OLYMPIA - Rep. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, plans to run for the 13th District senate seat currently held by Janéa Holmquist Newbry.

Warnick announced her intentions to file Friday, following Newbry's decision to run for the Fourth Congressional seat of Rep. Doc Hastings, who is retiring.

Warnick said she plans to continue much of Newbry's work and they agree on most issues.

"I'm an advocate for small business as well, because I am a small business owner," she said.

Warnick is currently Republican caucus chair, and ranking member of the capital budget committee. She also serves on the agriculture/natural resources and education committees. She was first elected to the state legislature in 2006.

Warnick said her priorities in the Senate would be water and natural resources, lowering the state's debt and education.

"I have three daughters and seven grandchildren, and they all live in Eastern Washington, so I'm an advocate for sustainable funding of education," Warnick said.

She also supported the DREAM and REAL Hope Acts, that would allow undocumented immigrants' children to receive state need grants toward college under certain requirements. Newbry had refused to vote for them.

"But that's the beauty of this system, even if we're all Republicans, every legislator comes from a different background and we don't necessarily need to vote in a block all the time," Warnick said.