused her to leave. She said she wanted to keep the matter internal.

Wilcox has been the House Republican leader since 2018. He’s from Yelm and represents the 2nd Legislative District.

Wilcox also declined to disclose what the issues are that caused Caldier to leave the caucus when he spoke to the Gateway Tuesday, except to say that it’s “certainly nothing bad.”

The Gateway has a pending public records request for any communication between Caldier and caucus leaders in recent months.

Right now, Caldier is not caucusing with either party.

“The cool part is because I’ve been here so long, many of the bills I’m seeing are from previous years that I’m knowledgeable on,” Caldier told the Gateway. “I am also focusing on some of the new bills that are coming up and getting capital budget requests set up and making sure that those are filled out properly.”

Caldier has been representing the 26th District since 2015.

She hopes to return to the Republican caucus once the issues get resolved, she said. Caldier did not have a timeline for when that may happen.

“I have very good working relationships with almost every single member in the House,” Caldier said. “But sometimes there’s issues that come up and you have to take a stand to make a difference.”

Wilcox said he sees the issues getting resolved.

“Michelle’s been a very effective legislator over the years,” Wilcox said. “I think in the long run, we’re going to come to a place where everybody’s happy and I’m looking forward to that time.”

Wilcox said he’s unsure when that will be.

“You know, politics, like a lot of life, is very much about relationships,” Wilcox said. “And it’ll happen when the time’s right.”

Because Caldier left the caucus, she’s also not serving on any committees.

“The caucus originally put me on committees, but because I wasn’t a member of the caucus, they didn’t have the authority to do that,” Caldier said. “So, I requested to be taken off of those until we can work our differences out.”

Asked what not serving on committees means for her role this legislative session, Caldier argued it doesn’t limit her ability to make a difference.

“Both the speaker and our leader don’t have any committees,” Caldier said. “You don’t have to be on a committee to make a difference. Even though I can’t personally put forward an amendment right now, I have good working relationships with the Republicans and Democrats, and I’ve been getting amendments together on certain bills and working with other members so that they can put those amendments forward.”