Elect five
Republican
Republicans Cindy Frich, Joe Statler, Justin White, Todd Stainbrook and Zach Lemaire are unopposed in the primary election for delegates from the 51st District. Information on them will be included in the general election The Dominion Post Voter’s Guide.
Democrat
Jeffrey A. Budkey
Age: 19
Residence: Morgantown
Education: North Allegheny Senior High School, West Virginia University John Chambers College of Business.
Political and civic experience: N/A
Campaign statement: It’s time to bring fresh voices and ideas to Charleston. My motto is “Make a better world where you’re going, than the one you’re coming from.” Making a better world means building each other up, not ripping each other down. Treating everyone with respect and dignity. Working together for the betterment of all people is real progress.
Top priorities: Raising the state minimum wage to a living wage, bringing good jobs back to West Virginia, ending discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, raising state education performance by hiring more good teachers and making class sizes smaller so kids get the chance to succeed that they deserve, ending the opioid epidemic that has impacted so many lives and much more.
Barbara Evans Fleischauer
Age: 66
Residence: Morgantown
Education: B.A., Allegheny College; J.D. WVU.
Political and civic experience: Current member of House of Delegates; minority chair House Committee on Judiciary; former chair, House Committee on Constitutional Revision; former co-chair, Joint Veterans Affairs, Joint Equal Pay Commission and Joint Juvenile Task Force; former vice chair, House Health and Human Resources; current House and joint member, Judiciary, Health & Human Resources, Veterans Affairs, and Rule-Making Review Committees; current member, House Rules Committee; past member, House Finance, Select Committee on Workers Compensation, Technology Committees.
Professional experience: Licensed attorney in West Virginia since 1982; former special assistant attorney general and general counsel, United Mine Workers District 31, investigator.
Campaign statement: My experience helps me get things done at the Legislature during the short 60 day session, and all year long. I listen and respond when citizens ask for help. I am a fighter when it comes to fairness for individuals, for our county and for West Virginia. I am a hard worker. My legal training helps me to be a strong advocate for women and families, veterans and seniors, employees and small businesses.
Top priorities: We all want a West Virginia where everyone can feel at home. We need to focus on common goals, rather than squabbling over issues that divide us. My top priorities will be fixing our health care system so that it works even in a crisis, good jobs with decent benefits and fixing our roads. I always fight for public and higher education and those with extra needs so that we all feel at home.
Evan Hansen
Age: 53
Residence: Morgantown
Education: M.S., energy and resources, University of California-Berkeley; B.S., computer science and engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Political and civic experience: First elected to the House of Delegates in 2018. A father, scientist and founder of a small business. Member of Morgantown Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Spark! Imagination and Science Center and Read Aloud boards. Also serves on the U.S. EPA’s Local Government Advisory Council. Prior to being elected, provided invited testimony before state and federal legislative committees.
Professional experience: Founded and serves as president of Downstream Strategies, a 14-person consulting firm based in Morgantown. Offers consulting services to help build resilient communities, promote economic development and protect the environment. Evan has 30 years of experience consulting for government agencies, nonprofits, attorneys, businesses and individuals. Developed computer models, provided testimony on issues related to environmental laws and policies and led multi-disciplinary research teams that integrate science and policy.
Campaign statement: In my first two legislative sessions, I’ve brought principled, thoughtful leadership to Charleston. As a scientist, I base decisions on facts and evidence, and not the requests of lobbyists. I support wise investments in West Virginia’s future to strengthen public education and trade schools, fix local roads and infrastructure and address the drug epidemic. I’ve also taken bold steps to create 21st century jobs that will diversify West Virginia’s economy.
Top priorities: After spearheading passage of the bipartisan solar jobs bill in 2020, I’ll continue to work toward diversifying West Virginia’s economy so that our children and grandchildren have opportunities to stay in the state. I’ll help restart our economy that has been damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ll invest in public education and the foster care system and advocate for Monongalia County to get its fair share of state funds to fix local roads and infrastructure.
Rodney A. Pyles
Age: 74
Residence: Morgantown
Education: B.A. and M.A. degrees in political science, West Virginia University.
Political experience: Monongalia County assessor, 1989–2012; deputy assessor, 1985–1988; director of Archives and History, State of West Virginia, 1977–1985. Elected to the House of Delegates, 2016. Morgantown Historic Landmarks Commission, 1986-2017; Morgantown Museum Commission, 2016-2019; Morgantown Library Board, 1988 – 1991; Democratic State Executive Committee, 2010 – 2018.
Campaign statement: If re-elected I will continue working to enact and protect programs that benefit working families, minorities, senior citizens and those in need. I will work for better funding for roads and infrastructure, and will oppose further cuts to higher education. I will work to find a solution to funding PEIA without placing additional burdens on the public employees and retirees who rely on it.
Top priorities: Work to pass the Livable Home Tax Credit to allow the elderly and disabled a tax credit for modifications to make their homes more accessible.
Work to expand the PROMISE Scholarship to cover the full costs for students in STEM fields along with nursing, and teaching, and a tuition loan forgiveness program for students who remain in the state for at least five years after graduation.
Work to increase the Homestead Exemption, not increased since 1985.
Danielle Walker
Age: 43
Residence: Dellsow
Education: New Iberia Senior High School; University of Louisiana at Lafayette (some college); accounting certificate from the Teche Area Technical Institute.
Political and civic experience: House of Delegates, District 51, 2019-present; candidate, House of Delegates, District 51, 2018.
Professional experience: Direct care worker employed by Public Partnership, home school educator for youngest son.
Campaign statement: I am running to keep my seat in the people’s House because I want to continue making a difference. I began as an activist for kindness and justice, and am an activist legislator, speaking for the voiceless, fighting for the vulnerable and to make our government serve the needs of the people of West Virginia. Policy matters and I am fighting for good policies and good laws in West Virginia.
Top priorities: Fostering a fair economy that protects unions and workers; affordable housing; fighting for the equal and fair treatment of all no matter the disability, sexuality, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or economic status; criminal justice reform; food insecurity and tackling the stigma around it; cannabis legalization; investing in quality public education; addressing the addiction epidemic by improving access to treatment and recovery services.
John Williams
Age: 29
Residence: Morgantown
Education: Bachelor’s degree, West Virginia University.
Political and civic experience: I was elected to the House of Delegates in 2016 and am currently finishing my second term. Additionally, I proudly serve on various boards within our community.
Professional experience: I work in financial services for Northwestern Mutual, where I work with clients to help them achieve their financial goals, while making sure that we protect what they already have.
Campaign statement: My involvement in government stemmed from my strong desire to work for the community and its people, that I care about. West Virginia, and more specifically Monongalia County, has always been my home, and I want to make it an even better place to live for all of its inhabitants.
Top priorities: Roads, senior issues, education and economic development have been and continue to be my priorities. I believe that I have contributed to the advancement of those issues in many regards. However, there is still a lot of work to be done, and I would be humbled if the citizens of the 51st District would permit me the opportunity to continue working on their behalf.
