Jefferson County Commissioner Pat Rodgers will not seek a second term in office this fall, a decision that he said is more personal than political.
The 65-year-old Brinnon Republican said Monday that the health of his wife, Bonnie, and his desire to enjoy retirement with his family were the primary forces behind his decision.
The county Republican Party played no role in his move, he said, although he discussed it with party leaders.
“She is the most important thing to me in the world,” Rodgers said of his wife.
“What happens in this county is important to me, but it doesn’t measure up to my wife and family.”
Pat and Bonnie Rodgers have been married 45 years, and he has known her since the seventh grade.
“It was that last stint that really got me thinking about this,” Rodgers said of the decision not to run, which he made final about a month ago and confirmed Monday.