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The other thing that is just dying on the vine is local government . Business people are good at that because when you get to the local level , it ’ s not so much about partisanship and about ideology . It ’ s about just solving problems .
One thing that happens with business people is they think that beginning positions are beneath them , which is a tragedy , because that ’ s how you learn how government works . It ’ s also how you learn how to campaign .
What should you do when running for office and what should you avoid ?
You should be involved in building your community , and you should do it before you ’ re a candidate . That might be as simple as being part of a Lions Club or a Rotary Club . You should be visible contributing to things in your community that are not political . You should also be involved in your schools .
You shouldn ’ t watch or listen to highly partisan news . It pollutes your mind . When I first started running , I quit watching national news . I just knew I would get stuck on national things instead of local things , and it would be hard for me to talk to the cross-section of people that you have to do . And I ’ ve never started watching those things again . It ’ s one of the best choices I ever made in my life . I do listen to some radio , but it ’ s not the super partisan radio . It ’ s especially not the angry radio stuff .
What is one of your biggest frustrations from your time in the Legislature , and what ’ s been a moment you ’ ll always look back on with satisfaction ?
Well , my biggest frustration is the fact that I ’ ve been in minority leadership almost my whole time , and to see the high quality people that we ’ ve had in the House Republican caucus accomplish only a fraction of what they could because they ’ re in the minority . It ’ s such a waste . There is so much waste around the way that we ’ re doing politics right now .
And then , you know , probably the best couple of hours on the floor was quite a few years ago . There were a few very aggressive Democrats who insisted on running a school choice bill , a charter j . t . wilcox at a glance
school bill . All the Republicans plus a handful of Democrats ran the floor for two hours and passed a good bill . That was my one taste of being in the majority .
What ’ s ahead for you as you ’ re leaving office ? Would you consider looking at running for a statewide position in four years ?
I don ’ t have any plans to run for statewide office . I ’ ve thought a little bit about the port commission because that ’ s one where you actually work and accomplish things .
Wilcox Farms is a successful multi-generational family business . What did you see in your parents ’ generation or your grandparents ’ generation that made that happen and what has your generation done to continue or improve those traditions ?
You can ’ t burn bridges . It ’ s very much like politics . Even though we ’ ve had some tough times , being in a family business is exactly like being in a caucus . You are with a bunch of people there who have the same right to be there as you do , and you can ’ t fire any of them .
You can have a fight with your cousin about anything , but you still have to be able to work with him the next day . You ’ ve got some shared goals that you realize are more important than your quarrel .
State Rep . J . T . Wilcox is retiring this year after 14 years representing the 2nd district in the Legislature . He served six years as Republican floor leader , then five years as House Republican leader before stepping down from leadership in 2023 .
Wilcox , 61 , and his wife , Kathy , live on the Wilcox family farm near Yelm that dates back to his great-grandfather ’ s purchase in 1909 . J . T . and Kathy have three grown children and two grandchildren .
Wilcox is part of the fourth generation to be part of Wilcox Family Farms , which produces and sells eggs from 3 million chickens across the Pacific Northwest . After working in a variety of positions at the family company over the years , including CFO , he currently serves on the board of directors .
He owns and runs a consulting firm , Wilcox Strategies , that aims to help business people succeed in their relationship with politics . spring 2024 19