On November 8, 1966, Republican candidate Larry Faulk beats incumbent Jack Petrich by 515 votes in the 26th Legislative District for a seat in the Washington State Senate. Faulk goes on to serve in the Senate until 1970 when he is defeated by Booth Gardner (b.1936).
Faulk won the race partly because he represented a new, vigorous generation. Yet his age soon became the subject of both intentional and unintentional comedy. Upon meeting Faulk, Lt. Gov. John Cherberg (1910-1991) reportedly asked, "Whose son are you?" ("Background").
Then, on the first day of the legislative session, January 9, 1967, Cherberg introduced the new senators and added, "I should also like to make the observation, Sen. Faulk, that you will never make the mistake of wearing a gold jacket to the Senate, for obvious reasons" ("Senate Journal").
The obvious reason: Senate pages wore gold jackets.
Faulk was later introduced jokingly on the floor as "the only senator who had to give up a paper route" ("Background").
Faulk went on to serve with distinction for four years and then went on to become a prominent figure in public life in Tacoma and Pierce County.
