MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Republican candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates 82nd District seat continues to make his campaign pitch to voters ahead of the general election in November.

Businessman David McCormick is on the campaign trail, where he has traveled to various meetings and rallies to garner support in the weeks ahead of the start of early voting. A lifelong West Virginian who has owned a furniture and interior consulting business for over 30 years, McCormick wants voters to view him as someone who is always approachable and willing to deal with an issue head-on, both on a statewide and local basis.

“My family has been in business in different parts of the state, and West Virginia has been very good to me, and I want an opportunity to give back and help to fix some of the things that need fixed,” McCormick said.

In regards to statewide issues related to childcare accessibility, McCormick stated that he would support legislative avenues to improve access for Mountain State parents if elected. This is based on conversations with voters, Mountain State business owners, and their employees who have stated that the ability to receive affordable child care without greatly affecting day-to-day living has become burdensome. While he did not explicitly endorse a specific approach to how to address Mountain State childcare options, McCormick does endorse keeping an open mind to all considerations.

“There’s childcare deserts, and if you go some counties (in West Virginia), there is no child care,” said McCormick on the need to address childcare on a legislative level. “It’s a much bigger problem in other places (in the state) that is exacerbated by the fact that there’s nowhere to even take your kids,” he said.

McCormick has also been a major advocate for Cheat Lake residents who have addressed concerns related to Lake Lynn Generation and the operation of a hydroelectric project. This included a request made on a federal level to drop Cheat Lake water levels below the 868-foot threshold, which led to legal battles from members of the Cheat Lake business community. While the initial request by the electric utility was terminated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in late September, McCormick hopes to address one of his original campaign goals which is to support oversight involving regulations related to such projects in West Virginia, if elected.

“I just want to stress that I’ve been trying to get their feet held to the fire as far as doing what they’re supposed to do,” said McCormick on WAJR’s Talk of the Town related to his efforts to spotlight the Lake Lynn Generation concerns of Cheat Lake residents. “Regarding their license and just, from a human standpoint, trying to be a good neighbor, because I don’t think they have been,” he said.

McCormick will face Democratic candidate and former House of Delegates member Bill Reger-Nash for the 82nd District House of Delegates seat. While the longtime businessman is currently involved in his first-ever campaign for office, McCormick also runs in a super Republican majority state and ran in the 2024 primary election unopposed, further gathering party support. Despite those advantages greatly favoring the Cheat Lake native, McCormick wants voters to know he will be someone who will listen to all West Virginians if he’s elected.

“I’m looking at normal things like what can we do to get a grocery store in Cheat Lake,” said McCormick. “(I want to know) What can I do to help developers, whether it’s through the State Economic Development Department or otherwise, to land some of these things that we need,” he said.

Early voting for the 2024 general election begins on October 23. Election day is November 5.