State Rep. Tom Dent sits in the cockpit of the Global Supertanker. Dent said he believes Hilary Franz’s desire to reach across the political aisle and work with experts to find real wildfire mitigating solutions was a large part of why the state’s situation has improved since she was first elected. Dent is a pilot himself and Franz has said his expertise was helpful to have during her tenure as Lands Commissioner.
July 12, 2025
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Dent, Franz say bipartisan support led to progress in WA wildfire response
MOSES LAKE – Getting anything done in politics takes solid relationships and the ability to reach across political divides, regardless of how partisan the overall conversation is. Former Washington Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, a Democrat, and local State Representative Tom Dent, a Republican, and their successes in advancing wildfire management are a prime example of that, they say. “Everything, from what I learned and how quickly we were able to make the changes and get results, is based on relationships,” Franz said in a late June interview. “It’s based on valuing other people’s opinions and their experience and their expertise.”