Shannon Barnett, a Cowlitz County planning commissioner and a member of the Kalama School Board, announced Friday that he is dropping out of the campaign for an open seat in the 18th Legislative District and will endorse Brandon Vick.

Barnett gave no specific reason for his decision.

“This has been an agonizing decision for me and my family,” he said. “Together we have decided that for personal reasons I must withdraw from the race.”

Barnett said he believes Vick “has the integrity and core values necessary to represent the 18th District.” He cited Vick’s commitment to balancing the state budget and to stopping what he called “the abusive use of the emergency clause” by the Legislature.

Barnett also serves as president of the Southwest Washington Contractors Association and is past chairman of the Cowlitz County Republican Party. He campaigned on a platform of streamlining the size and scope of state government, creating private-sector jobs, finding state solutions for health care reform, and properly defining and funding basic education.

Vick is running a campaign that promises to “give the state of Washington the toughest immigration laws in the country.”

He advocates terminating social services and payments to all illegal immigrants, requiring all employers in the state to use E-verify, and revoking the licenses of all businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Barnett’s departure from the race leaves five Republicans, one Democrat and one independent vying for the open seat created by the departure of Rep. Jaime Herrera, R-Camas, who is running for Congress in the 3rd District.

Kathie Durbin: 360-735-4523 or kathie.durbin@columbian.com.

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