During the first five weeks of this year’s legislative session, the Senate was short one member. Longtime 4th Legislative District Sen. Bob McCaslin abruptly retired in early January, a few days before session began, due to health reasons after 30 years in the “upper chamber.”

McCaslin’s departure meant that the Spokane County Commission had to appoint a replacement based on three names submitting by the Spokane County Republican PCOs.

On Friday, the commission appointed Spokane Valley businessman Jeff Baxter as McCaslin’s replacement. On Monday morning in the Senate Chamber, Baxter was sworn into office by State Supreme Court Justice Jim Johnson, bringing the Senate back up to its full slate of 49 members. This photo shows Baxter’s wife and son standing by as he is sworn in.

Here is the resolution that our office received from the Spokane County Commission announcing that it appointed Baxter to succeed McCaslin.