WV House of Delegates — District 97

Nonpartisan candidate profiles for the Jefferson County, WV November 3, 2026 general election.

Candidates compared by criterion
Criterion42 further points collapsed Full profiles:Anders →Valentine →	S. Chris Anders Republican✓ Incumbent Full profile →	Lucia Valentine Democrat Full profile →
Energy & Data Centers	Leads opposition to the MARL power line; backs data-center water limits.	Faults the 2025 data-center law for bypassing local control.
Economy & Taxes	Voted against budgets over spending; says "End the Income Tax."	Wants taxes to favor working families; backs locality pay.
Education	Supports "full school choice"; protected Hope Scholarship funding.	Backs public school investment and teacher raises; wants parent input.
Healthcare	Backs an abortion ban and Certificate of Need repeal; opposes vaccine mandates.	No public position found
Other positions	Guns & Surveillance Says "all anti-gun laws are unconstitutional"; backs surveillance limits. Property Rights Wants to defend private property against eminent domain abuse. Government Size Says government "must be restrained to its Constitutional bounds."	Economic Development Backs "responsible development" that protects water and farmland. Child Care Says reliable child care strengthens the workforce.
Campaign Finance	Total Contributions: $45,457.23 Top Donor 1: David Levy, $5,600.00 (Kirkland and Ellis) and Mike Rydin, $5,600.00 (Retired) Top Donor 2: Marlene Moss, $4,000.00 (Retired)	Total Contributions: $56,852.10 Top Donor 1: Steven White, $5,600.00 (Not Employed) Top Donor 2: Lucia Valentine, $3,705.41
Background	Republican delegate representing WV House District 97 (Jefferson and Berkeley counties) since 2024. Chairs the West Virginia Freedom Caucus. Lives in Martinsburg, Berkeley…	Democrat running for WV House of Delegates District 97 (Jefferson and Berkeley Counties). Lost to Republican incumbent Chris Anders in 2024; rematch in 2026. Grew up in…
Endorsements	Students for Life Action (2024 GOP primary)	West Virginia Education Association PAC. United Mine Workers (2024). Run for Something (Democratic candidate training/recruitment group) lists her as a supported candidate.…
Campaign Website	anders4wv.com	valentineforwv.com
Contact	Facebook: facebook.com/anders2024X: x.com/SChrisAnders2	Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553801980620Instagram: @luciavalentineYouTube: @ValentineforWVX/Twitter: @valentineforwv
Sources	WV Legislature official records, Ballotpedia, campaign website (anders4wv.com), ACLU-WV candidate questionnaire, West Virginia Watch, WV MetroNews, WAJR, West Virginia Daily…	Candidate Research Bot dossiers, campaign materials, news coverage, public records

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