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Recent West Liberty University graduate Dalton Haas will be a candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2018.
Haas, a Republican, said Wednesday he will formally announce his candidacy for the 3rd District House seat at noon Jan. 15 at the front entrance to WesBanco Arena. "I want to run to set a path for West Virginia," he said. "As a young person, it makes me sad to see my peers leave for other opportunities elsewhere. I want to bring opportunities to the state so they have opportunities to go to, and can stay here."
At 22, Haas joins a number of young professionals seeking to serve in the Legislature. Presently, there are eight members in the House of Delegates under 30: Saira Blair, R-Berkeley, 21; Joshua Higginbotham, R-Putnam, 21; Ben Queen, R-Harrison, 22; Patrick Martin, R-Lewis, 24; Zack Maynard, R-Lincoln, 25; Kayla Kessinger, R-Fayette, 25; Jordan Hill, R-Nicholas, 27; and Danny Hamrick, R-Harrison, 29.
Locally, Delegate Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, turns 34 this week; and Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, is 35.
Haas has a theory about why so many of the state's youth are interested in serving in Charleston. "They believe our generation has seen our state turn for the worse, and they want to be among the people who change it," he said. "They are seeing that the future of the state is being left to them, and it's up to them to stand up."
Haas was involved in student government both at WLU and at Wheeling Park High School. In 2016, he was a candidate for the 6th Ward seat on Wheeling City Council. Haas is employed as an apprentice funeral director at Altmeyer Funeral Home, where he worked throughout college. He obtained his his bachelor's degree from WLU in three and a half years while working full-time jobs.
He has served as a public-address announcer for the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference, WPHS, and Wheeling Central Catholic High School, and as a backup public address announcer for the Wheeling Nailers.