South Charleston, W.Va. (WVDN) — Last night, public servant, former teacher and community advocate Vince George secured the Democratic nomination for West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District. George won roughly 53 percent of the vote, with more than 23,000 ballots cast for him.
“Tonight isn’t about me,” George said. “It’s about West Virginians. This campaign has always been about fighting for the folks who work hard, play by the rules and still feel like Washington has forgotten them.”
Though not a career politician, George has spent decades in public service, advocating for working families. During that time, he registered voters in Kanawha County, recruited doctors to underserved rural counties and helped West Virginians enroll in SNAP, Medicaid and TANF. He later fought for clean air and water while working with West Virginia Citizen Action Group and the West Virginia Environmental Council.
“Over the course of this race, I had the chance to meet folks from all walks of life,” George said. “I heard from parents working overtime just to feed their children, young people wondering if they’ll have to leave their hometowns just to build a future and retirees struggling to afford the healthcare they desperately need. Those stories, and the people who shared them, mean more to me than I could ever put into words.”
George’s platform centers on four core priorities:
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Expanding affordable healthcare access, including creating a Medicare-for-All option
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Doubling the minimum wage to reflect real cost-of-living needs
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Ensuring every West Virginian has clean water
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Ending expensive forever wars, and instead investing those resources back into our communities
“I hope Democrats, Independents and open-minded Republicans across West Virginia will come together to defeat Carol Miller this November,” George said. “Carol Miller voted to close rural hospitals in our state. She gave tax cuts to the rich and powerful. And she never shows up when her people need help. Tonight, West Virginians sent a clear message: They believe I can beat her in November and flip this seat. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
