Yakima County commissioners agreed with local Republican precinct committee officers today and appointed Rep. Jim Clements (R-Selah) to replace Sen. Alex Deccio (R-Yakima) in the Washington State Senate. Clements, who announced earlier this year he would not run for re-election to his House seat served in the legislature from the 14th district for 12 years.
Deccio announced in November he would resign his senate seat two years before his next election due to health reasons. He has served the Yakima community for more than three decades as a local or state elected official.
Clements was sworn in to office in Yakima in a private ceremony and will be in Olympia next week when the session begins on Monday. His committee assignments have not yet been announced.