| Denny Heck | |
|---|---|
| Democratic nominee for U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 3rd district |
|
| Election date November 2, 2010 |
|
| Opponent(s) | Jaime Herrera (R) |
| Incumbent | Brian Baird (D) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 29, 1952 Vancouver, Washington |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Paula Heck |
| Children | two |
| Residence | Olympia, Washington |
| Alma mater | Evergreen State College |
| Occupation | entrepreneur, author |
| Website | Denny Heck for Congress |
Dennis "Denny" Heck (born July 29, 1952) is a likely candidate for U.S. Representative in Washington State. Heck was previously the Democratic nominee for U.S. Representative for Washington's 3rd congressional district in 2010. He was defeated by Jaime Herrera (R).
Heck served as Chief of Staff to Washington Governor Booth Gardner from 1990-1993. Previously, he was Majority Leader of the Washington State House of Representatives and Chief Clerk of the House. He founded and served as CEO of TVW, the state equivalent of C-SPAN. He serves on the board of directors of Intrepid Learning Solutions,[1] which he co-founded with Christopher Hedrick.
Heck is the author of Challenges and Opportunities: The Transformation of Washington's Schools published in 1987.
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Heck was born in Vancouver, Washington in 1952, and raised in the Lake Shore area of Clark County where he graduated from Columbia River High School. He graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia in 1973.
Heck was the co-founder and is a current director of Intrepid Learning Solutions,[2] a company specializing in business oriented education and training programs. He helped found Digital Efficiency[3] which specializes in aiding businesses and medical facilities in transferring toward an all digital format. Heck helped found TVW,[4] the public affairs network for the state. TVW provides coverage of the Washington State Legislature and sessions of the Washington Supreme Court.
Starting in 1976, Heck was elected to five terms in the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 17th district in Clark, Skamania and Klickitat Counties. During that time he was elected Majority Leader, the second-ranking position in the House. He also co-chaired the Education Committee and wrote the state’s historic Basic Education Act.
Heck served as Chief of Staff for Governor Booth Gardner during his second term (1989–93).
Heck announced his candidacy to replace the retiring Democratic incumbent Brian Baird.[5] He won the primary with 31% of the vote and faced runner-up Republican Jaime Herrera, who won 28% of the vote.[6]
Heck was endorsed by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on October 12, 2010.[7]
Heck indicated in the spring of 2010 that he will run for Congress again in 2012.[8] Soon after the state's redistricting commission announced tentative maps, Heck announced that he is running for the newly created 10th District, based in Olympia.[9]
District #17 Representative #1 Election Results (1976-1984)[10]
| Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct. | Republican | Votes | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Dennis L. Heck | 21,130 | 66.50% |
Steve Moore |
10,645 | 33.50% |
| 1982 | Dennis L. Heck | 15,080 | 64.48% |
Suzanne Taylor-Moore |
8,308 |
35.52% |
| 1980 | Dennis L. Heck | 28,302 | 71.64% |
Elizabeth G. Spires |
11,202 | 28.36% |
| 1978 | Dennis L. Heck | 16,486 | 69.37% |
David H. Miller |
7,278 |
30.63% |
| 1976 | Dennis L. Heck | 17,998 | 59.15% |
Eddie McAninch |
12,428 | 40.85% |
Heck and his wife Paula Fruci, married since 1976, have two sons.
Heck wrote and self-published a mystery novel entitled "The Enemy You Know." In 2008, he wrote and performed a one-man play, "Our Times" to several sold out audiences. He and his wife, Paula, who directed the play, donated all proceeds to local charities.
Heck has supported numerous organizations within Washington, both actively and as a past contributor. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Evergreen State College.[11] He serves on the Board for the Washington State History Museum[12] He is a member of the Steering Committee for the Washington Learns Commission; a long-term strategy to improve the education system of Washington.[13]
Dennis L. Heck, Challenges and Opportunities: The Transformation of Washington's Schools, Advance Washington (1987)