How to be a WV Can’t Wait Candidate
What does it take to be a WV Can’t Wait Candidate?
For too long West Virginians have been asked to vote for the lesser of two evils. No more: the only way we’ll get the kind of government we deserve–one that chooses the side of West Virginians over out of state interests–is if we take it. We are calling on every candidate to stand on the side of West Virginians who work the hardest and bear the most—every time.
More than 100 WV Can’t Wait candidates ran in the 2020 primary, and more than 40 WV Can’t Wait candidates ran in the 2020 general election.
West Virginians from every race, region, religion, and party came together to put our time and money behind these candidates—and the first slate has been seated.
These candidates all signed our pledge to run campaigns on the side of West Virginians. That means refusing to cross a picket line or accept corporate cash. It means not hiding from debates or members of the public. Read the full pledge below.
These candidates also signed on to our New Deal for West Virginia:
33 policy plans written by the people of West Virginia, designed to make our state the best place in our country to live and raise a family. Our candidates promised to side with veterans on veterans’ issues, workers on workers issues, small businesses on business issues, and seniors on seniors’ issues. Our candidates understand that the people who are closest to a problem are the ones best suited to know what it takes to solve it.
Finally, we ask candidates to meet with local WV Can’t Wait leaders in their area—our Neighborhood, County and Constituency Captains and volunteers—to learn more about the issues affecting their districts from the people of their districts. Our County and Constituency Captains held more than 197 Town Halls and conducted more than 11,000 conversations with voters over the past two years—and we’re still counting.
Who will run in the next election? Who will expand our caucus of representatives that choose the side of West Virginians?
You’ll be able to search for those near you by following this link and entering your Zip Code.
Are you running for office yourself? Do you know a brave candidate who you’d like to encourage to join us? We would love to meet. Don’t hesitate to contact Stephen Smith or Katey Lauer to learn how to join us.
Sign-up for Candidate Training
County Commissions, Prosecutors, Sheriffs
- Kevin Wiles – Harrison County Commission
- Johnny Nick Hager – Mingo County Commission
- Jason G. Wright – Marion County Commission, Middletown District
- Casey Johnson – Marion County Commission, Middletown District
- Chris Collins – Roane County Commission
- Anthony Ciliberti – Fayette County Prosecutor
- Jeff Cline – Mingo County Sheriff
- David Parks – Lewis County Sherriff
Mayors, Magistrates, Town Councils, School Boards
- Danielle Stewart – Beckley Mayor
- Sherry Dugan – Parkersburg Mayor
- Royal Lowe – Kanawha County Magistrate
- Johnny Bitzer, Jr. – Ohio County Magistrate
- Shauna Jones – Buckhannon City Council*
- Kelly Elkins – Beckley City Council 4th Ward
- Anjellica Scott – Clarksburg City Council
- Jamie Green – Fairmont City Council
- Frank Jarman – Fairmont City Council
- Charlie Marshall – Grafton City Council – At large*
- Tia “Fix” Rumbaugh – Huntington City Council – District 3
- Steve Buyers – Huntington City Council – District 8
- Christopher Fain – Huntington City Council – District 9
- Ally Layman – Huntington City Council – District 9
- Cory Roman – Martinsburg City Council
- David Seum – Moundsville City Council
- Red Greer – Parkersburg City Council – District 1*
- Emily Starks – Philippi Town Council
- Gabriel Roush – Point Pleasant City Council
- Judith Watkins Rimmey – St Albans City Council
- Rosemary Ketchum – Wheeling City Council 3rd Ward
- Donna Joy – Jefferson County Board of Education
- Amanda Kinder – Cabell County Board of Education*
- Jenny Anderson Cabell County Board of Education*
- Erin Bajada – Jefferson County Board of Education
- Sandi Blankenship – McDowell County Board of Education
- Micah Weglinski – Monongalia County Board of Education
