Senator Ericksen's Death
I’m Bob Larson. A big supporter of agriculture in Washington state, longtime state Senator Doug Ericksen has died after being diagnosed with COVID while in El Salvador last month.Washington State Farm Bureau Director of Government Relations, Tom Davis says Ericksen has always been on the side of agriculture …
DAVIS … “I mean Doug, Senator Ericksen was a long-time friend, not to just myself because I’ve known him when he was interim staff in the state Senate, and then went back home and ran for office, and the rest is history.”
Davis says it’s tragic …
DAVIS … “His family has certainly been in our prayers here as, just a horrible story, sad story, he’s going to be just greatly missed. He had become such a statesman and, in all things, conservative politics, but especially a defender of agriculture.”
The Farm Bureau, Davis says has always appreciated Ericksen’s work …
DAVIS … “And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that we, just to show how much we thought of his work, we named him our Legislator of the Year just three years ago.”
And that, Davis says won’t be easy to replace …
DAVIS … “We will certainly miss Doug. He was one in a million in so many ways, and we’re just hoping somebody can step up and take over where he left off.”
Ericksen was 52 and leaves behind his wife and two daughters.
The exact cause of death or other details, including where Ericksen was when he died, were not immediately disclosed.
Ericksen tested positive for COVID in November while on a non-legislative trip to El Salvador.