Best’s News & Research Service - May 08, 2023 01:55 PM (EDT)
State Senator Kuderer to Run for Washington Insurance Commissioner
OLYMPIA, Wash. //BestWire// - Democratic state Sen. Patty Kuderer has announced her bid to fill the Washington state insurance commissioner’s seat being vacated by long-time commissioner Mike Kreidler.
Patty KudererKuderer, who sponsored legislation to create a public health insurance option in Washington, said she would work to protect consumers and hold insurance companies accountable for their actions.
“I will fight to expand access to affordable health care, to promote transparency and fairness in the insurance market, and to ensure that all Washingtonians have access to the coverage they need to stay healthy and secure,” she said in a statement.
She also pledged to work with all stakeholders to find solutions to the state’s insurance challenges, and to promote greater equity and opportunity for all Washingtonians.
An attorney, Kuderer said as a state senator, she has been a vocal advocate on issues such as gun safety, voting rights, women’s health and health care.
She was first appointed to the Washington House of Representatives in 2015 and won her first election to retain the seat the following year. In 2017, Kuderer was unanimously appointed by the King County Council to fill the vacant Senate seat in the 48th Legislative District.
She now serves as chair of the Senate Housing & Local Government Committee.
Kuderer is the first candidate to publicly announce a bid to fill Kreidler’s position, which will be up for re-election in 2024.
Kreidler was first elected to insurance commissioner in 2000. He was re-elected to his sixth term in 2020 as one of the country’s 11 elected insurance commissioners (BestWire, May 1, 2023).
(By Timothy Darragh, associate editor, BestWire: Timothy.Darragh@ambest.com)