House of Delegates member Jim Barach said he is withdrawing from seeking re-election amid frustrations with what he calls a “manipulated system.”
The democrat and former TV news meteorologist told West Virginia Public Broadcasting he was forced by a “gerrymandering Republican super-majority” to run in the primary against delegate and state Democratic Party chair, Mike Pushkin, or move to another district.
He decided he wasn’t going to pursue it.
He also said his daughter recently graduated from college and can’t find a job in West Virginia, so they are moving to Florida.
“This legislature needs to do a better job at getting people into the state and keeping them here,” Barach said.
The state democratic committee will name a replacement candidate for the November ballot.