Republican
Mike Maroney did not respond
Elijah Dean
Age: 34
Residence: Metz
Education: High school, Calvary Christian School in Fairmont. Currently enrolled in online classes at Grantham University, studying engineering management technology.
Political and civic experience: Concerned registered voter since 2003, wanting to be a voice for the working class.
Professional experience: Underground union coal miner since 2012 at Marion County Coal Co. (Loveridge). My current job is as a weekly examiner/fireboss. Past jobs were shuttlecar operator, roof bolter and trackman.
Campaign statement: If elected, I will protect our freedoms, jobs and people while growing a business environment for future generations.
Top priorities: Roads, cell phone reception, high-speed internet access, veterans and jobs.
Democrat
Carla Jones
Age: 66
Residence: Fairview
Education: 1971 graduate of Eisenhower High School, Rialto, Calif.; Community College of the Air Force; A.A.S. water and wastewater technology, Fairmont State College; 2005 graduate of Fairmont State University, B.S. civil engineering technology with a minor in safety.
Political and civic experience: An advocate for literacy, I currently volunteer as a reader for Read Aloud West Virginia in Marion County. When time and travel permit, I volunteer with HeadCount, helping to get people registered and out to vote, and with Reverb, a nonprofit which promotes environmental sustainability within the music scene.
Professional experience: The USAF started me in a career of water and wastewater treatment, which post-service I worked for municipalities as large as Houston, Texas, and as small as Farmington. Working and raising a family, I returned to school to pursue civil engineering. After working as a structural designer in Arizona, I returned home to West Virginia and finished my career with Dominion Energy, enjoying my time as a union inspector on gas distribution pipelines.
Campaign statement: As a veteran, retired union worker and loving friend and neighbor, I’m willing to put in the time and hard work to serve all West Virginians to move our state forward. We face many challenges with foster care, addiction, lack of adequate health care and many communities need clean water. Working people and small businesses need to be prioritized over out-of-state corporations. I’ll fight for you, my friends and neighbors, and be “A Voice For All of Us.”
Top priorities: As your state senator, I’ll work relentlessly to champion public education from pre-K through higher ed; push for improving our state’s infrastructure, including repairing and restoring our roads and bridges, expanding our broadband capabilities and updating water and wastewater systems; and fight for legislation and resources to battle our addiction epidemic. Without advances in these issues, we can’t expect to bring in jobs or keep our sons and daughters from leaving the state.
Joshua Gary
Age: 41
Residence: McMechen
Education: B.A., social science education, West Liberty University, 2001; M.A., special education, West Virginia University, 2006.
Political and civic experience: None
Professional experience: Taught for 19 years as a social studies and special education teacher in both Wetzel and Marshall counties. Have taught for the past 15 as a history and government teacher at John Marshall High School in Glen Dale. Have been elected president of the American Federation of Teachers-Marshall County, 2010-present; member of AFT-WV State Executive Board: 2016-present.
Campaign statement: We need to plan for the future by working now to make sure our children have a state in which there is endless potential. We can do this by investing in newer infrastructure such as updated roads, clean water and updated sewage systems. We need to implement a solution to the opioid problem. We need to ensure that all our citizens are cared for through more educational counseling for the young and expanded services for our senior citizens.
Top priorities: Students’ educational welfare and mental health, updated roads and infrastructure, clean drinking water, expanded broadband access, better funding for senior services, protection of private property rights.
