Dec 19, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Washington state senator dies month after revealing COVID illness

Yacob Reyes

Washington State Capitol — Photo: David Ryder/Getty Images

Washinton state Sen. Doug Ericksen, a rigid conservative, died last Friday at age 52, his family confirmed in a statement Saturday.

Why it matters: The Washington Republican's death Friday came a month after he told a local radio station that he had tested positive for coronavirus while in El Salvador, per CNN. Ericksen's cause of death has not been made public.

Ericksen was elected to the state Senate after serving six terms in the state House, according to his website.

Worth noting: Ericksen sent an email to state lawmakers Thursday requesting medical supplies and describing his plight, adding that he could not "get back home," according to The Seattle Times.

“Do any of you have any ideas on how I could get the monoclonal antibodies sent to me here,” Ericksen wrote, per the Times. “Ideally, I would like to get it on a flight tonight so it would be here by tomorrow.”

What they're saying: "Trudi and I send our deep condolences to Doug's family, friends and colleagues," Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) wrote in a statement. "Our hearts are with them."

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Washington state senator dies month after revealing COVID illness

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