Aaron Lang, a candidate for the Rainier School District Board of Directors for District 1, announced his withdrawal from the upcoming election last week. Lang cited personal reasons and concerns over the state’s governance as the primary factors behind his decision to move out of the area.
“Washington state has been home for nearly all of my life,” Lang said in a written statement. “Leaving is a difficult decision; it is one of the most beautiful places in the world and home to most of our family and friends. Unfortunately, many of the issues here are self-evident — it’s becoming toxic.”
He said that his family had an opportunity in West Palm Beach, Florida, and would relocate there in the coming months.
“As much as I desire to stay and fight for balance and reason, the risks of staying outweigh the risks of uprooting and starting a new chapter for my young family,” Lang said. “Liberty and justice are under siege here in the name of equity while sickness is enabled. Washington state’s government has been increasing hostility toward rational, reasonable, law-abiding people while eroding the truth and promoting moral decay. My primary responsibility is to protect and provide for my family, which is what this decision is about.”
Lang praised the state’s natural beauty and the strong connections he had formed with family and friends. He expressed his best wishes for the Rainier community, assuring them it would always hold a special place in his heart.
Lang also encouraged a write-in candidate to step forward and challenge Amanda Simendel, the incumbent in Director District 1.
“If Rainier Schools are to remain a relatively healthy school district in our region, the board must have directors who value robust debate and active governance over passive bureaucratic rule — directors who respect the will of the district’s electorate and won’t simply go along with socio-political norms,” Lang wrote. “Parents must be vigilant and engaged in governance, and I hope that more are in the future.”
