Just a reminder that there will be no ERC meeting in November. Please take the time to remember our Veterans on November 11. Registration for the Annual Holiday Dinner will be available soon!

Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, October 14, 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! 

Our special guests this month are Jim Walsh, chair of the Washington State Republican Party, and Brian Heywood of Let’s Go Washington!

WAGOP Chair Rep. Jim Walsh

 Jim has represented the 19th Legislative District in the Washington State House since 2016, when he stunned state politics by becoming the first Republican that LD19 had sent to Olympia in decades. While some media outlets focused on him breaking a “Blue Wall” in a traditionally Democrat district, Jim explains his election—and subsequent re-elections—in nonpartisan terms: “The people of LD19 don’t care so much about Republican or Democrat. They just want someone who will represent them and their values with passion and energy.”

In 2020, 2022, and 2024, Jim was re-elected with more than 60 percent of the vote and, more importantly, helped turned his region “Red” by organizing and supporting a wave election of conservative legislators, county commissioners and local officials. Jim has served in leadership positions on various policy and budget committees in the WA House: Ranking Member on the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee, Assistant Ranking Member on the Transportation Committee and—most recently— Ranking Member on the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee. He has also served on the House Education, Capital Budget, Human Services and Rural Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committees.

During his nine years 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.

Aside from his work in the legislature, Jim owns and operates Silver Lake Publishing—a technical publisher that specializes in insurance, risk management, cyber security, asset protection and related nonfiction topics.

We look forward to hearing from Jim about the upcoming election and state issues. We’ll also hear from other state and local Republican candidates!

Brian Heywood of Let’s Go Washington

Brian is the co-chief executive of Taiyo Pacific Partners, a hedge fund management firm. He has extensive experience in finance and has worked with various companies, including JD Power and Citibank. Fluent in Japanese, Heywood has a deep understanding of Japanese corporate practices, which he developed during his time working abroad in Asia. 

Brian has funded multiple initiatives aimed at reversing policies enacted by the Democrat-controlled legislature. His political committee, Let’s Go Washington, has been instrumental in gathering signatures for several high-profile initiatives, including efforts to repeal the state’s cap-and-trade law, ban income taxes, and amend police pursuit regulations. He is known for his belief in free-market principles.

Brian operates a 45-acre farm in Redmond where he grows hay and produces apple cider and honey. 

We look forward to hearing from Brian about the 2025 crop of initiatives, including IL26-001 (Stregthen Communication Between Parents and Schools) and IL26-638 (Protect Fairness in Girl’s Sports). 

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. 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.

Save the Date for our Annual Holiday Dinner!

The ERC Annual Holiday Dinner will be on Friday, December 5, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Redmond. More info coming soon including registration. Please mark the date on your calendar and plan to attend! 

Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, September 9, 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! 

Our special guest speakers for September will be Sarah Garriott of the Pierce County chapter of Moms for Liberty and the Parents United PAC, and former Island County Republican chair Tim Hazelo.

Sarah Garriott on the Fight for Parent’s Rights

Sarah has been happily married to her husband, Jonathan, for 24 years. They have been small, independent business owners for about 15 years. Together, they have three children, the youngest of whom Sarah is still homeschooling. As a fourth-generation Washingtonian, Sarah loves this state and its people and knows that it’s worth peacefully fighting for.

Sarah has a BA in German Language Studies with a minor in Spanish. She also spent time studying and working abroad in China, Israel, and Germany. She served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Switzerland before returning to Seattle to study Translation and Interpretation. Sarah worked in the field of Translation and Interpretation in Seattle as a manager of interpreter coordinating and training for hospitals, courts, and corporations until her first child was born.

Upon experiencing the alarming changes in Washington’s public education system, she founded a Moms For Liberty Chapter in Pierce County two years ago, and the Parents United PAC last year. 

Update from Tim Hazelo

At the meeting, we will also receive an update from Tim Hazelo, former chair of the Island County Republican Party. Tim was convicted of felony trespass for his refusal to wear a mask while serving as an election observer in the Island County Elections Office last fall, in a blatant case of lawfare and politically-motivated overreach by an out-of-control county prosecuting attorney. Come hear how Tim is continuing to fight this abuse!

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. 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.

It was great seeing so many of you at the ERC Picnic on July 8! Thanks to our special guest moderator Dino Rossi, to everyone who brought desserts and side dishes to share, to our chefs, to our board members and officers who shopped for food and provided the raffle prizes, and to everyone who came early and stayed late for setup and cleanup. We hope you all had a good time hearing from and mingling with the candidates!

As usual, there’s no ERC meeting in August; our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 9. We’re working on confirming availability of speakers, and will have details for you soon.

Don’t forget to vote in the Primary! You should have already received your ballot — be sure to return it by August 5!

Have a great summer!

Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, June 10, 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! 

Our special guest speakers for June are Tim Eyman and also John Michael Graves of StandWithUs Northwest.

