Photo by West Virginia Office of the Governor.
Patrick Morrisey Governor
As the newly elected governor of West Virginia and head of the executive branch, Patrick Morrisey is tasked with leading the state, making executive decisions and guiding its overall direction. Having served as attorney general for the past 12 years, Morrisey brings his experience defending the rights of the state and its citizens to his new role.
As governor, Morrisey will work to revitalize the state’ s economy, which includes supporting the policies that work to enhance the coal and natural gas industries and creating an economic“ Backyard Brawl,” where West Virginia will aim to have lower taxes compared to surrounding states. Morrisey also hopes to improve quality of life in the state and plans to tackle the drug epidemic, work to improve health care and expand infrastructure.
Another important initiative for Morrisey is education, and as governor, he plans to give parents the opportunity to choose where their children will go to school as well as work to employ quality teachers and expand workforce development programs.
“ I’ m honored to serve the people of West Virginia. Our state is rich in natural beauty, hardworking families and resilient communities,” Morrisey says.“ Together, we have so much potential, and I’ m focused on making sure every West Virginian has the opportunity to succeed and thrive. I’ ll continue to work tirelessly to improve our state while protecting our freedom and values.”
Photo by Office of the WV Attorney General.
J. B. McCuskey Attorney General
J. B. McCuskey, West Virginia’ s newest attorney general, has been inspired from an early age to work in public service. He earned his degree from George Washington University and gained experience working in the U. S. Department of Defense at the Pentagon before returning to the Mountain State to work in state government. His background in law and government transparency will serve him well as he begins his role as the new attorney general.
McCuskey was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2012, where he worked across party lines to establish policies that would be beneficial to the entire state. He became the second-youngest state auditor in the state’ s history in 2017, and in that role, focused on financial efficiency, preventing fraud and government transparency.
“ I bring a myriad of experience in local and state government to my role in the Attorney General’ s Office,” McCuskey
says.“ I plan to use that understanding and my life experience when tackling problems throughout the government and state.”
As attorney general, McCuskey plans to defend West Virginians from external threats like outside policies targeting its energy industry. He is currently leading a coalition challenging New York’ s Climate Superfund Act, a piece of legislation aiming to impose financial burdens on coal, oil and natural gas producers. He is also committed to protecting the rights granted by the Second Amendment by expanding gun reciprocity agreements. Fighting the opioid epidemic is important to him as well, and he plans to ensure settlement funds from drug manufacturers are used to combat the crisis.
Mark Hunt Auditor
Newly elected State Auditor Mark Hunt has spent his career dedicated to public service. He has served multiple terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates and Senate, where he served Kanawha, Putnam, Jackson, Roane
Photo by Will Price Photography. and Clay counties. His time in the Legislature was spent working on policy issues like economic and infrastructure development, judicial reform and pension security. As vice chair of the Pensions Committee, Hunt gained experience in fiscal responsibility, legislative oversight and the financial challenges state and local governments face. Hunt will also use his background as an attorney to manage taxpayer dollars to best serve the state and its people.
Hunt says he is committed to bettering financial integrity at all levels of government and protecting citizens from fraud, waste and abuse. His top three initiatives while in office are to expand public access to financial data, increase investigative actions to help prevent the government from mismanaging finances and introducing new technology that will help improve efficiency and financial reporting in the state.
“ My focus as state auditor is to ensure that West Virginians can trust their government to be transparent, accountable and fiscally responsible,” Hunt says.“ I am committed to strengthening oversight measures and working with stakeholders across the state to promote financial integrity and efficiency.”
Photo by Perry Bennett, WV Legislative Photography.
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