It’s a Three-Way Race To Represent West Virginia Delegate District 7

MOUNDSVILLE – Incumbent Delegate Lisa Zukoff faces two challengers on Nov. 8 within the race for the District 7 seat within the West Virginia Home of Delegates.

Zukoff, D-Marshall, is in a contest with Republican Charles Sheedy and Mountain Get together candidate Dylan Parsons.

– Zukoff, first elected in 2018, is searching for her third two-year time period within the Home and is a full-time legislator. The Moundsville resident thanked voters for already having elected her up to now two elections.

Previous to getting into politics, she was a former government director of the Wheeling Housing Authority, and labored at her family-owned small enterprise, Equipment Ltd. Moundsville.

She believes the connections she made whereas housing director have helped her as a lawmaker, as she got here to know many individuals and study in regards to the authorities course of.

“I reside in the neighborhood and work from home, and see my constituents all of the the time – not simply throughout election season,” she stated. “I’m out and about, and I hearken to folks. I imagine communication and human relationships are key.”

Zukoff stated probably the most urgent challenge West Virginia faces is taking good care of its kids.

Her efforts within the Legislature have centered across the excessive variety of youths in foster care within the state, in addition to the excessive variety of kids being raised by their grandparents.

“We have to give them the help they should thrive sooner or later, keep within the state and grow to be productive residents,” she stated.

Zukoff famous she additionally has voted “sure” for each financial growth bundle coming earlier than the Home.

“Our kids are leaving as a result of the roles will not be right here,” she stated. “But we additionally want an informed workforce for them to return right here.”

Zukoff stated the problem she hears most about from constituents is the state of the roads.

She stated she plans to proceed to push a invoice first launched by her predecessor, Marshall County Commissioner Mike Ferro, when he was a delegate. That laws would direct a proportion of oil and fuel tax income generated in a county to return to that county for the aim of repairing roads broken by oil and fuel vehicles.

– Sheedy, of Cameron, stated he’s “pro-life, pro-God and pro-gun.”

“I’m operating as a result of I checked out what my opponent was selling in Charleston, and determined it was not what the folks of Marshall and Wetzel counties needed,” he stated.

Sheedy stated he would give attention to senior citizen points, veterans advantages and bettering infrastructure.

“We have to decrease taxes on senior residents, veterans and assist our navy,” he continued. “I’m a veteran myself.”

Sheedy stated he would work within the Legislature towards exempting the Social Safety and pension advantages acquired by senior residents from private earnings tax.

Sheedy served within the navy for over 37 years with the U.S. Military Reserves and Nationwide Guard, and retired as a grasp sergeant.

He’s additionally retired from the West Virginia Division of Highways, the place he labored for 30 years. Sheedy began there as an gear operator, then retired as Marshall County administrator for the DOH.

“Sure, the Division of Highways is damaged and desires fastened,” he stated. “I’ve spoken with Home and Senate management about fixing the DOH, and different state companies as effectively.

“Wages have to be introduced up drastically to draw and retain employees. Gear must be bought to do the work. They don’t have the gear they want.”

– Parsons, of New Martinsville, stated he’s the candidate of the working class.

“Ever since West Virginia’s founding, it has been exploited and offered out by the two-party system,” he stated. “100 years in the past our working-class miners took up arms at Blair Mountain. Now now we have a coal-baron governor (Gov. Jim Justice) who has been supported by each events.

“Neither social gathering represents the working class.”

Parsons is a New Martinsville native who graduated from Magnolia HIgh Faculty in 2016, and acquired a bachelors diploma in historical past from West Liberty College in 2020.

He works for Northwood Well being Methods as a direct care supplier.

“I come from a working-class household,” Parsons stated. “I used to be at all times shifting round from home to accommodate as my mother and father had been renting completely different locations and I by no means had a steady place to reside. Generally there was not a steady earnings, and that affected my outlook on life.

“Regardless of which social gathering was in management, it appeared we at all times struggled to make ends meet. All we noticed was company handouts by each events.”

He stated the primary factor he hears from voters is the necessity for better-paying jobs.

“Folks don’t make ends meet,” Parsons stated. “They aren’t being paid what they’re price, can’t pay the lease, and might’t put meals on the desk.”

He urged the state would flourish from hashish legalization.

“Polls present about 70% would help it, and it’s excessive time we did it,” Parsons continued. “That is actually one thing folks throughout social gathering strains agree on. It could herald income, and assist fund our faculties.”