February 11, 2025 Meeting — Khush Brar on Protecting Girls Sports, and WAGOP Chair Jim Walsh

Hilton Garden Inn Redmond
Hilton Garden Inn Redmond

Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, February 11, at 6:30 PM. We’ll meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, 16630 Redmond Way in Redmond. See the Location page for driving directions, a map, and parking information. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu. Please RSVP if you plan to attend! 

Lynden School Director Khush Brar

Khush Brar
Khush Brar

Our first special guest this month is Khush Brar, who is an elected director of the Lynden School District. Khush is making huge waves with WIAA in protecting girls sports from the transgender agenda being foisted on us from Olympia.

In an article from last April, Cascadia Daily News wrote:

Lynden School Board member Khush Brar, who took a lead role in Lynden’s efforts on the amendments [that would limit participation in girls sports to biological females], said that “protecting the rights of females in female sports isn’t equivalent to restricting transgender athletes in sports because unlike the female athletes, transgender students have the option to play in whichever category they identify with, which may change at every sports meet.”

We look forward to hearing from Khush on this important effort!

WAGOP Chair Jim Walsh

Photo of WAGOP Chair Rep. Jim Walsh
WAGOP Chair State Rep. Jim Walsh

At our meeting we will also hear from our long-time friend Jim Walsh, chair of the Washington State Republican Party, who will give us an update on what’s happening in Olympia during the 2025 session of the state legislature.

Jim has represented the 19th Legislative District in the Washington State House since 2016. He received more than 60% of the vote in 2020, 2022, and again in 2024. His legislative focus revolves around critical issues such as fostering family-wage job creation, ensuring adequate funding for schools, and safeguarding the interests of taxpayers, property rights, and gun rights. 

Rep. Walsh is the ranking Republican on the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee. Additionally, Jim is a member of the Capital Budget Committee and serves as the assistant ranking member on the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.

A cum laude graduate of Amherst College in 1986, Jim founded a small publishing company in 1998 that he manages to this day. Beyond his legislative duties, he has contributed columns to the Aberdeen Daily World newspaper, coached both boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, and assumed leadership roles within local and state Republican groups.

During his service in the legislature, Jim has received Legislator of the Year awards from numerous groups—including Citizens Alliance for Property Rights (CAPR), Citizens’ Voice, Gunowners of America, Permanent Offense and Hunters’ Heritage Foundation. In 2022, he received the Washington State Republican Party’s Kemper Freeman Courage Award for his work articulating common-sense, conservative values.

Please RSVP!

If you plan to attend the meeting, please click RSVP to register, and pay online in advance. The cost is $15 per person ($10 for College Republicans and Young Republicans) to cover the cost of the meeting space. And for this meeting, if you bring a friend who is not already a member of the club you will both get in for just $20! Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu.

Time to Renew Your Membership!

If you have not already done so, please go to the Join page and renew your ERC membership for 2025. Of course, if you aren’t yet a member, we invite you to join! There are three membership levels: Basic $25, Silver $50, and Gold $100. Your dues help cover the cost of meeting location rental and other expenses of operating the club. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings!

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ERC Announces New President and Board Members for 2025

We had a great January 2025 meeting of Eastside Republican Club, including our annual business meeting and Glen Morgan of We The Governed as our special guest speaker.

Doug Basler
Doug Basler

The Club elected Doug Basler to once again serve as our president for 2025; he previously served as ERC President for 2020-2022 and 2024. Toby Nixon, former state representative and Kirkland city council member (and long-time ERC webmaster), was elected as Vice President. Kathleen Strong and Michael Scheele were re-elected as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.

Doug Basler, Derek Chartrand, Kerry French, Ruphina Nord, Michael Scheele, and Kathleen Strong were re-elected to additional two-year terms on the Board. Rick Jacobs, who we thanked for his service as a board member and vice president for 2024, stepped down from the board. Donna Barr, a long-time previous board member, was elected to a new two-year term. We thank them all for their willingness to serve (again)!

Also at the annual business meeting, Michael provided a Treasurer’s Report, informing us that the club is in healthy financial shape, pretty much breaking even with our dues and meeting fees covering the cost of venue rentals and other expenses. And Doug provided a President’s Report, focusing on his vision for growing the club membership in 2025. We look forward to all the great things ahead for the club this year!

Mark Your Calendar!

The February 2025 meeting of Eastside Republican Club will be on our usual second Tuesday, February 11. We’ll have another great guest speaker who will be announced shortly.

Time to Renew Your Membership!

If you have not already done so, please go to the Join page and renew your ERC membership for 2025. Of course, if you aren’t yet a member, we invite you to join! There are three membership levels: Basic $25, Silver $50, and Gold $100. Your dues help cover the cost of meeting location rental and other expenses of operating the club. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings!

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