Sen. Jeff Wilson released the following statement Tuesday on the death of Mark Doumit, executive director of the Washington Forest Protection Association and former Democratic senator from the 19th Legislative District. Wilson, R-Longview, currently holds the 19th District Senate seat.
“Mark Doumit was a problem-solver, and a leading voice for our state’s natural-resources community, someone who understood that behind every issue there are people, and that negotiation and compromise are the keys to getting things done. He represented the best traditions of his party, including support for working people and job creation outside King County. He also understood the importance of a functioning economy and the burdens that excessive government regulation imposes. As director of the Washington Forest Protection Association, he sought balanced policies for our state’s privately owned forests and salmon recovery that protect the environment while preserving property rights.
“As a newly elected member of the Legislature from the 19th Legislative District, I was delighted to meet Mark and get to know him. He represented our district for 10 years — in the House from 1997 to 2002, and in the Senate from 2002 to 2006 — and he was something of an elder statesman for Southwest Washington. Always approachable, always free with comment and advice. He understood what is at stake in the debates currently playing out before the Legislature. Not just that, but he also knew how those arguments got started, and how people’s positions had changed over time.
“Mark’s death is a tremendous loss to the 19th District community, to the state’s natural resources community, and to Olympia. He will be missed.”