Ryan Weld on Seeking Third Term in West Virginia Senate: ‘Still Work To Be Done’
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WELLSBURG -- West Virginia Senate Majority Whip Ryan Weld is clear on why he is seeking re-election in 2024.
"The job isn't finished. There is still work to be done," Weld explained. "I want to be there and continue to do the work of the 1st Senate District."
He added he desires to continue to be a part of the state's economic development plan that brought Form Energy to Weirton, as well as other companies to Beech Bottom and Brooke County.
"Those are good wins," Weld said.
Then there were the losses that resulted in the idling of the Cleveland-Cliffs tinplate facility in Weirton and the closure of Centre Foundry and Machine in Wheeling, he continued.
"I want to continue to fight for those economic wins for the 1st District," he added.
The 1st Senate District encompasses Hancock, Brooke and Ohio counties, as well as eastern Marshall County.
Weld is a Republican who served one two-year term in the House, and is completing his second four-year term in the Senate. He has a cumulative 10 years of experience in the Legislature.
He presently serves as chair of the Senate Military Committee, as well as vice-chair of the Judiciary Committee.
The current Judiciary Committee chair, Charles Trump, R-Morgan, is an unopposed candidate for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals this year.
Weld, 43, grew up in Weirton and Wellsburg, where he currently resides. He is a 1998 graduate of Brooke High School who went on to get his undergraduate degree from Fairmont State College in 2003.
In 2005, he was commissioned in the Air Force reserves and served as an active duty intelligence officer in Washington,D.C., Germany and Afghanistan.
On the day he returned to Wellsburg in 2011, he met his wife Alex, now executive director of Generation West Virginia. They married in 2015, the same year he received his law degree from Duquesne University.
The couple has three dogs -- Ava, Murray and Trudy.
Weld noted his concerns for the state aren't just centered on economic development.
While in the Legislature, he has focused on legislation to curb substance abuse and addiction among West Virginia residents.
"If we're fortunate enough to get enough done, there's still more that can be done," Weld continued. "I want to ensure we have access to treatment options for people in the Northern Panhandle. We have made great strides in recent years, but we can do better.
"What sets me apart is my dedication to serving as a legislator, and also my focus on real issues that affect real families in West Virginia -- which are substance abuse and mental health issues, in addition to veterans' issues. That's what I want to prioritize in the Senate."
He added what is important to him is to be able "to continue to do the work of the constituents who reach out to me."
"It's an honor to have the responsibility of representing this district," Weld said. "I want to continue to be somebody the public feels they can call and reach out to when they have a problem with state government that needs to be addressed.
"People should know they will always have their senator accessible to them, and one who is always willing to help. I have always felt a deep sense of responsibility for the people who saw fit to send me to be their voice in Charleston."