Abbarno, an attorney, has represented the district since 2021, following six years on the Centralia City Council. His assignments include the Capital Budget Committee, Consumer Protection & Business Committee and Environment & Energy Committee, where he provides insightful representation rather than engaging in culture wars.
Abbarno’s measured approach is represented by the fact that he is the Republican Caucus chair in the House.
“Washington is in the same boat — childcare deserts, not enough early learning,” Abbarno told the Editorial Board earlier this year. “We had all these opportunities to address these things, and we just didn’t do it.” Regarding education funding, he said, “It’s not just about money; it’s adding too many requirements for teachers.”About housing policy, he said: “We need to make it easier for local governments to plan; the state says we’re going to do one-size-fits-all. I think at least we should have a broad review of the Growth Management Act and how that impacts costs.”
Those are some examples of Abbarno’s pragmatic insight of issues facing the state. Such experience is particularly important for the minority party.
In Our View: Reelect incumbents for 20th Legislative District
By The Columbian
Published: October 14, 2026
Throughout this decade, the 20th Legislative District has had effective, conservative representation in the state House of Representatives. The Columbian’s Editorial Board recommends votes to return Republicans Peter Abbarno and Ed Orcutt to Olympia.
As always, this is merely a recommendation, designed to provide information and foster discussion. The Columbian trusts that voters will study the candidates and the issues in the 20th District, which includes northern Clark County and parts of Cowlitz, Lewis and Thurston counties.
Abbarno, an attorney, has represented the district since 2021, following six years on the Centralia City Council. His assignments include the Capital Budget Committee, Consumer Protection & Business Committee and Environment & Energy Committee, where he provides insightful representation rather than engaging in culture wars.
Abbarno’s measured approach is represented by the fact that he is the Republican Caucus chair in the House.
“Washington is in the same boat — childcare deserts, not enough early learning,” Abbarno told the Editorial Board earlier this year. “We had all these opportunities to address these things, and we just didn’t do it.” Regarding education funding, he said, “It’s not just about money; it’s adding too many requirements for teachers.”
About housing policy, he said: “We need to make it easier for local governments to plan; the state says we’re going to do one-size-fits-all. I think at least we should have a broad review of the Growth Management Act and how that impacts costs.”
Those are some examples of Abbarno’s pragmatic insight of issues facing the state. Such experience is particularly important for the minority party.
Abbarno is being challenged by Democrat Andy Zahn, who writes in the Voters’ Pamphlet, “I grew up on a small farm in the shadow of Mt. St. Helens, and studied to become a freelance writer and photographer.” Zahn is focusing his campaign on the needs of rural communities and writes that the state must “act proactively to create a robust, sustainable economy which provides us with good union jobs, but not at the expense of our health and the character of our vibrant landscapes.”
In the other 20th District race, another incumbent Republican also warrants reelection. Orcutt, who is serving his 12th two-year term, is ranking member of the Finance Committee and also serves on the Transportation Committee and Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
In the Voters’ Pamphlet, he focuses on “creating new family-wage jobs, making government agencies more responsive to the citizens they serve, and making government live within its means.”
Orcutt has a degree in forest management and lists his occupation as consulting forester/owner of Cascade Forest Management. That background is valuable to the rural concerns of the 20th District.
Orcutt is being challenged by Democrat Evan Jones, a Port of Longview commissioner and U.S. Army combat veteran who lists his occupation as a heavy rigging and machinery tradesman.
In the Voters’ Pamphlet, Jones writes, “Every morning I’m on the road before dawn commuting 110 miles because the work that should exist here in the 20th keeps going somewhere else.” He lists fixing the permitting system as a key to developing those local jobs.
The 20th District has had effective representation that understands the district’s priorities. The Columbian’s Editorial Board recommends that Peter Abbarno and Ed Orcutt be reelected.
