State GOP ousts chief; former state senator Esser takes the reins

TUKWILA — State Republican Party Chairwoman Diane Tebelius was voted out of office Saturday, a year after she got the job and a couple of months after her party sustained massive losses in the 2006 election.

The Republican State Committee voted 71-43 to elect former state Sen. Luke Esser to a full two-year term as chairman. Tebelius was finishing out the last year of former Chairman Chris Vance's term.

Tebelius immediately left the meeting as a group of Esser's backers rushed to party headquarters in an office building adjacent to the hotel where the vote took place.

Esser campaigned against Tebelius by questioning her financial management of the party and saying that while it was a bad year everywhere for Republicans, it was especially bad in Washington state.

"It was a terrible year, and people are looking for a way to make sure that never happens again," Esser said, who lost his bid for re-election to the state Senate in November.

Tebelius refused to answer questions as she hustled out of the hotel. She said only, "They made a decision, and good for them. I'll support Luke."

Esser served in the House before moving to the Senate and is a longtime aide to Attorney General Rob McKenna, dating back to McKenna's years on the Metropolitan King County Council.

Esser is comfortable with the news media and is likely to take a higher public profile than Tebelius did.

Also Saturday, state Democrats re-elected Chairman Dwight Pelz. Pelz faced no opposition at the party's meeting in Olympia.

David Postman: 360-236-8267 or dpostman@seattletimes.com