Congressional Candidate Ace Parsi Visits, Advocates For Cameron
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CAMERON – Democrat Congressional candidate Ace Parsi visited the city of Cameron on Monday to talk with residents and hold a press event regarding concerns about a flood-control system there.
Parsi, who is running for the House of Representatives District 2 seat currently held by Republican Riley Moore, was joined by others running for political office including S. Marshall Wilson, a Constitution Party candidate running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Shelley Moore Capito; Democrat Cody Cumpston who is running for House of Delegates District 6, and Democrat Sarah Reggi, a House of Delegates candidate for the Seventh District.
The group made a video to post online about the flood-control subject while standing in front of the Cameron Municipal Building on Main Street. The event was titled, “The Cameron Small Town Promise: Public Accountability for Small Town Lives.”
Cameron Mayor Sherry Johnson was also on hand for the gathering.
Underground longwall mining conducted in November 2024 and September 2025 in the Cameron area has already damaged Upper Grave Creek Dams 7 and 9. County, state and local officials have held meetings regarding emergency evacuation plans if one of the dams were to break.
“What we’re seeing here in Cameron is something we are seeing in small towns everywhere,” Parsi said. “There are big projects that come up. We are not against economic development and investment in our communities. We want that, but the reality is our people should not be collateral to someone else’s profit.”
Parsi, who lives in Morgantown, noted similar issues are happening in different parts of the state.
“West Virginians and the people in the Northern Panhandle community of Cameron recognize the importance of the coal industry to our region and are not opposed to responsible mining,” he said. “Our concern is ensuring that mining activities do not leave the citizens of Cameron, and other small towns, with increased flood risk, unanswered questions, or a financial burden that could remain long after mining operations ave moved elsewhere.”
The group noted there are some unanswered questions including, is the infrastructure repairable or not? Who pays the real cost? And, is there accountability before rather than after a disaster?
“The Cameron Small Town Promise: Our request is simple. Before the long-term effects of mining beneath these dams are accepted, Cameron deserves legally enforceable answers regarding repair, replacement, funding, monitoring and long-term responsibility,” Wilson said. “Promises made today must remain enforceable decades from now, regardless of changes in mine ownership, corporate structure, government leadership or available funding. The citizens downstream of these dams should never be left asking who is responsible after the damage has already been done.”
Following the event, Parsi said he has been traveling across the state visiting small and large cities and getting to know residents and their issues and concerns. Whether people are Democrat, Republican or another party member, Parsi said he wants to advocate for everyone, because they deserve it.
He said most of the time while visiting smaller communities, he is welcomed in.
“When there is somebody there who genuinely cares about their future and genuinely wants to advocate for that, I hope that they see that,” Parsi said. “And 95 percent of the time they receive that with graciousness because West Virginians are awesome. .. And they are deserving of that.”
Parsi said earlier in the day he visited Paden City and talked to residents about the drinking water issues they have had there.