Here in Washington we have a total whack-job Republican state senator, Pam Roach, who is so far beyond the pale of acceptable behavior that she was sanctioned even by her fellow Republicans for her harassment and intimidation of staff: no contact with Senate Republican caucus staff; could not speak to Senate attorneys. Why is she still in office?
When three "Democrats" bolted to the Republican side in recent state budget negotiations, Pam Roach was the last vote the senate Republicans needed to guarantee a take-over of the state budget process. So they agreed to lift the sanctions.
The question that came to my mind is, what the fuck is this nut doing even serving in the state senate? It turns out that her district has been sending her back for 20 years. But if this doesn't speak poorly of her district, the circumstances her last election are gobstopping. This loon ultimately won, with the endorsement of her former Democratic opponents nonetheless, because the only other GOP candidate, was even worse.
Another twist to the story, as the News Tribune article mentions, is that the Republican leadership didn't actually have the authority to lift the sanctions, and a Republican senior attorney who was a subject of an "unusually vicious attack" by her is seeking a $1.75 million settlement for allowing her back into the caucus.
Fucking amazing that this woman is the best candidate the GOP can run in her district and that she continues to serve in public office.