Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen Dies at 52 Following COVID-19 Diagnosis

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Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen has died, his family confirmed on Saturday. He was 52.

In a statement shared through Washington State's Republican Caucus, the family of Ericksen announced, "We are heartbroken to share that our husband and father passed away on Friday, Dec. 17. Please keep our family in your prayers and thank you for continuing to respect our privacy in this extremely difficult time."

An early critic of Gov. Jay Inslee's COVID-19 orders and the state's vaccine mandate, The Seattle Times reported that the Republican Whatcom County politician tested positive for COVID-19 in November during a trip to El Salvador. However, a cause of death has not been revealed.

The state senator's vaccination status prior to his death was also unclear.

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After testing positive for the virus in the Central American country, Ericksen reportedly asked fellow Republican lawmakers for help in getting access to a monoclonal antibody treatment.

Per the Seattle outlet, he wrote in an email to colleagues: "I took a trip to El Salvador and tested positive for COVID shortly after I arrived. I cannot get back home, and it's to the point that I feel it would be beneficial for me to receive an iv of monoclonal antibodies (Regeneron). I have a doctor here who can administer the iv, but the product is not available here."

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

According to the Associated Press, former state Rep. Luanne Van Werven revealed that one week following the request, Ericksen was recovering at a Florida area hospital, though a follow-up to his health status was unavailable at the time.

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On Saturday, Washingston State Lt. Gov. Denny Heck wrote on Twitter, "I'm deeply saddened to hear that Senator Doug Ericksen passed away on Friday. My heart is heavy for Tasha, Elsa, and Addi, who have lost a husband and a father. May they find peace and compassion during this difficult time. Everyone in the Senate is thinking of them."

Senate Republican Leader John Braun also released a statement via the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus website following Ericksen's death.

"I am deeply saddened by the news that Doug passed away yesterday. My prayers and thoughts are with his wife, Tasha, and his daughters," wrote Braun. "Doug could be larger than life and our caucus will miss him greatly. He was passionate about his duties as a member of the Legislature and dedicated to his constituents."

Ericksen is survived by his wife Tasha and their two daughters, Elsa and Addi.

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