WEIRTON — The current holder of the District 2 seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates is facing a challenge from a political newcomer during Tuesday’s primary election.

Incumbent Mark Zatezalo and Michele Slates are going against each other with the goal of receiving the Republican nomination for the House seat which represents the western portion of Weirton and unincorporated areas of northern Brooke County. The winner will face Weirton resident Olivia Dowler, the lone Democrat in the race.

Michele Slates

Born and raised in Weirton, Slates is co-owner of Homeland Firearms.

“I decided to run for the House of Delegates because I believe its time for a Delegate that represents your needs and concerns,” she said. “I intend to keep District 2 informed about the legislation that will be considered and I will reach out to you for your input. I will answer your phone calls and emails and when I am not downstate, I will be at my business on Pennsylvania Avenue, where you will be able to stop in and talk with me face to face.”

She pointed to the state’s reported budget surplus, saying she feels “not enough of that money is making its way north.”

“I intend to fight for a bigger share of that surplus for our roads and bridges,” she said.

Among her focuses, if elected, will be infrastructure, including the Market Street Bridge, working to provide training for displaced workers, in particular following the idling of the Cleveland-Cliffs tin plant in Weirton, and revisiting legislation in order to make sure mineal owners are provided a fair market value.

She also wants to provide support for small businesses.

“Small businesses are popping up everywhere. We need to keep that trend alive by providing support and advice for our home grown entrepreneurs,” she said. “With access to the river, railroads, the airport, small component manufacturing would thrive.”

Zatezalo has served in the House for the last eight years, and says, while improvements have been made in the state, he feels more is needed.

“We have righted the ship regarding the state economy and are looking to the future to develop its potential,” he said. “There are roadblocks that have been placed with new green philosophies which will make West Virginia and the US uncompetitive and ultimately will make the country a vassal state to those who use energy for economic progress. The fight needs to be continued to allow us to reach our potential on the state and national level.”

Among his goals if re-elected are to use the state’s energy reserves, continue a focus on reducing taxes, bring attention to a “consideration of traditional family values,” and provide more support in the areas of child care.

“We need to continue to work child care issues that are impacting the ability of our citizens to find employment and take care of their families,” he said. “There has been legislation dealing with workplace child care tax credits that has started the process and will need to be expanded.”

He also wants to work on attracting additional types of industry to the state, including defense-related manufacturing and those using natural gas as a source of energy or feedstock, and work on upgrades to roads and bridges, and health care.

Mark Zatezalo