Seven Will Seek U.S. House Seat; Delegate Erikka Storch To See Challenge in General Election
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WHEELING -- At least seven candidates -- five Republicans and two Democrats -- want to represent West Virginia's northern counties in the United States House of Representatives starting next year.
And late Sunday a surprise came in the announcement that Wheeling attorney Teresa Toriseva is stepping forward to run as a Democrat for the new 4th Delegate District in the West Virginia House of Delegates, as she filed by mail Friday from the post office in Elm Grove. That district currently is the home base of six-term state Delegate Erikka Storch, a Republican. With no others filing for the race, the Storch-Toriseva matchup come November will be one of the more intriguing races on the ballot.
The deadline to file for races on the 2022 election ballot was midnight Saturday. Local courthouses were open until 5 p.m. to accept filings for local races, while the West Virginia Secretary of State's office remained open until midnight for entries in federal and state contests.
Some filings still may be added to the list in the coming days, as candidates also had the option of mailing their candidacy papers. These will be accepted so long as they are postmarked no later than Jan. 29.
At the top of local ballots this year is a race for the new District 2 U.S. House seat.
U.S. Reps. David B. McKinley of Wheeling and Alex X. Mooney of Charles Town, both Republicans, filed early in the race.
Joining them on the ballot for the GOP nomination in the May 10 primary election are Susan Buchser-Lochocki of Morgantown, Rhonda A. Hercules of Wheeling, and Mike Seckman of West Union.
On the Democratic side, Angela J. Dwyer of Martinsburg and Barry Lee Wendell of Morgantown seek the nomination.
There also will be primary races for the West Virginia Senate District 1 seat representing Hancock, Brooke and Ohio counties and parts of Marshall County.
Sen. Owens Brown, D-Ohio, was appointed last year to fill the seat vacated by now U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld. Brown has filed for election to the seat, and will be challenged for the Democratic nomination by former Delegate Randy Swartzmiller of Hancock County.
Seeking the GOP nomination in Senate District 1 are two newcomers — Laura Wakim Chapman and Judi Varner Meyer, both of Wheeling.
Sen. Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, filed for re-election in Senate District 2, while
Eric M. Hayhurst of Morgantown will seek the office as a Democrat.
This year will mark the first time West Virginians will cast ballots in single Delegate districts, and some incumbent delegates were the single candidate filing in their race - Delegate Patrick McGeehan, R-Hancock, District 1, and Delegate Charlie Reyonolds, R-Marshall in District 6, had no opposition for their seats as of late Saturday afternoon.
In District 2, Delegate Mark Zatezalo, R-Hancock, will seek re-election, while former delegate Ronnie D. Jones filed on the Democratic ticket. In District 3, Delegate Phillip W. Diserio, D-Brooke, has filed, and Jimmy Willis is in the race as a Republican.
Toriseva, a Wheeling attorney, said in her announcement in running for the District 4 seat that she is "motivated to run for House by my love of the Northern Panhandle and I am dedicated to this place as a business owner, a property owner, a parent, and a citizen. As part of my campaign, in addition to visiting people where they live, I will visit every business in the District to hear about their successes and discuss their needs."
Storch, executive director of Project BEST, had consistently been the top vote-getter in the former 3rd Delegate District.
In District 5, incumbent Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, filed for re-election. But the race representing downtown Wheeling and its riverfront areas now has a youthful twist.
Ohio County Republican Party Chairman Elgine McArdle announced Saturday that her daughter, Brooke McArdle, had mailed her candidacy papers and will seek the GOP nomination to the District 5 seat.
Brooke McArdle, 22, is a student and hockey player at Elmira College in Elmira, New York, who plans to move back to the area after graduating in the spring. She mailed her papers while on her way to a hockey game on Saturday, her mother confirmed.
In District 7, Delegate Lisa Zukoff, D-Marshall, is unopposed in the primary. But Charles R. Sheedy Sr. has filed on the GOP ticket, and Dylan Parsons will run as a Mountain Party Candidate. District 8 will see a Republican primary featuring Delegate David L. Kelly, R-Tyler, and Dave Shelton.
At the county level, there will be no primary contests in Ohio County, but some matchups are set up for fall.
Commissioner Randy Wharton, a Democrat, will see a challenge from Wheeling Councilman Dave Palmer, a Republican. Circuit Clerk Brenda L. Miller, a Democrat, filed for re-election, and Donna E. Vance is the only candidate for the GOP nomination to the office.
Six candidates are seeking election to fill the three seats on the ballot for the Ohio County Board of Education, a non-partisan election that will be decided in May. They are incumbents Molly Aderholt and David Croft, and newcomers Darrin Cox, M. Andy Garber, Jessica Powers and Ron Scott.
No Democrats filed for county office in Hancock County, but there will be three GOP primaries there.
The Republican race for Hancock commission features former Oak Glen football coach Ted Arneault Jr., incumbent commissioner Paul Rex Cowey and Bret Lemley. Valerie Truax and Karan Valenti are seeking the GOP nomination for county clerk, and Republicans in the circuit clerk race are Sandra Casto and Frederick John Marello Jr.
Seven candidates are vying for three seats on the Hancock County Board of Education. Among them are Dr. Gregory Albert Baldt, Christina Fair, Ed Fields, Jim Horstman, Danny Kaser, Philip Rujak, and Gerard Spencer.