Tim Eyman

A long-time friend of ERC, Tim is best known for sponsoring conservative ballot initiatives in Washington, including I-695 (“$30 Car Tabs”), I-747 (1% limit on property tax levy increases), I-18 (reducing the King County Council from 13 members to 9), I-900 (government performance audits), I-960 (2/3rd legislative vote to raise taxes), and many others. He has stood strong in the face of legal persecution (lawfare!) by the former Washington State Attorney General and now Governor, Bob Ferguson. His web sites are http://www.permanentoffense.com/. and https://timdefense.com/. Come hear what he’s working on now! 

John Michael Graves of StandWithUs Northwest

We will also have the pleasure to meet and hear from John Michael Graves, who is Northwest High School Regional Manager for StandWithUs, an international, non-partisan education organization that supports Israel and fights antisemitism. 

John Michael graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington in Seattle. A Pacific Northwest native, and active member of the Seattle-area Jewish community, John Michael witnessed antisemitism and anti-Israel bias at his university and in his professions, from politics to academia. He has had roles as a congressional house intern, political science research assistant, local political consultant, Hoover Institute SPBC participant, and much more. Within myriad fields he saw blatant misinformation about Israel, which galvanized his involvement in Israel and antisemitism education. This engagement led to his current role as Northwest High School Regional Manager with StandWithUs. Driven by his passion for truth and his admiration of the resilience of the Jewish story, John Michael seeks to educate and inform the public about antisemitism and Israel’s history through lectures, writing, and community engagement.

Come and hear what John Michael has to say about antisemitism on college campuses and recent events.

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. 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 join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, May 13, 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! 

Our special guest speakers for May are the chairs of the King, Pierce, and Snohomish County Republican Parties: Jolie Landsdowne, Dave McMullan, and Bill Cooper. Our good friend Glen Morgan of We The Governed will moderate the discussion!

Candidate filing week is coming up May 5-9, so by meeting time we will know who is running in all the races on the ballot this year. We look forward to hearing from our county chairs regarding hot issues and races, and opportunities to help our candidates win!

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. 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 join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, April 8, 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. Please RSVP if you plan to attend!

William Kirk of Washington Gun Law

Our special guest speaker this month is William Kirk, President of Washington Gun Law. He is one of the nation’s leading Second Amendment advocates and has been educating citizens nationwide about their rights and obligations related to the inalienable right of self-preservation.

The host of the popular YouTube channel Washington Gun Law, Mr. Kirk is a 20-time recipient of Washington State’s Super Lawyer award, only given to the top 1% of attorneys in the state. Mr. Kirk has tried hundreds of cases to verdict and has successfully defended many cases involving claims of self defense or the lawful use of a firearm.

Bill is a graduate of Washington State University and the Gonzaga University School of Law. He has taught attorneys in trial practice in 26 states and routinely travels the country to lecture on Second Amendment issues. A former Spokane County and King County Prosecuting Attorney, Mr. Kirk has been in private practice, defending the rights of the accused, since 2000.

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 they can get in for just $5! Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner.

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!

Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, March 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. Please RSVP if you plan to attend!

Ari Hoffman!

Our special guest speaker this month is Ari Hoffman, host of The Ari Hoffman Show on 570 KVI, where he provides a current of common sense in a sea of insanity every afternoon from 3-6 p.m. A local businessman and civic activist, Ari ran for Seattle City Council after its failed policies affected him, his family and his community. Now he has a more powerful platform on America’s first conservative talk radio station, 570 KVI where he continues to expose corruption and hypocrisy in government. Ari is also known for his humor and pop culture savvy. He never backs down from a challenge and enthusiastically engages with anyone, no matter their political ideology. Ari has been featured on Fox News, Newsmax, The Dr. Drew Show, 60 Minutes, and the KOMO News Documentary “Seattle is Dying.” Ari also reports regularly on Northwest issues in The Post Millennial. Ari is a guest speaker at many college and high school campuses, including for organizations like Turning Point USA and Jewish on-campus groups. He lives in Seattle with his wife and 3 children.

Tim Hazelo on Fighting Lawfare!

At the meeting, we will also hear from Tim Hazelo, former chair of the Island County Republican Party. Tim is facing a felony charge in connection with his refusal to wear a mask in the Island County Elections Office last fall, in a blatant case of lawfare and politically-motivated overreach by an out-of-control county prosecuting attorney. Come hear how Tim is fighting these ridiculous charges!

Rob Wotton for King County Council!

We’ll also hear from Rob Wotton, a Snoqualmie city council member who is running this year for District 3 on the King County Council — a seat long held by former councilmember and friend of ERC Kathy Lambert. For the past 20 years, Rob has been a trusted banker for small businesses. A passionate champion for small business, he served as Community Development Policy Committee co-chair at the White House Conference on Small Business, and as a field representative for the National Federation of Independent Business. As a Snoqualmie City Councilmember, Rob has championed public safety initiatives, including the expansion of fire and emergency response teams, and played a key role in infrastructure improvements. Come hear about his vision for King County and how you can help his campaign!

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 they can get in for just $5! Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner.

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!

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

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

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!