South Sound News

Tacoma restaurant owner, utility board chair running to lead state Republican party

Monique Trudnowski is pictured here at the Adriatic Grill in 2013. Trudnowski, who co-owns the Tacoma restaurant, announced Friday that she is seeking to replace Susan Hutchison as leader of the Washington State Republican Party. 

TACOMA, Wash — Local restaurateur and public utility board chair Monique Trudnowski is running to lead the state Republican Party.

Trudnowski announced Friday on a conservative radio show that she would run to replace outgoing Washington State Republican Chairman Susan Hutchinson, who said earlier this week that she will be stepping down from the post after five years.

“I bring unique assets to the table that counters every generic, tired attack the left uses when describing our party,” Trudnowski said in a news release announcing her candidacy. “I am proof that true conservative values best benefit the working class to achieve the American dream. Republicans are the real party of opportunity and unlimited potential for all Washingtonians.”

Trudnowski co-owns the Adriatic Grill Restaurant and has served on the five-member board of Tacoma Public Utilities since 2013. She is a founding member of the Washington Tourism Alliance. In 2014, she ran unsuccessfully for a state House seat in the 28th legislative district.

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Trudnowski has been a conservative voice during her time on the utility board. She has repeatedly warned against using electric ratepayer revenues to pay for the expansion of the Click Cable TV network into a municipally owned and operated cable TV, internet and phone service.

Trudnowski said in a news release she is seeking the position to “energize the message of the party, boost candidate recruitment throughout the state, attract fresh faces to the party’s grassroots and volunteer operations, and create a party organization capable of supporting its candidates at the local, state, and federal level by working with the party’s county chairs and committee members.”

If elected, Trudnowski said she would become “the first minority woman” to hold the office. There have been three female chairs of the Washington State Republican Party: former Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn, retired federal prosecutor and attorney Diane Tebelius and Hutchison.

The election for a new Washington State Republican Party chair will take place on Jan. 20 at the party’s winter State Committee meeting in Moses Lake.