OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – Democrat Mat Anderson is set to be sworn in to the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing portions of Fayette County. Now delegate-elect for District 50, he won a crowded general election that featured six total candidates, including three write-ins.
He said he worked hard to meet voters where they were.
“I feel that people were apt to talk more in the comfort of their own home. People want to have those conversations with you on their porch or their living room, not necessarily in Kroger or at some event that you’re hosting,” Anderson said. “I think having those conversations with everybody and really seeing that we’re all just human. We have to love our neighbors. We have to take care of each other. And this is the only way to go forward.”
Anderson said he is preparing for the upcoming legislative session, which will be his first in the House, and expects education to be a major topic.
“I know fixing the funding formula for education is probably going to be top priority in session this round. That’s always a hot commodity,” Anderson said. “And then clean drinking water. Everybody should have clean drinking water. This shouldn’t be a political issue at this point in 2026. I want my people here in District 50 and all across the state of West Virginia to have clean drinking water. That should be a necessity for everybody.”
To get those things done, he said he will work with anyone.
“I’m going to work with everybody. I’m not going to work for one side or play for one side. We’re all living in District 50. We’re all living in West Virginia. And my whole campaign was we have to have those hard conversations with each other,” Anderson said. “I want to take that to the legislature with me. We have to have those hard conversations and we have to come to an agreement on some things. So that way we can go forward, not backward.”
