BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Conservative business leader, athletic director and job creator Brian Helton announced on Tuesday his candidacy for West Virginia State Senate in the upcoming primary election.
The announcement came at a Raleigh County event held at Fruits of Labor cafe, bakery, and culinary training center; a location which was chosen, Helton says, to demonstrate the importance of second chances.
The event saw attendance from several state and local leaders including Delegates of the WV State Legislature Brandon Steele, Eric Brooks, Todd Kirby, and Jordan Maynor. Also present were City of Mt. Hope Mayor Michael Kessinger, sitting WV State Senator Rollan Roberts, and former West Virginia Delegate Kayla Kessinger who acted as master of ceremonies for the event.
Each of these individuals spoke in support of Helton’s campaign, with acknowledgement of the candidate’s integrity and character having been a recurring theme among those who have known and worked with him.
“We need men and women of this kind of character, this kind of faith, and this kind of conservatism in the upper chamber on the Senate side,” said Delegate Brooks.
This was a sentiment echoed by Delegate Steele, who has known Helton in both a personal and professional capacity.
“He has never displayed anything but the utmost integrity in everything that we do, and that’s what I want to have representing me in the State Senate, and why I’m going to support him,” said Delegate Steele. “I’m privileged to be his friend, but I’m going to be proud to call him my senator. Because I know I’ve got somebody that’s going to stand for what is right. He’s a conservative leader, he’s a proven business leader, and he’s a man of character and faith.”
Republican State Senator for the 9th District Rollan Roberts was another state leader who notably gave his endorsement to Helton’s campaign, assuring that the decision was not one which was taken lightly.
“I am a member of the West Virginia State Senate in my fifth year, second term. So, when I talk about the need to have Brian Helton there, I speak with every fiber of my being,” said Senator Roberts. “I am excited! I say, let’s get this thing done and get him in the Senate now!”
A rousing address to those in attendance was given by a leader who was arguably most familiar with the character of Helton, City of Mt. Hope Mayor Michael Kessinger, who has known Helton essentially since birth.
“Let me tell you something about Brian Helton: Nobody will outwork Brian Helton; Nobody will represent the folks of West Virginia with integrity, with honesty, and with pursuit like Brian Helton.”
When Helton himself took to the podium, he commended those who had spoken prior to him, acknowledging his own lack of experience in the political realm. The candidate was able to effectively convey this as a positive attribute, noting the correlation between the values instilled within him growing up in the Southern West Virginia region and those of the constituents he hopes to represent in the State Senate.
“I’m not a career politician. As a matter of fact, as all of you here know, I’ve never run for office before. But I’m born and raised right here in Southern West Virginia. What I was taught is that values matter, and hard work is required if we’re going to achieve things in life,” he declared. “So, my pledge to you is that, when I get to Charleston, I’ll work hard every day in order to make things happen.”
Helton would go on to speak to the ideals he hopes to represent in office, including family and pro-life values, as well as the freedom to practice faith freely. He asserted that he intends to fight for small businesses and promote economic and industrial growth throughout the State of West Virginia, as well as establish a tax environment which puts the Mountain State first.
Helton has worked in the education field for over three decades, establishing himself as a positive influence for children as a basketball coach and athletic director. To learn more about Brian Helton’s campaign for West Virginia State Senate, visit the Helton for WV website.