Prior to stepping down earlier this year, I had the privilege of serving as House Republican leader in the Washington state House of Representatives for five years. In that role, I worked closely with some of the finest public servants our state has to offer — including the three individuals who represent the 20th Legislative District . . .

. . . As far as Rep. Peter Abbarno goes, one could make the argument that no other House Republican has had more of an impact in such a short amount of time. In only his second term, he has already been elevated to a position in leadership as assistant floor leader. That is not by accident. Peter is highly motivated and has a relentless work ethic when it comes to advancing good policy in Washington state.

Peter has been one of our best communicators on a wide range of issues, which is why I chose him to be our hard-nosed, House Republican negotiator on the state drug possession legislation debated earlier this year — even though the policy was not initially in his wheelhouse. He was crucial during negotiations and delivered for our state, helping negotiate the Blake “fix” bill that required a one-day special session in May. With Peter’s leadership, the Legislature passed a measure that strikes the right balance between accountability and compassion for those suffering with addiction.

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