Inslee Sworn In For 3rd Term As Washington's Governor

OLYMPIA, WA — Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday was sworn in for another four years in office, officially becoming the first Washington governor to enter a third term since the 1970s.

Inslee took the oath of office at the Capitol, masked and physically distanced from Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Gonzalez, along with several other elected state leaders. Some were sworn in virtually, like Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who also begins a third term.

Rather than delivering a traditional inaugural address, Inslee shared pre-recorded remarks in a nearly 20-minute video posted online, looking back a tumultuous 2020 and looking ahead to a path forward in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and the long road ahead to recovery.

"The last year has been challenging in ways none of us have ever experienced. It’s the kind of moment where we are called upon to dig deep, to work together and to be resourceful like never before. Washingtonians are answering that call.

At the end of this legislative session alone, we will be able to say our state is more equitable; a state with more opportunities for careers and affordable housing; and a state that is more committed to fighting climate change than ever before.

We have big challenges that demand we take big steps. We are not going back to normal. We are going forward toward a new normal. We are on a path in this legislative session to a more just normal, a healthier normal. And we’re not just talking about the pandemic."

The governor's speech touched on economic recovery, education, housing instability and the pressing need to overhaul the state's behavioral health system. Inslee also pointed to last year's wildfire season in the context of climate change.

"We cannot let the short-term crisis of COVID-19 blind us to the long-term health cataclysm that is climate change. Pollution and climate change also hurt our health, from respiratory disease to new infectious vectors, to threats from natural disasters directly linked to a changing planet. There was no shortage of evidence for that in 2020. It was one of our worst wildfire seasons on record, fueled by blazes of an intensity previously unseen by our firefighters, in places like Bonney Lake and in Malden, where 80 percent of the town’s buildings were destroyed and where recovery continues."

Inslee's address concluded with predictions of a "new era" in Washington and invoking the words of Abraham Lincoln.

"In conclusion, our place in the world as Washingtonians will be remembered by what we start to build here and now. Lincoln said, 'the fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.' I have total confidence this generation of Washingtonians will take their place in history’s halls of honor. I know this because we are vested with a commitment to change, and constant improvement.

Let this new era be a time that lifts our hearts; that renews our dreams and ambitions; and that lets us as Washingtonians finally embrace the future we’ve been building up to now. We all share this struggle, and we will also reap its benefits. Out of the darkness and anxiety of 2020, will come the relief of a new era. Our recovery will be robust and equitable.

Last year reminded us what matters: Love for our families, our communities, and each other. And we will go forward, Washington, because we are resilient, and we are in solidarity."

Republican state Rep. Drew Stokesbary provided the Republican response to Inslee's inaugural address, criticizing some of the governor's legislative priorities, including newly proposed taxes. Stokesbary's speech began with a nod to the issues both parties agree require action, but differ in approach.

"I'm pleased we have some things in common," Stokesbary said. "We're both concerned about students falling behind in school, about our neighbors of color, whose interactions with police don't always go like outs. About those suffering from homelessness, substance abuse or mental health disorders, and about the loss of lives to COVID-19."

Stokesbary strongly criticized Inslee's use of executive powers in combatting the pandemic, which some Republican lawmakers are seeking to limit during the 2021 legislative session.

"I'm hopeful that we can defeat coronavirus and recover stronger than ever. Unfortunately, his lone ranger response has made that fight harder than it should be. For the past 10 months, he has ruled by executive order. He alone decided how more than $3 billion in federal funds would be spent, which businesses were essential and whose livelihoods would be destroyed. We're not meant to be governed this way, even in times of great peril. We elect a citizen legislature, not a king."

Watch Gov. Inslee's full inaugural remarks and the Republican response via TVW. A transcript of Inslee's speech can be read on the governor's blog.