Laura Wakim-Chapman earns nod for 1st Senate District seat
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WHEELING ¬- Laura Wakim-Chapman on Tuesday earned a seat in the West Virginia State Senate.
Wakim-Chapman, a Republican, first-time candidate, defeated her Democrat challenger, Randy Swartzmiller, by a vote count of 18,621 to 12,183 to win the seat for the state's First Senatorial District.
"My whole purpose in running is to make the Northern Panhandle a place where our children and grandchildren can stay," she said. "It's a great place to raise a family. All we need is a little hope."
Wakim-Chapman, 37, of Wheeling, is a constitutional lawyer and mother of two young children. She said in prior interviews her focus in Charleston will be on economic development, fixing the roads, and expanding broadband internet availability. School security also will be a priority.
"With school security, I hope West Virginia can establish a national standard - a model program that other states can follow," she said.