Candidate Profile: Tim Probst, Running for 17th District Senate

Tim Probst served as a State Representative for the 17th District from 2009 to 2013. He gave up his House seat in 2012 to run for the Senate against Don Benton. Outspent by $200,000 and running against an 18-year incumbent Senator, Probst lost by only 78 votes after multiple recounts.

Probst, currently Director of Workforce Development Strategic Initiatives for the Employment Security Department, is running for State Senate in his home district again.

During his time in the House, Probst supported Washington’s new health insurance exchange and WSNA’s rest break legislation.

One issue of concern for Probst is the shortage of nurses, and the larger shortage we face in the near future as nurses retire and as our demographics create greater demand for health care services. It is an issue he works on in his current job as part of his commitment to addressing workforce development issues around the state.

In 2011, Probst worked to create the Washington State Opportunity Scholarships, which allows more students to seek careers in the health care industry. “We need more partnerships and funding to provide reasonable paths to fill nursing positions,” Probst said in his candidate questionnaire.

Probst supports several potential policy solutions supported by WSNA, including increasing designated nursing enrollment slots for nursing programs, increased scholarship and loan repayment funding, and continued funding for the Health Scholarship and Loan Repayment program to provide financial support to nursing students and new graduate nurses working in rural communities.

Another top issue for Probst is the cost of health care. “Health care cost relief is essential for middle class families,” Probst said. “And health care costs are also hurting small businesses. This should be a bipartisan common-sense issue.”

Probst supports every one of WSNA’s primary issues, including uninterrupted meal and rest breaks, limits to mandatory overtime, stronger staffing policies, more support for public health services and support for mental health services.