Democrats bring Kitchen Table Tour to Hancock County
Craig Howell OFFERING LEADERSHIP – West Virginia House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle welcomed the approximately 70 area residents gathered at the Hancock County Senior Center, Wednesday, for the local stop of the West Virginia House Democrats Kitchen Table Tour.
Craig Howell PARTICIPANTS – Those taking part in Wednesday’s event included, from left, Hancock County Commission candidate Brianne Bates, Del. Mike Pushkin, Del. Evan Hansen, candidate Quincy Wilson, candidate Mike Robinson, Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, and Del. Shawn Fluharty.
Craig Howell OFFERING LEADERSHIP – West Virginia House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle welcomed the approximately 70 area residents gathered at the Hancock County Senior Center, Wednesday, for the local stop of the West Virginia House Democrats Kitchen Table Tour.
Craig Howell PARTICIPANTS – Those taking part in Wednesday’s event included, from left, Hancock County Commission candidate Brianne Bates, Del. Mike Pushkin, Del. Evan Hansen, candidate Quincy Wilson, candidate Mike Robinson, Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, and Del. Shawn Fluharty.
Trending
NEW CUMBERLAND - Representatives of the West Virginia House Democratic Caucus joined local Democratic candidates, Wednesday, to talk issues with area residents.
The 2026 West Virginia House Democrats Kitchen Table Tour made its way to Hancock County, with a stop at the Hancock County Senior Center before a crowd of approximately 70 residents.
Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle was among those attending the event, held in coordination with the Hancock County Democratic Executive Committee and the Hancock County Democratic Women, explaining the tours, which began in 2025, came from an interest in getting back to town hall-style activities, meeting with voters and hearing directly from them about their concerns.
"People in American politics, they don't do this anymore," Hornbuckle said. "We want to make sure you're heard."
Among those taking part in Wednesday's tour stop were Del. Shawn Fluharty, currently seeking to represent the area in the West Virginia Senate in a campaign against incumbent Laura Wakim Chapman; Del. Mike Pushkin; Del. Evan Hansen; District 1 House candidate Quincy Wilson, seeking to unseat incumbent Del. Pat McGeehan; District 3 candidate Mike Robinson, running against incumbent Del. Jimmy Willis; and Hancock County Commission candidate Brianne Bates.
The group touched on a number of topics before answering questions submitted by the audience. These include needs to improve water infrastructure throughout the state, efforts to attract data centers, education opportunities and methods to retain and attract young people to West Virginia.
"I didn't come here to talk about me," Pushkin said. "I came to talk about you."
Fluharty noted ongoing issues with water systems, not only in the Northern Panhandle, but many areas of the state, saying there have been opportunities for West Virginia's legislators and executive officials to help but they often leave it up to the cities and counties.
"Charleston has said that's a 'you' problem," Fluharty said. "I feel that's fundamentally flawed."
Wilson, an educator and coach, expressed his thoughts on the state's Hope Scholarship, which provides funding from the school aid formula for students to use in other educational opportunities outside of public education, saying while he appreciates the intentions, the system is flawed.
"It's not being used for what it's intended," he said, encouraging updates to the program to include new guardrails which would assist students while not being a detriment to local school systems.
Early childcare also was a topic raised from the audience, with it noted each of the legislators in attendance had voted in favor of House Bill 4191, an effort to reform childcare in the state, but those programs went unfunded in the state's budget.
Pushkin said childcare services are essential to help drive economic growth in West Virginia, providing opportunities for more people to work while supporting the care and educational needs of the state's youngest residents.
"It is the issue that drives other economic issues," Pushkin said.
They also discussed House Bill 2014, establishing incentives for data centers in West Virginia, with Fluharty saying the bill removed all input from local communities, with Charleston having the final say.
"If all of you show up to a city council meeting, it doesn't matter," he said. "It is the worst piece of legislation I have ever seen cross our desks."
Hansen pointed out, if a data center is established, only 30 percent of the property taxes from the project stay at the local level, with the remaining 70 percent going to Charleston, much of which, he said, will go to fund tax cuts for the highest earners in the state.
Bates spoke about her interest in seeking a seat on the county commission, saying she wants to help residents by focusing on their real needs, including quality of life issues, infrastructure development, and improved services, while Robinson encouraged people to vote in an effort to bring a new energy to West Virginia and find people willing to work together for the state's future.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)