WEIRTON — A veteran of the West Virginia Legislature is facing a challenge from a political newcomer in the race to represent the state’s House of Delegates District 2.

Republican incumbent Mark Zatezalo is seeking his fifth term in the House. A 1970 Weir High graduate with a Bachelor of Science in geology from West Virginia University, a master’s from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and more than 35 years of experience as a hydrogeologist, Zatezalo said he first was encouraged to seek office because of his knowledge of the shale and natural gas industries.

“It made sense, and I have been able to help the state manage this critical resource,” Zatezalo said. “We are producing at 10 times the volume that we averaged before the shale. This benefits the state in many ways including energy security, revenue and employment of our citizens.”

Dowler, the Democratic challenger, is a 2020 Weir High graduate who completed her undergraduate studies at West Virginia University in May 2024 with majors in history, Spanish and philosophy. Eventually, she plans to enroll in law school with a goal of becoming a public defender.

Dowler said she first took notice of the work of the Legislature during the 2019 teacher strike, learning more while part of the Student Government Association at WVU where she served as legislative affairs liaison and assisted with the introduction of the West Virginia Resilience Act.

“Countless of my peers have told me they want to stay here at home in West Virginia, but believe they have to go elsewhere to find opportunity and freedom,” Dowler said. “I know that my neighbors, my district, and my state deserve better than that. I am ready to not only actively listen to folks, but to fight for them and the Northern Panhandle in Charleston. I am more than willing to put in the work to ensure the freedoms of all Mountaineers are protected and expanded. This state is filled with so much love, and it is time for the legislature to reflect that. It is time for a change.”

If re-elected, Zatezalo says the state needs to continue focusing on its momentum to attract new business and industry, as well as help with the needs of child care services in West Virginia.

“The drug epidemic is partially responsible for this problem, but it is greater than that,” he said. “We have helped by passing legislation that allowed incentives for companies to provide child care for its workers. We have also increased the tax credit for parents who require child care assistance. More can be done.”

In addition, he sees a need to better prepare available services, such as emergency services, as the state grows.

“We need to make sure we are doing our best to prepare services for our citizens as we grow. Such items as emergency services will require attention to make sure our citizens’ well-being are being addressed,” he said.

Dowler also sees a need to focus on child care access, as well as access to health care and struggles in public education. Acknowledging passage of the tax credit, Dowler said it does nothing to address real problems in the sector, including providers not being able to make enough money to pay staff.

“Fewer staff means fewer children that can be taken in, which causes extremely long waiting lists for families to be able to put their kids in care,” she said. “With no place to take their children, people, often the mothers, are forced to stay home to care for them and are unable to work.”

In the area of healthcare, Dowler says increased, and more affordable access to mental healthcare is needed, as is an investment in school social workers.

West Virginia teachers, she said, rank at the bottom for average teacher salaries.

“When this compounds with PEIA health insurance premiums, deductibles and copays being continuously raised, many current and future teachers are leaving the state for better opportunities,” she said.

Dowler said she feels West Virginia has not been fiscally responsible in recent years, pointing to reductions in personal income tax as an example.

“Yes, the idea of a tax cut looks good on the surface, but that is not the whole picture,” she said. “The state responsibility of serving the needs of Mountaineers comes before the desire to cut taxes. It is irresponsible to cut taxes significantly without having an alternative stream of funding to cover what the taxes are currently paying for, let alone when the state is already struggling as is with finances.”

Zatezalo, though, sees the financial decisions of the Legislature as being good for the state.

“When I entered the legislature our state budget was hundreds of millions of dollars under water,” he said. “We made a decision that we would not raise taxes, and would grow our revenue in other ways (i.e. increased severance tax etc.). I am happy to report that we have run surpluses since 2016 that have been used to lower the income tax while using a portion to attract new business.”

Both agree more can be done to attract new businesses and residents, with Zatezalo saying more emphasis should be placed on the state’s energy sector as an attractant, and Dowler pointing to a need to promote, attract and support small businesses. She said she believes policies implemented by the state, including those focused on teacher pay, reproductive health, and school funding are driving people away.

They also both see a need to continue investments in the state’s infrastructure, including the safety and efficiency of water and sewer utilities, broadband availability, and roads.