Two candidates from the Chapmanville area are on the ballot this November to represent District 31 in the West Virginia House of Delegates.
Republican nominee Margitta Mazzocchi is facing off against Democratic nominee Kenneth Wilson in the race. Having been elected in 2020, Mazzocchi currently serves in the House as a delegate for District 24, but is now running in District 31 after new district lines were drawn following the 2020 U.S. Census.
The new district encompasses southwestern Lincoln, northern Logan, and western Boone counties. The winner of the race on Tuesday, Nov. 8 will assume office Dec. 1.
Margitta Mazzocchi
Margitta Mazzocchi became the Republican nominee after defeating her two primary challengers in May. A native of Germany, Mazzocchi emigrated to the United States over two decades ago and has previously operated several businesses in the Chapmanville area alongside her husband, Eugene, during that time.
Mazzocchi touts several accomplishments in her two years, such as being lead sponsor of House Bill 4600, which makes it a felony for a “person in a position of trust” to assault, battery, or verbally abuse a child, or neglect to report abuse they witness. The bill went into effect June 10.
Mazzocchi also sponsored House Bill 4556 requiring video and audio recordings in self-contained classrooms, which she said is part of a solution to “horrible abuse” that has happened to several children during school.
Mazzocchi said she has worked closely with the West Virginia Division of Highways to help with road issues such as county route five, also known as Harts Creek Mountain. Last October, she helped organize a town hall style meeting with DOH officials at Hugh Dingess Grade School regarding the issue.
Mazzocchi said she organized community input from her district that helped get 100 single delegate districts into place.
“While I did not sit on the redistricting committee, I had the honor of organizing community input at the public hearing from our area to voice their opinion and they got heard,” Mazzocchi said. “Chapmanville is a whole district, a lot of mentioned issues got fixed with this redistricting, and it’s all accredited to our people standing up for their needs.”
Mazzocchi said she had the chance to be part of a focus group with the Center for Business and Economic Research from Marshall University. The involvement resulted, she said, in sponsoring House Bill 4479, establishing the Coalfield Communities Grant Facilitation Commission effective June 8, 2022.
“HB 4479 is to maximize the resources of the state and to create a resource for entities and persons interested in applying for grants that need assistance with grant proposal and applications,” Mazzocchi said.
Mazzocchi also notes that she had two bridge naming resolutions — HCR 62, the Major Samuel Wilson Rogers Jr. Memorial Bridge and HCR 4, the John B. Short Memorial Bridge — pass.
When asked what she feels are the biggest issues facing the district, she outlined several goals, many of which lean conservative politically: defend Second Amendment rights, save lives of unborn children, improve education opportunities, expand foster care, kinship and grand-families programs, support the coal industry, help the unemployed get back to work, assist workers with transportation to get to work, get rid of unnecessary regulations, reduce the drug problem, give volunteer firefighters a tax credit, and benefit farmers.
Mazzocchi is a member of the National Rifle Association, the West Virginia Citizen’s Defense League, and the Kiwanis Club of Logan, the latter of which she recently presided over as president for a year.
Kenneth Wilson
Chapmanville resident Kenneth Wilson is the Democratic candidate for the House 31 seat this year. When asked why he chose to run, Wilson said that he has always volunteered his services to the state and the country.
“I served on the Natural Resource Commission for 18 years,” Wilson said. “That was an unpaid position. I didn’t get a penny for it except the commission meets four times a year and they paid for my Saturday evening meal, my Sunday breakfast, and my motel room. That was it. I got no mileage, got no pay whatsoever, and the duties I did, I did them for free.”
Wilson said that during his time on the Natural Resource Commission, he gained a wealth of experience that will help him succeed if elected.
“I had to work with the Legislature and the governor on legislation that affected DNR, which in turn, affected everybody,” Wilson said, “so I’ve got a lot of experience there. I know both sides of the aisle. I was able to work with both parties on getting things done in that regard, so it’s not like I have to go over there and do a learning curve. I already know how to negotiate that system. I know how to write bills, because I’ve done it. I just thought it would be something that I could help my area with. We certainly aren’t getting that now.”
Wilson said he will stand up for the constituents of District 31 and not special interest groups.
“I’m not over there to listen to lobbyists,” Wilson said. “I’m over there to listen and be concerned about what District 31 residents want and in turn, that will spill over into what people in the whole state want. My goal is to represent the people, that’s as simple as I can put it.”
Wilson said that when he isn’t in a Legislative session, he will host town hall meetings once a month throughout the district at different locations.
“If you don’t talk to these folks and see what is their concern, how in the world are you ever going to learn?” Wilson said.
Wilson also spent 23 years in the coal mining industry, which he said helps him understand those issues. His wife, Terilyn, who currently serves as recorder for the Town of Chapmanville, taught school for 38 years and two of his daughters are teachers. Additionally, Wilson emphasized the importance of education as part of his campaign.
“I know what affects them and I know what they need and I will promise that I will stand up for them,” Wilson said.
Wilson also promised to stand up for senior citizens, the handicapped, and veterans. Wilson is a veteran who served 13 months in Vietnam and four years total in the U.S. Military.
The theme of Wilson’s campaign is “Let Me Be Your Watchdog,” a theme he says he obtained from a long life of experience.
“I will stand up for them and I’ve been more or less a watchdog all my life and that’s what I’m using as my theme — let me be your watchdog in Charleston,” Wilson said.
