SEATTLE — Washington's Jay Inslee is currently the longest-serving governor in the United States, and before he leaves office in January, he took a moment to reflect on the last 12 years with KING 5.
Gov. Inslee and Washington First Lady Trudi Inslee stopped by KING 5's studio to talk about their favorite memories, what they see ahead for the state, and what's next for them in this new chapter.
Q: How are you feeling as this chapter is closing and you're about to start a new one?
Gov. Jay Inslee: I feel just the same way I did the first day coming into office.
I feel energized, I'm in love with the state of Washington more than even on the first day, I feel optimistic after 12 years because we've seen what our state can do over 12 years, so I guess I feel young and refreshed and looking for the next adventure
Q: Trudi - What has it been like to not only support your husband but also serve the people of Washington for the last 12 years?
Trudi Inslee: It has been an honor. I met so many nice people and learned so much that I never would have been exposed to before, so I really have enjoyed it. It really has been a great adventure and every day is something new.
Q: What has it been like responding to some of these big moments and events, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Oso landslide?
Gov. Jay Inslee: Well, there's two parts of the job. One is responding to whatever is thrust upon you like a landslide, or COVID, but the other is building a more innovative, more creative, more dynamic Washington.
Both are important. Obviously, you're the person who catches everything sent to you from out of left field - COVID being the biggest one, a landslide perhaps was one of the first ones we've dealt with and those you're called upon to help calm the state and help the state have confidence we're going to get through it and really help people who are in distress.
But the other part of the job is you're kind of building - you're building a foundation, you're putting a framework on our climate change issues, both of those parts of the job are rewarding in their own way. We'd rather be building rather than responding to emergencies, but both are important, and I'm glad we got through those emergencies so we could get to the building part.
Q: Many people see our state as a beacon of progress on various issues. Why do you think the state is so unique in that way?
Gov. Jay Inslee: I do believe we are unique. I think Washington is certainly the most beautiful state, but we are also the most dynamic state, the most innovative state, the most welcoming state, and I think that there's a spirit, maybe it's in the water that's coming down from the Cascades and Olympics, where we just really want to, we always want to create.
It's just a very innovative place; in software, in aerospace, in the arts... We have the most innovative climate change policies, we have the most innovative long-term care provisions that Washingtonians just voted to keep, we have the best financial aid package so people can go to college and the best apprenticeship program so people can go into the skills, we've advanced in early child education, we've advanced in gun safety, so we're pushing the envelope.
I think that's in the nature of Washingtonians. We want everybody to thrive, not just the ones maybe at the top who have been here for five generations, but for new folks.
We've had a million people come into our state since I've been governor because people realize this is a great place to realize your dreams. I think it's in the water.
Q: Trudi, what else have you loved about serving and experiencing the last 12 years with Washingtonians?
Trudi Inslee: For both of us, one of the most enjoyable things is when we're with children, whether it's in a school or another setting, because they cut to the chase. They don't waste any time telling you how they feel, and they're very optimistic and hopeful so it gives us hope in the future.
Q: Governor you did something that few people do: you had a run for president. What did you learn from that experience?
Gov. Inslee: Well first off, if you get a chance to run for president, do it. Just go for it! Because it was a very inspiring process, because I met Americans from all over - certainly in Iowa and New Hampshire that really care about their country. They want our country to succeed. They believe in democracy.
It was a very inspiring process, even though obviously I didn't come out on top. I also learned that we're capable of advancing the debate and the dynamic discussion. Certainly. in my case, I wanted all of the candidates to be more aggressive on climate change and to embrace this idea of building a clean energy economy, and it did play a role eventually with President Biden's clean energy plans which now are really advancing.
What's going on in our state, we have two of the most advanced silicone anode battery companies in the world today within a couple miles of each other in Moses Lake. We have a company called Twelve building sustainable jet fuels so we can run our jets on sustainable fuel. We have three of the most advanced fusion companies in the whole world are within 8 miles of the Space Needle - two in Snohomish, one in King County - so we are realizing a clean energy dream as we speak in part because of some of the ideas that I advanced during the presidential run, other candidates then adopted, President Biden put into place, we got congress, through a miracle, to get the Inflation Reduction Act through. So it was a very productive enterprise and I still got to be governor of the state of Washington.
Q: What role will Washington state play as the new presidential administration begins next year?
Gov. Inslee: We know that the new president is antithetical to many of the things we believe in the state of Washington, so there's going to be tensions with him as there were during his first rodeo - certainly on climate change.
His denial of the clear science is very disappointing. You know we've had forest fires in our state, we had two whole cities burn down that I tried to help and he refused to help - that's disappointing.
But the good news is we'll be able to advance what we're doing in the state of Washington undisturbed by him. About 85% of the things we're doing in our state, he really can not interfere with on the climate change front, same thing with our long-term care proposals. This is our policy - same thing with early childhood education.
Our destiny really is in our hands in the state of Washington so that's good news, but if he tries to violate our civil rights of Washingtonians, if he tries to deny Washington women the right of choice, we will be in court.
And we have a great new attorney general, Nick Brown. When Bob Ferguson was attorney general, we had to sue him 82 times and we won 80 times, so I hope that that will be replicated.
Q: What do you hope your legacy is remembered as?
Gov. Inslee: I don't think about my legacy - it's the legacy of Washington that counts. I would hope that when people think of the 12 years, they think of Washington. And Washington really expressed what I would consider some of Washington's greatest attributes during those 12 years: dealing with our environment, keeping our air and water clean. That's a Washington legacy.
Taking care of our people's healthcare during COVID where we saved thousands of lives because we all worked together - that's a Washington legacy. Enhancing the ability of working families to have paid family leave, which allows people to have families now, that's a Washington story
So I hope that we tell the Washington story, which was just another decade of what we do in Washington, which is always improve our lot in life and lead for the rest of the country too. I'm very proud of our state.
Q: What's next for both of you?
Trudi Inslee: We don't know yet, actually, except we're going to keep working on climate issues is what we're going to do. I think we have to keep busy.
Gov. Inslee: I want to continue to work in the clean energy space to find a way to continue the progress we made in our state, and I'm looking - I'll look for opportunities to do that in our state.