Why is Deb Wallace, one of the finest state legislators Clark County has ever produced, bowing out of that elected office?
Why did the Vancouver Democrat, who served the 17th District for almost a decade, suddenly fire a double-barreled political shotgun at her constituents?
First, she pulled out of the hotly contested Third Congressional District race. Then, although firmly embedded in the upper echelons of the Legislature as chair of higher education and virtually assured reelection, she fired the second barrel, declaring she would not seek another term.
Why? Why?
You’re about to find out, but first some background.
Wallace has served eight years as a state representative from the 17th district, which takes in east Vancouver, north to Battle Ground. A resident of Vancouver for 23 years, Wallace has worked in economic development and transportation, and has been an active community leader. The mother of three, and wife of retired Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. John Wallace, she has made it a firm rule to seek out, and listen to, the voices of her community.
During her legislative time, Wallace felt the need to keep people informed, and said she conducted many town hall-style and community-action forums. “I wanted my voice to be an accurate voice of community opinions and needs,” she said.
In her years of public service, Rep. Wallace said, she remembered the axiom of Rose Kennedy, matriarch of the Kennedy clan: “You have a responsibility to give back.”
But as she entered the Third District race for Congress, she began to feel the campaign team was not coming together effectively.
For one thing, support was lacking and there were doubts and uncertainties among her campaign leaders.
Fundraising challenges
There were other setbacks, too. Wallace was advised she needed to raise $300,000. She got to $124,000. Her chief competitor, Denny Heck, was out in front early with a war chest of $200,000. And she was still putting in long hours as an active legislator, and not able to campaign effectively for Congress. A major issue at the end of the last session was determining college tuition-setting authority. She did not want to give that control to the major public universities, but retain it for legislative action, and she prevailed. “It was important that I be there (in the legislature to follow that issue). She also concluded that Heck “is a good candidate,” and she was too far behind in the run for Congress; she withdrew.
Wallace’s decision to leave politics as a state legislator may not be permanent, but it is based on a reverence for political figures of an earlier time such as John Adams, second president of the United States. Adams was born on a farm in Braintree, Mass., south of Boston. A Founding Father, he might have spent his life as a successful farmer, but destiny prevailed.
Wallace will leave politics and, in a sense, “go back to the farm.” The farm in this situation means working for the Washington State Parks Commission in Olympia as planner for the entire state. She was to start that commute from Vancouver on Tuesday.
Wallace wants to continue to contribute her abilities to Vancouver, where she sees a leadership void. She wants to help this community achieve greatness by encouraging public involvement. She disagrees with the Tea Party quest to ” ‘Take this country back.’ We haven’t lost it. Get involved. Make your voice heard,” she asserts.
Her legacy, as she sees it, is to leave a reputation for being truthful, to have participated in the city’s future and to have lived a productive and fruitful life. She hopes others consider similar goals.
Wallace’s values and ethical behavior, as well as her ambitious need to hear from the people and act on their behalf, will be missed on both sides of the aisle. That is the foundation of effective law-making.
Tom Koenninger is editor emeritus of The Columbian. His column of personal opinion appears on Wednesdays. Reach him at koenninger@comcast.net.