The board of education race in Brooke County also has seven candidates — Zachary Boyd, Chris Byers, Alfred "AL" DeAngelis, Stacy Hooper, Kristin M Newton, Ted Pauls and Martin D Wood.
Tyler County will see Republican primaries for commissioner and county clerk.
Commissioner candidates are Eric H Vincent and David "PJ" Wells, while County Clerk Neil Archer II sees a challenge from David Stoller. There are also eight candidates for board of education in Tyler County. Filing were Katrina Byers, Renee Glover, Camille Mace, Dave "D-Bob" Roberts, Andy Shreves, Scott W. Strode, Jason Suter and Larry Thomas.
Marshall and Wetzel counties have no contested primary races following Saturday's filing deadline.
2022 Primary Election Candidates
U.S. House -- District 2 (Republican)
Susan Buchser-Lochock
Rhonda A. Hercules
David B. McKinley
Alexander X. Mooney
Mike Seckman
U.S. House -- District 2 (Democrat)
Angela J. Dwyer
Barry Lee Wendell
West Virginia Senate
District 1 (Republican)
Laura Wakim Chapman
Judi Varner Meyer
West Virginia Senate
District 1 (Democrat)
Owens Brown
Randy Swartzmiller
West Virginia Senate
District 2 (Republican)
Charles Clements
West Virginia Senate
District 2 (Democrat)
Eric M. Hayhurst
Delegate District 1
(Republican)
Pat McGeehan
Delegate District 2
(Republican)
Mark Zatezalo
Delegate District 2
(Democrat)
Ronnie D. Jones
Delegate District 3
(Republican)
Jimmy Willis
Delegate District 3
(Democrat)
Phillip W. Diserio
Delegate District 4
(Republican)
Erikka Storch
Delegate District 4
(Democrat)
Teresa Toriseva
Delegate District 5
(Republican)
Brooke McArdle
Delegate District 5
(Democrat)
Shawn Fluharty
Delegate District 6
(Republican)
Charlie Reynolds
Delegate District 7
(Republican)
Charles R. Sheedy Sr.
Delegate District 7
(Democrat)
Lisa Zukoff
Delegate District 7
(Mountain)
Dylan Parsons
Delegate District 8
(Republican)
David L. Kelly
Dave Shelton
Brooke County
Commissioner (Republican)
Thomas R. "Tommy" Diserio
Commissioner (Democrat)
Tim Ennis
Clerk (Democrat)
Kimberly "Kimmy" Barbetta
Circuit Clerk (Democrat)
Glenda Brooks
Magistrate
Shannon Price
Board of Education
(three to be elected)
Zachary Boyd
Chris Byers
Alfred "AL" DeAngelis
Stacy Hooper
Kristin M Newton
Ted Pauls
Martin D Wood
Conservation District
Supervisor
Stephen Paull
Hancock County
Commissioner (Republican)
Ted Arneault Jr.
Paul Rex Cowey III
Bret Lemley
Clerk (Republican)
Valerie Truax
Karan (Baier) Valenti
Circuit Clerk (Republican)
Sandra (Sandy) Casto
Frederick John Marello Jr.
Board of Education
(three to be elected)
Dr. Gregory Albert Baldt
Christina Lee Fair
Ed Fields
Jim Horstman
Danny Kaser
Philip Rujak
Gerard Spencer
Conservation District
Supervisor
Jim Anderson
Marshall County
Commissioner (Republican)
Scott Wolfe
Commissioner (Democrat)
John "Big John" Gruzinskas
Clerk (Republican)
Connie Howard
Clerk (Democrat)
Melanie Madden
Circuit Clerk (Republican)
Joe Rucki
Board of Education
(three to be elected)
Brenda K. Coffield
Duane Miller
Christie Robison
Conservation District
Supervisor
Mark B. Fitzsimmons
Ohio County
Commissioner (Republican)
Dave Palmer
Commissioner (Democrat)
Randy Wharton
Clerk (Democrat)
Michael E. Kelley
Circuit Clerk (Republican)
Donna E. Vance
Circuit Clerk (Democrat)
Brenda L. Miller
Board of Education
(three to be elected)
Molly Aderholt
Darrin Cox
David Croft
M. Andy Garber
Jessica Powers
Ron Scott Jr.
Conservation District
Supervisor
Robert Luchetti
Village of Bethlehem
Mayor
Aaron Snider
Council Ward 1
Robert Henry
Council Ward 2
Tim Bishop
Tyler County
Commissioner (Republican)
Eric H Vincent
David "PJ" Wells
Clerk (Republican)
Neil Archer II
David Stoller
Circuit Clerk (Republican)
Candi Warner
Board of Education
(three to be elected)
Katrina Byers
Renee Glover
Camille Mace
Dave "D-Bob" Roberts
Andy Shreves
Scott W. Strode
Jason Suter
Larry Thomas
Conservation District
Supervisor (Republican)
Wayne McKeever
Wetzel County
Commissioner (Democrat)
Lisa Heasley
Clerk (Democrat)
Jessica Davis
Circuit Clerk (Democrat)
Lorie Wetzel McCoy
Board of Education (three
to be elected)
Linda Duke
Jimmy D. Glasscock
Carolyn Yoho
Conservation District
Supervisor
Holly Morgan