Erikka Storch Takes Job at Appalachian Power, To Resign as W.Va. Delegate
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WHEELING -- Del. Erikka Storch has taken a new step in her professional life, which has necessitated a major change in her political life.
Storch is now external affairs manager at Appalachian Power after serving as executive director of Project BEST since December 2021. But with that move, she has submitted her letter of resignation to the West Virginia House of Delegates. The Wheeling Republican was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2010 and served as the deputy majority whip during the 2023 legislative session.
In her new role, she will help lead Appalachian Power's development of strategies and policies to build effective community relations and economic development programs, serve as a local legislative contact and liaison and work with local media, among other jobs.
There won't be any lobbying aspects to the job, at least for now. A law recently passed in West Virginia requires any state legislators to refrain from lobbying at the West Virginia Capitol for one year after leaving office. Those people can apply for waivers to begin lobbying before the year is up, but Storch said she has not yet filed for a waiver and that decision will be up to her supervisors at Appalachian Power.
Storch said that when she saw the job at Appalachian Power open, she had to inquire about it.
"I looked into it, and it's everything that I love," she said. "It's being involved in the community. It's being out there to help the community and engage with the community, which are all things that I enjoy doing."
Storch said she did ask whether she could hold her new job with AEP and remain in the Legislature, but was told that couldn't happen. So after careful consideration and discussion with her family, she decided to resign.
"It's a great opportunity," she said, "and with this opportunity, there's a requirement. But I'm really excited to start."
Gov. Jim Justice will appoint another Republican to fill Storch's seat until the 2024 election based on the recommendations of the local party committee. According to Elgine McArdle, chair of the West Virginia Republican Party, the Ohio County Republican Executive Committee will have 15 days from the day of Storch's official resignation to send three names to Justice to choose from.
Anyone interested can send their applications to the Ohio County Republican Executive Committee via the McArdle Law Office at 2139 Market St. in Wheeling. McArdle said those interested should apply as soon as possible. After receiving those names, Justice has 15 days to decide which one will be the replacement.
McArdle said the person who is named to that seat should be ready to pick up where Storch left off well past the one year they will serve in Storch's stead.
"She's represented the district well," McArdle said of Storch. "I think whoever is wanting to seek this position needs to be willing to run in this next election. We do not want to lose that seat."
Storch will leave the Legislature after holding several committee chairmanships. She was chair of the pensions and retirement committee and, at interim committees, chair of pensions and retirement and interstate cooperation. During regular sessions, she was a member of the banking and insurance, economic development and tourism, finance and house rules committees. During interims, she was a member of the economic development and tourism and finance committees.
Storch said she'll miss the friends she has made while serving in the Legislature. And while she won't be serving the community as an elected official, she still wants to be of help to her neighbors however she can.
"I'm hopeful that I can still be engaged and can still help people," she said. "My mom's friends, some have reached out to me with issues they have and concerns that they're not going to be able to connect with somebody. I just said to them, call me. I'll connect you to whomever can help you.
"That's just my nature," she said. "So I'll be the world's best legislative volunteer."
While she'll miss her time in the Legislature, Storch is sure there will be plenty of qualified, capable people who will apply for the appointment to her seat. She'd like to see plenty of people throw their hats in the ring, so they can enjoy the experience the way she has since that 2010 election.
"If anybody has even an inkling of getting involved politically, I encourage them to do it," she said, "because when I was a kid, I never saw myself in elected office. So it's something I'm definitely glad I've done."