American politician
James Dwight Honeyford[1] (born January 24, 1939) is an American politician of the Republican Party.[2] He served as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 15th district between 1999 and 2023.[3][4]
Early life and education
Honeyford was born in Ontario, Oregon. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and a Master of Education from Central Washington University.[5]
Career
From 1960 to 1965, Honeyford served as an officer in the Ellensburg Police Department. He also worked as a teacher, coach, and librarian in the Ellensburg School District. Honeyford served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999 and the Washington State Senate from 1999 to 2023.[6]
In February 2011, Honeyford walked out on a legislative hearing in protest of "ghost bills" that are heard in committee, but not written until later.[7] In September 2011, he was awarded the "Key Award" by the Washington Coalition for Open Government.[8]
On March 2, 2015, Seattle-based newspaper The Stranger reported that, during a committee hearing about a proposed racial impact statement bill, Honeyford shared his belief that "poor" and "colored" people were most likely to commit crimes.[9]
Awards
- 2014 Guardians of Small Business award. Presented by NFIB.[10]
References