GOP Senator Furious Over Inslee County Rollback

A GOP Senator who represents Longview, WA and much of Cowlitz County had harsh words for Gov. Inslee following Monday's rollback of 3 counties to Phase 2.

“The governor just doesn’t get it. Orders from on high are meaningless without the cooperation of the public. But when the governor keeps changing the goalposts, it just doesn’t make sense to anyone.”

Senator Jeff Wilson says it makes no sense for Gov. Inslee to put three counties back in Phase 2, especially when Cowlitz is one of the most economically and job depressed areas in the state.

High unemployment in Wilson's 19th District has resulted in fierce pushback against Inslee's edicts.

Most have heard of Stuffy's, the restaurant in Longview who refused to close to indoor dining, staged protests, and even had some patrons patrolling it's parking lot with firearms.

The capacity reductions from 50 to 25 percent, says Wilson, will make it much harder for area businesses to continue to attempt to recover from what many viewed as the Draconian restrictions put on restaurants, salons, bars, gyms, fitness centers and other establishments between November and January.

Wilson says with the flip of a switch, Gov. Inslee has "re-ignited public fury" at a time when COVID is winding down.

Wilson continued his sharp criticism of Inslee:

"While the governor talks about numbers and metrics, we have people struggling to put food on the table. He forgets that if restrictions don’t make sense to the people, they just don’t work."

Similar voices are being heard from Pierce County, and Whitman, who are also being pushed back to Phase 2. Many believe the Whitman actions are due to students at WSU; allegedly 'creating' more cases with social activity.

The next evaluation statewide will come May 3.