[1][2] On August 23, 2012, Pike was appointed to complete Ann Rivers' 2011–13 term as state representative in the 18th District in Position 1.
[5] Liz Pike was born on January 7, 1960, and raised on a Brush Prairie, Washington dairy farm as one of 13 children.
[11] During the summer, The Vancouver Voice courted controversy around the mayoral race after publishing a vitriolic letter from one of its readers that attacked the character of Pike.
[14] The 18th District's state senator, Joe Zarelli, announced minutes after the end of the candidate filing period on May 18, 2012, that he would not be seeking reelection.
[15] Zarelli notified Ann Rivers earlier in the day that he wouldn't be seeking reelection and invited her to run for his soon to be former senate seat.
The Cowlitz and Clark county commissioners had selected Pike, despite Vick being the first choice of the district's Precinct Committee Officers.