POLITICS
Friday, November 29, 2013
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Page A9
Serving his country in Navy led him to politics BY LESLIE KELLY LKELLY@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
His friends in high school never would have imagined that Josiah Rowell would end up enlisting in the U.S.Navy, let alone get involved in politics. But that’s just exactly what’s happened. Rowell, a former sailor from the USS John C. Stennis and 2003 Central Kitsap High School graduate, has entered the race for the Washington State House of Representatives 35th District seat. Rowell, 29, announced his candidacy recently and has been working with state Republican Party offi-
cials, hopping to District and become the party’s Washington State nominee in August in the same way 2014. that I have served The seat is curmy country,” rently held by Rowell said. “We Rep. Kathy Haigh, need new, enerD-Shelton, who is Josiah Rowell gized leadership in serving her 15th Olympia.” year in Olympia. Rowell served There will be a primary in four years in on active duty August and a general elec- in the Navy, entering the tion in November 2014. service about nine months The 35th District includes after graduating from high all of Mason County, and school. a large portion of Kitsap He served on a guidCounty (from Chico Way ed missile cruiser in up Newberry Hill through Mississippi and then was parts of east Bremerton,) transferred to the Stennis. as well as part of Thurston He served in 2007 in the County. Arabian Gulf in Operation “I am excited to serve the Enduring Freedom and citizens of 35th Legislative Operation Iraqi Freedom
and was a logistics specialist. After leaving active duty, he entered the Navy Reserves where he has served five years, and spent six months in Afghanistan, returning home last April. Between times, he worked for a private company as a civilian logistics contractor for the Army at Ft. Lewis, and as a logistics expert on the Elwha River Restoration project near Port Angeles. In high school, Rowell said he was “more of an independent” kind of guy. “I was a bit of a rebel,” he said. “I skateboarded and snowboarded. I think people were surprised when I
enlisted in the Navy, and I think they’re surprised that I’ve entered politics.” But he said, his interest is genuine and he sees things that need to be improved in the state. He will be running on a platform focusing on improving the quality of life including education, jobs and safe communities. “Washington’s economy is still 25,000 jobs below where it was in 2008,” he said. “We need proactive leaders in Olympia who know how and are willing to work together in order to move Washington forward.” He is currently a student at the University
of Washington Milgard School of Business and lives in Union with his wife, Alicia. They have been married nine years. He’s expecting opposition in the primary and is currently door-belling and meeting with Republican Party officials. He has received several endorsements including that of current State House members Drew MacEwen (R-35th, assistant Republican whip), Richard Debolt (R-20th, former House Republican leader), and Cathy Dahlquist (R-31st, ranking Republican on education).
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