We Deserve Better!
Hello!
Thank you for stopping by! I am Chris Claypole and I am running for West Virginia State Senate. I want to thank you for taking the time to check out my stances and please reach out with questions. I am here to serve YOU because WE DESERVE BETTER!
About The Candidate
Hello and welcome. I'm Chris Claypole, and I am running for the West Virginia State Senate in Senate District 2 for the upcoming 2026 Election. As a typical native West Virginian, I was born and raised in Monongalia County. For just over a year, I have lived in the small town of Mannington in Marion County with my wonderful wife and our three cats, enjoying the relative peacefulness of small-town life. It certainly helps to have wonderful neighbors, making the experience even more enjoyable.
Throughout my professional life, I have split my time between commissioned sales and management, as well as working in the behavioral and mental health field. This experience has provided me with a firsthand understanding of the daily struggles we all face as residents of West Virginia. I have personally encountered situations where I had to decide which bills to pay on time due to low paychecks and had to go without necessary medication and medical care because of a lack of coverage. These life experiences give me valuable insight into the common challenges we face in our state.
When I’m not working, you can typically find me being the tinkerer I was raised to be. My granddad instilled in me both the skills and the sense of self-reliance to handle my own repairs whenever possible. This has led me to purchase a home over 100 years old, which I am currently renovating to restore its charm. If I’m not busy with renovations, you’ll probably catch me traveling around West Virginia, capturing photographs of all the scenic spots we are fortunate to have.
My stance on Key issues
Education
Public Education is essential! In fact it is so important that when our state came to be we made sure it was in our constitution. Our state’s children deserve better than the current situation.
I will fight to update our funding formula to make sure schools obtain better funding.
I will work to establish guardrails on the out of control spending that is happening with the Hope program.
I will ensure that education standards are established for private, charter, micro schools, and home schooling.
I will also work to place the support needed for our state’s teachers!
Healthcare
Healthcare is a human right!
Our state faces a crisis on the horizon with the cuts coming to Medicaid at the end of 2026. I pledge to work with other officials to ensure affordable access to care for the people of our state! Maintaining rural healthcare access is part of that equation and I will fight against the closing of hospitals and consolidation of care that has been allowed to happen.
We also have needs for expanding our PEIA coverage so we can lower costs for those it covers, and to ensure our state’s aging population has access to both skilled nursing facilities and in-home care. We deserve better care without undue financial burden!
Infrastructure
West Virginia is in need of upgraded roads, water systems, sewage disposal, electric grids, and high speed data!! Our infrastructure is neglected.
CLEAN WATER is a right to everyone in this state! We should not have a budget surplus while drinking water remains contaminated!
Safe, well maintained roads are vital to the lives of everyone in our state and beyond.
We should not be facing constant disruptions of service every time a storm passes. We can establish standards that must be maintained in order to supply every West Virginian with reliable water, electricity and high speed data.
Additional Topics
West Virginians face many issues. From data centers, high voltage transmission lines, public surveillance, high utility prices, and the list goes on! It is the duty of elected officials to tackle these issues and be the voice of reason for ALL West Virginians.
I vow to preserve our communities by giving control back to them to decide on topics like data center, AND transmission line construction.
I will also work to curb rising utility costs by making the appointed public service commission an elected position that answers to the public for which they serve.
I will also protect our right to privacy by upholding our 4th amendment rights and rid our state of flock cameras.