The Washington State Senate Democratic Caucus Reorganization, Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, was re-elected by his peers as the No. 2 Democrat on the senate’s powerful Ways and Means Committee.

Ranker, who served in the same role during the 2014 legislative session, will be tasked as one of the leads to write a budget that addresses critical K-12 funding while protecting the integrity of other institutions, such as higher learning, health care and the environment.

“It’s a delicate balance, but we must be sure that while we repair one vital area of our state we don’t do so at the expense of another,” Ranker said. “It is possible to give our kids access to a world-class education while making sure they have a healthy home, breathable air and freedom from want.”