[2] Rasmussen attended the University of Portland where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communications.
Rasmussen defeated incumbent Tom Mason in the Democratic primary in 1995.
[2] In 1996, Rasmussen ran against Republican candidate Jim Pasero.
[2] Rasmussen introduced House Bill 3442 in 1999 that would set up a trust fund to provide basic needs for low-income people using finances from the national tobacco settlement.
[9] The same year, Rasmussen also promoted a bill that would fine motorists or suspend their drivers licenses when they engaged in harassment or get out of their vehicle to threaten or harass pedestrians or other drivers after an incident.