This one brings back memories, Sam Hunt, then a teacher, as I remember, was running for the Washington State Legislature. He lived in Pasco. At the time, I was in Junior High, both me and my family were active in Democratic politics.
Hunt had a primary opponent named Bob Barnes. Barnes, who lived in Walla Walla, was 20 and a former ASB president at Walla Walla Community College. He was sharp, engaging, and well spoken. I was happy to volunteer for Barnes.
Hunt would win the nomination, but lose in the general election to Jeanette Hahner, a Republican, from a well known Walla Walla law firm that included her and her husband. Hahner and her family would change the spelling of the name to Hayner (the way it was pronounced), she would go on to a long and distinguished career in both the House, then the State Senate.
Sam Hunt, sometime, would move to Olympia, where he would be elected to the state house in 2001, moving on to the state senate in 2017. After two decades in the legislature he retired in 2024.
Sadly, Sam passed away over the weekend. The Cascadia Advocate has a complete write up on his career. Click here
