His top three reasons for running are quite simple.
First, Dave Cantrell wants to serve all of the people who reside in the state’s Third House District in northern Ohio County and most of Brooke County. Second, he wants to fight for the working people in the district, the northern panhandle, and in the Mountain State because organized labor helps to retain our high school graduates who would prefer staying home to work with their hands while making a good, honest living.
Third?
“Because I’m someone who will go to Charleston and listen to everyone no matter what party they belong to or where they’re from in the state,” the IBEW Local #141 president/electrician said. “I believe that has to happen more often so we can get more done for the residents in this area of the state.”
Cantrell was raised in Greenup, Ky., a small tobacco farming town in the northeastern corner of the state where The Judds, Billy Ray Cyrus, and game show host Chuck Woolery once were children. That’s where he met his bride, Becky, too, when they were both employed at a Damon’s Restaurant, and the couple have been married for 25 years and have two grown sons despite, well, their very messy first meeting.
“So, when I was 18 years old, I worked there as a cook at Damon’s and Becky was a waitress there at the time. Well, me and a buddy went there to eat one day, and she was our waitress. At the end, I accidentally left without leaving her a tip,” he shyly admitted. “I ran back in, but I was too late. The table had already been cleared.
“A couple of months later, another friend who worked there introduced us in an effort to set us up on a date,” recalled Cantrell, a resident of Clearview for the past 18 years. “And yes, she brought it up, and I immediately apologized. I was really hoping she didn’t realize it was me, but, oh no, she knew it was, and she let me know it.”
And?
“Thankfully, she forgave me, and eventually we got married, moved to the northern panhandle because of she had family in the area, and we raised our two sons (Ethan and Owen) into fine, young men,” he said. “That’s why I like to say I have roots in Kentucky, but I have flourished in West Virginia.”
Stepping Out and Standing Up
The Republican Party in West Virginia has possessed majorities in both the Senate and in the House of Delegates since 2014, and that advantage the past few years has increased to give the GOP a mega-majority in both chambers.
Mega?
During the 2024 60-day legislative session, there were 31 GOP members in the 34-seat Senate, and only 11 Democrats served in the 100-member House. So, yes, Mega, for sure.
Cantrell is well aware he won’t flip those figures if he proves victorious on November 5th, but he believes it will make a positive difference for the residents in District 3.
“I was approached by Shawn Fluharty back in December and he asked me then if I would be interested in running for the District 3 seat in the House, and I told him then I would consider it. And I did think about it. A lot,” he explained. “I knew someone needed to step up and run for the right reasons, so that’s why I decided to run. I want to work to bring state funds and grants to the district so we can do what’s necessary for economic development.
“I have to admit it, though, it was really weird to see my name on the ballot when I ran in the primary. Really weird,” Cantrell said with a laugh. “I didn’t see this coming a year ago, but I know now I’m the right person for the position.”
Ever since he placed his first campaign yard sign for the May primary, Cantrell has been meeting his neighbors and learning their values.
“There are so many great communities in the district, including where I Iive in Clearview, and Brooke County is full are terrific neighborhoods,” he insisted. “One of our sons works at the Kroger in Wellsburg and I’ve gotten to know a lot of folks there and in Follansbee. Everyone has been very welcoming.
“District 3 is full of people who work hard to make a living, and they need someone who’s going to work for them,” he said. “There was a time in my working career when I wasn’t involved with anything but just working the job because we were busy being parents. But then I decided to get involved with our (IBEW) Local (#141) and now I’m also the president of the Ohio Valley Trades Councill and working hard for working people.”
It’s an uphill battle and he knows it, but Cantrell has been encouraged by several of his experiences while on the campaign trail. He’s knocked on a lot of doors and he’s enjoyed conversations with Democrats, independents, and Republicans – one of which even placed one of his lawn signs right next to a “Trump for President” poster in his yard.
“That was pretty cool, I must say,” the Democrat revealed. “That lets me know my message about wanting to work with everyone is getting heard.”
Most of all, Cantrell has learned about the Third District and the people who live, work, and own businesses within its borders, and the first-time candidate realized a few things about himself, too.
“It’s been a long, grueling process, but it’s been worth it, and I’ll feel that way no matter what happens on November 5th. It’s been a clean race, and we’ve put our thoughts and beliefs out there,” he said. “This process has given me a new respect for everyone who has run for office before because it really is a marathon. You don’t think it’s that long of a period of time, but when you get involved, it’s about every minute of every day.
“You find out, one way or another, how important it is to you, and you find out if it’s worth it. And it definitely is for me,” Cantrell added. “You find out how important it is to the people you talk to, too, and that teaches you a lot. The Third District really is a tight-knit community with hard workers, families, teachers, coal miners, business owners, and the people who make this valley their home, and they want to see things get better than get worse. I’m right there with them.”
