CENTRALIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun offered this statement today about former state Sen. Dan Swecker, who passed away Monday evening. Swecker, R-Rochester, was Braun’s predecessor as 20th Legislative District senator, serving from 1995 through 2012.

“During his years as a legislator, Senator Swecker rose to leadership positions on multiple committees and also within the Senate Republican Caucus. He was consistently involved in agricultural and natural-resources policy, which has long been important to our district, and as time went on he became particularly well-known for his work on transportation policy.

“But there was more to Dan – he was a man of strong faith, and solid convictions, who not only represented the 20th District but had also distinguished himself in Vietnam, where he became a decorated U.S. Army helicopter pilot. I always respected Dan for his decades of service to our state and nation, and will remember him as a good, kind and gracious man.”