RONCEVERTE W.Va. (WVDN) – The 2024 primary elections are fast approaching and the RNCVRT is bringing candidates appearing on the Ronceverte primary ballot to the cafe for direct voter engagement. Over the course of the next couple of months, candidates will be at the cafe to speak with voters directly about the issues that matter to them.
“We believe that all voters deserve the right to speak directly to the people who are running to represent them,” says Chris Rodriguez-Stanley, co-owner of the RNCVRT. “We want all Ronceverte voters to have their voices and concerns heard by those who believe they are best for the job in representing their needs in elected offices from the local, state, and national levels. I believe that being in the room with the candidate gives the voter more buy-in in the election process and empowers them.”
For the past couple of weeks, Jorge and Chris Rodriguez-Stanley have been communicating with candidates to confirm days and times for them. This will give Ronceverte voters the opportunity to engage one-on-one with each candidate they will be voting for on May 15.
“Our goal in this series is to bring the candidates to the cafe so that voters can speak directly to them,” says Jorge, co-owner of the RNCVRT. “Elections matter and have consequences. We want people to be as informed as possible before casting their ballot. Giving voters a chance to have face time with each candidate is important to us as we know the power of holding people accountable and having them answer questions about what they have done, what they want to do, and why they think they are the best to represent the people who call Ronceverte home.”
The Coffee with the Candidates series is not an endorsement or a sign of support for any candidates. It is a town square format that allows people to speak up and enjoy a cup of coffee in a local business that believes in the power of civic engagement.
Additionally, the RNCVRT will provide free coffee for each of the times that candidates will be in the cafe. So far, the RNCVRT has confirmed:
Derrick Evans: Republican U.S. Congressional Candidate on March 19 at 9 a.m.
Ken Reed: Republican West Virginia Secretary of State Candidate on March 23 at 12 p.m.
Jim Umberger: Democratic U.S. Congressional Candidate on March 30 at 11 a.m.
Mary Humphreys: Greenbrier County Board of Education Candidate on April 2 at 2 p.m.
Joshua Higginbotham: Republican West Virginia Agriculture Commission Candidate on April 5 at 5 p.m.
Steve Williams: Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate on April 6 at 10 a.m.
Roger Vannoy: Democratic District 47 Delegate Candidate on April 27 at 11 a.m.
Those interested in attending the series can check the RNCVRT’s social media pages on Facebook and Instagram to see when each candidate will be visiting. Each candidate will be announced as they confirm.