- Brianne Solomon – Putnam County Board of Education
Executive Committees
- Terry Bartley – Boone County Democratic Executive Committee
US Senate for WV
- Paula Jean Swearengin*
WV State Senate
- Carla Jones – State Senate 2 *
- Robert “Robin” Wilson Jr. – State Senate 3*
- Bruce Ashworth – State Senate 4*
- David Childers – State Senate 14*
- Jon Hague – Senate District 17*
WV House of Delegates
- Cindy Welch – Delegate District 6
- Jim Marion – Delegate District 9
- Trish Pritchard – Delegate District 10
- Luke Winters – Delegate District 10*
- Levi Billiter – Delegate District 14*
- Theresa “Tess”Jackson – Delegate District 15*
- Dakota Nelson – Delegate District 16*
- Jeanette Rowsey – Delegate District 17*
- Ric Griffith – Delegate District 19*
- Tina Russell – Delegate District 27
- Ryne Nahodil – Delegate District 28
- David “Elliott” Pritt – Delegate District 32
- Selina Vickers – Delegate District 32
- Larry Cottrell – Delegate District 33
- Kathy Ferguson – Delegate District 35*
- Angie Kerns – Delegate District 35
- Rusty Williams – Delegate District 35
- Amanda Estep-Burton – Delegate District 36
- James Elam – Delegate District 36*
- Nikki Ardman – Delegate District 38
- Cody H. Thompson – Delegate District 43
- Matt Kerner – Delegate District 45
- Doyle Tenney – Delegate District 45
- Brittney Barlett – Delegate District 46*
- Mike Lockard – Delegate District 46
- Caroline Critchfield – Delegate District 48
- Ryan Deems – Delegate District 48*
- Steve Hamilton – Delegate District 48*
- Justin Lung – Delegate District 48*
- Brandon Antion – Delegate District 49
- Aryanna Islam – Delegate District 50*
- Andrew Dale Mills – Delegate District 50*
- Jarryd Powell – Delegate District 50*
- Danielle Walker – Delegate District 51*
- Justin Hough – Delegate District 52
- Stormy Matlick – Delegate District 52
- JR Wolfe – Delegate District 52*
- Cory Chase – Delegate District 53*
- Candi Sisler – Delegate District 53
- Bradley Rinard – Delegate District – 55*
- Jerod Shockey – Delegate District 55*
- Sammi Brown – Delegate District 65
- Storme Frame – Delegate District 66
US House of Representatives for WV
- Natalie Cline – 1st House District*
- Vi Tran – 1st House District
- Matthew Hahn – 2nd House District
- Cathy Kunkel – 2nd House District*
- Hilary Turner – 3rd House District *
- Lacy Watson – 3rd House District*
- Terry Holliday – 3rd House District
Auditor
- Mary Ann Claytor*
Governor
- Stephen Smith*
The WV Can’t Wait Candidate Pledge
- We won’t take Corporate Cash–we promise to run a people-funded campaign and not to take a penny from Corporate PACs or executives from Big Pharma, Big Energy, or Out-of-State Land Companies.
- We will never cross a picket line–we will always choose the side of the people who are working the hardest and bearing the greatest burdens.
- We will never hide from a debate–we promise to meet with the public at least once a month, and to do the work of being available to our constituents.
- We will never punch down–we promise to remember that our fight is with the wealthy Good Old Boys Club in Charleston, and not with each other. We promise never to blame those who have been hurt for their pain.
How it works
- Want to receive the full backing of the WV Can’t Wait movement? Email team@wvcantwait.com to learn how you can be listed on the website, gain volunteer support, receive candidate training and more! Make sure to tell us your name, contact information, and what office you are seeking.
- Want your candidate to sign the pledge but don’t see their name? Ask them to pledge to refuse corporate PAC money and email team@wvcantwait.com for info about how to sign.
- This pledge is not an endorsement. It’s a way for candidates to publicly commit to running a campaign on the side of West Virginians–not out-of-state landowners, monopolies, and big banks.
- We want this to work for you in your race! So it’s up to you how much you associate your campaign with the pledge, or whether you sign on to the platform.
(The list of pledge-signers is updated roughly once monthly, and was last updated on Feb 3, 2020. We respect that some candidates do not yet wish to be publicly listed. )