Delores E. Teutsch

Delores E. Teutsch
Delores E. Teutsch (Republican) represented [the 45th] district of King County in the House of Representatives. First elected in 1978, she served two terms.

Born 1935, in Seattle, she now lives in Kirkland. Teutsch attended the University of Washington, where she studied Journalism and Political Science. "I became very interested in the women's movement -- equal rights, equal opportunity," she said. "What I wanted to do more than anything else was not allow racist or sexist prejudice to exist in any area in which I had influence."

Teutsch first became involved with campaign politics during Dan Evans' gubernatiorial campaign. A Republican precinct committee-woman. Teutsch was Evans' co-coordinator in the Kirkland area. After the campaign's success she continued her active support for Republican candidates. When her district's House seat opened, party and community members called upon her to run for the position.

Teutsch was concerned with women's representation in state office, and knew she could be a good legislator. After receiving the unanimous support of her family she decided to run. "I feel that this is a very crucial time for women to run and be elected," she said. "If we don't, it could be very difficult for women to run in the years to come."

Representative Teutsch's legislative priorities included the Displaced Homemaker Program, the victims of sexual assault program and the establishment of domestic violence shelters. Women in government. she says," ... bring a common sense approach to legislation. They tend to look to the future."

--Political Pioneers, The Women Lawmakers