CORRIDOR CHRONICLE
Opinion
House endorsements
We’ve made our choices for other offices, including the State Senate. Now we turn our final attention to key House races in our circulation areas. We make no endorsements when there is no contest June 9.
For House of Delegates District 13, we endorse incumbent Republican Joshua Higginbotham and Jonathan Pinson. We believe incumbent Scott Cadle is a weak link and will not win in the fall, if nominated.
In District 16, Republican Mark Bates and incumbents John Mandt Jr. and Daniel Linville are our choices for the GOP nods. Democrats incumbent Sean Hornbuckle, Dakota Nelson and Anna Lewis are our selections on that side.
District 22, Republican incumbents Joe Jeffers and Zack Maynard will likely win. Maynard is a rising star and we endorse him enthusiastically. Not so with Jeffers, another weak link in the GOP chain. When asked for help when a business closed in his district, he said he’d “try to find a phone number.” That’s how disinterested and detached he is.
For the second seat in the 22nd, we will be backing former Democrat Delegate Jeff Eldridge this fall.
For now, we endorse Nicholas Young for the second GOP nomination. At least Young would not be on automatic pilot like Jeffers.
In District 24, where incumbent Ralph Rodighiero is seeking a state Senate seat, we recommend Susan Perry for the second spot to serve with incumbent Tim Tomblin.
District 27 currently has three Republicans. One is going and another MUST go. John Shott is stepping down; Eric Porterfield is a biased embarrassment to the district and the party. We endorse incumbent Joe Ellington, former Delegate Marty Gearheart and anyone who can defeat Porterfield now or in November.
In District 32, Democrat incumbents Tom Fast and Margaret Staggers deserve support. Staggers is a member of the iconic Staggers family from Keyser and has served with courage and conviction.
In District 35, we endorse Democrats incumbent Doug Skaff, Patti Hamilton, Tim Halloran and Rusty Williams. Republicans incumbent Moore Capito, Larry Pack, Chris Stansbury and Trevor Morris win our GOP nod.
In District 36, Democrat incumbents Amanda Estep-Burton and Larry Rowe and Jim Barach are our choices; We back Republicans Chris Pritt and Amanda Davis.
In District 39, Republican Dana Ferrell deserves better than the hands he’s been dealt. A hardy community organizer, Ferrell has been ostracized by GOP bigwigs. We endorse him although we have nothing bad to say about his opponent, incumbent Kevan Bartlett.
In District 59, Republican incumbent Larry Kump has always been controversial. But one thing is for sure: leadership knows he’s there representing the district. GOP opponent Ken Reed, a pharmacist, plays snake oil salesman with regard to his residence. He should be reprimanded by the voters. We endorse Kump.