Our City, Our Future

Why I’m Running for Mayor of Huntington, West Virginia.

I believe in Huntington's potential, and I believe in its people. I’m ready to fight to make our city a place where future generations can thrive and proudly call it home. That is why I am running for mayor in 2024 - to unlock the remarkable potential of our city and make it a place people want to work and live. I hope you’ll join the effort so we can tackle our challenges together. 

The City of Huntington’s population peaked in 1950 and has declined ever since. The reasons why people move away aren't easy to pin down, but most people are simply looking for a better job or a brighter future for their families.

I’m convinced that if we can create a safer and more livable city, prioritize high-quality education, and invest heavily in economic development, then we can start to grow Huntington again. 

Much of this work has begun, and thanks to our city leaders, we’re seeing real progress. We won the title of America's Best Community and a $3 million prize in a community revitalization competition. Millions of dollars have already been allocated to the city’s water infrastructure, and after decades of frustration, the ACF industrial property is finally being redeveloped alongside the construction of a new Marshall University baseball stadium. The city made all of these strides while also leading the fight against the national opioid crisis and navigating a global pandemic. 

The list of good things happening in Huntington is a long one. You can see the improvements when you enter the city and in our lively downtown. The changes in the city are tangible, and they are happening now. They show us that we have what it takes to improve. Things can get better! 

But despite the exciting momentum, our population is still declining. To reverse the trend, we need to create a safer and more livable city. A good place to start is to help the people suffering from homelessness and addiction get off the streets, find shelter, and get the recovery resources they need. Another way I’ll fight to make the city safer is to fix our recurring flooding problems. No one dreams of living in a home where the basement floods every time there's heavy rain, and constant flooding harms our public health and quality of life. 

Cities that grow also offer high-quality educational opportunities, and it is no secret that West Virginia’s public schools are facing serious challenges. No matter how we look at it, our educational outcomes don't stack up well against the rest of the country. If we want to change that, we cannot continue to expect our teachers to also be counselors, nurses, and social workers. They need more support, and that support can’t come at the expense of our parks and libraries. These are our schools, our parks, and our libraries. They all contribute to making our community great, and I am committed to helping find the resources to support them all. 

Another hallmark of a growing city is robust economic growth. For decades we’ve thought that “good-paying jobs” is all we needed to grow, but most local businesses are short on talented workers and have plenty of job openings. So why do so many people leave the area to find work? It's because people want more than just any job. They want to work in their chosen field and get paid what they think they're worth. Too many of our kids can't find that here so they often leave to pursue their dreams somewhere else. 

Now is the time to change that. I’ve dedicated my career to investing in West Virginia’s economy, and I’ve led our community as a member of the Marshall University Board of Governors. I know what it’s going to take to turn things around, and I know the city’s best economic development strategy is to partner more closely with Marshall to add fuel to the exciting rebirth happening on campus. Enrollment is up for the first time in many years, and there is new construction at every turn. To grow, the city needs to find ways to keep students here after they finish school by ensuring we have companies here to hire them and affordable housing available for them to live in.

Addressing all these problems calls for our community to come together with a unity of purpose. We need to recognize the same challenges, align on the same goals, and collaborate in genuine partnership. We can work together to grow our population and intentionally build a healthy community with a strong economy. We can be the Huntington generation that seized the opportunity and transformed the future of our city. 

This kind of change will only happen through the efforts of a whole host of people who are determined and capable of delivering. We need people who’ve never thought of themselves as public servants to step forward and run for the board of education, city council, and every other local office. We need to harness the power of our university and our healthcare system to start holistically nurturing our children from the earliest ages. And we need our business leaders to see the untapped potential the city has and to invest in its development. 

I’m running for mayor in 2024 because I see our potential, and I’m ready to lead the resurgence of Huntington. You can help. Pick one of the problems above and use your talent to serve our community in whatever way you can. Encourage the most capable person you know to run for office—or run for office yourself. Donate money to a law enforcement agency or drug treatment program. Volunteer at a school. Publicly offer up your own ideas for making Huntington a place where people find better jobs and brighter futures for their families. At the very least, share this essay with someone and then start a conversation about the city's future. We’ve got a lot to do, and we need your help.