Christy Cardwell Announces Candidacy for West Virginia Senate District 9

PRESS RELEASE:

BECKLEY, WV – October 11, 2023 – Christy Cardwell, a Wyoming County native and an English teacher at
Wyoming East High School, announced today that she is running for the West Virginia Senate District 9
seat in the 2024 election. Cardwell, a Democrat, will challenge incumbent Republican Senator David
“Bugs” Stover, who has held the seat since 2020. Senate District 9 encompasses all of Raleigh and
Wyoming Counties as well as part of Fayette County, WV.

Cardwell said she decided to run for office because she believes the people of southern West Virginia
deserve better representation and more opportunities. “I love this region and I want to see it thrive,”
Cardwell said. “But I also see the challenges we face every day: lack of jobs, poor infrastructure,
inadequate health care, attacks on public education, and divisive politics. I believe we can do better. We
need leaders who will listen to the people, work across party lines, and fight for our interests in
Charleston.”

Cardwell said her top priorities as a senator would be to improve education, health care, and economic
development in the district. “Education is the foundation for creating opportunities for our youth and in
improving our economy,” Cardwell said. “We need to invest more in our schools, teachers, and students,
and ensure that they have the resources and support they need to succeed. We also need to expand
access to higher education and vocational training and create partnerships with local businesses and
industries to provide more job opportunities for our graduates.”

Cardwell also said she would advocate for affordable and quality health care for all West Virginians.
“People should not have to fight insurance companies and bureaucracy to obtain life-saving medical
care,” Cardwell said. “We need to expand Medicaid, protect people with pre-existing conditions, lower
prescription drug costs, and address the opioid crisis that has devastated our communities. Mental
health is just as important as physical health, and we need to provide more funding and services for
mental health care and substance abuse treatment.”

Cardwell said she is an advocate for civil liberties and believes all people should be treated equally and
fairly. “I believe in the values of freedom, justice, and democracy that our country was founded on,”
Cardwell said. “I believe that everyone deserves respect and dignity, regardless of their race, gender,
sexual orientation, religion, or background. I believe that we are stronger when we celebrate our
diversity and work together for the common good. I believe that we need to protect our environment
and natural resources for future generations. And I believe that we need to restore civility and integrity
in our political discourse.”

Cardwell was born in Bluefield and spent almost her entire life in Wyoming County. She graduated from
Mullens High School in 1989. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education/English
Language Arts in 1996 and her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction/English Language Arts in
2001 from West Virginia University. Christy married her husband Raymond Cardwell in 1990 and they
have five children together: Jessie, Axel, Mackenzie, Aidan, and Addison.

Cardwell said she is looking forward to meeting with voters and hearing their concerns and ideas. She
invited anyone interested in learning more about her campaign or getting involved to visit her website
cardwellforsenate.com or contact her by phone or email.

“I am running for Senate because I care about this district and I want to make a difference,” Cardwell
said. “I am not a career politician or a wealthy donor. I am a teacher, a mother, a wife, a friend, a
neighbor. I am one of you. And I will work hard for you.”