Local News

Rep. Shelly Short Selected to Fill Dansel’s Senate Seat

Jan 30, 2017

Shelly Short was selected Monday to fill the senate seat being vacated by Brian Dansel.

A unanimous vote of approval from the boards of commissioners of Spokane, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Ferry and Okanogan counties gave the seat to Short.

Republican precinct officers on Sunday selected three favorites from a list of nine people who vied for the Senate seat. Short had topped that list followed by Jacquelin Maycumber, who is Short’s legislative assistant and John Smith, who was appointed to the seat in 2013 and served for one session before losing an election to Dansel.

Eager to tilt the Senate back in their favor following Dansel’s resignation last week, Republican officials said they hoped to swear in a new senator as early as Monday.

But Short must first submit a letter of resignation to House leaders and the governor’s office.

As a contingency plan in case of Short’s appointment, the PCO’s on Sunday also picked three people to fill Short’s seat in the House. Those three are, Jacquelin Maycumber, John Smith, and Larry Stickney, a conservative activist who led a campaign to roll back domestic-partnership benefits for gay couples in 2009.