Editor's Note: Jackson Newspapers is conducting a series of previews of the races in the May 9 Primary Election. This edition features candidates for the 12th District of the West Virginia House of Delegates. Incumbent Mitch Carmichael is being challenged by Randy Fisher in the Republican Primary. Steve Nicholas is unopposed in the Democratic Primary.

"Steve Nicholas"
by Mike Ruben
Jackson Newspapers

RIPLEY-- Steve Nicholas is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket for the 12th District of the West Virginia House of Delegates. Nicholas will be facing the winner of the Republican primary, incumbent Mitch Carmichael or Randy Fisher.

Nicholas, 26, is a newcomer to politics and to Jackson County. A native of [Richwood], he is a graduate of West Virginia University with a degree in religious studies and minors in American politics and policy [and English]. While in Morgantown, Nicholas was twice elected vice president of the Young Democrats organization on campus.

He served in the National Guard, earning the rank of sergeant and serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2004. Nicholas is currently pursuing a masters of divinity degree and is employed at a Charleston armory through the [Department of] Veteran's [Affairs].

Nicholas says his interest in politics [piqued] during his time at WVU. He determined the House of Delegates is where he would be best positioned to share his ideas for the future of the state.

"Some of the ideas that I feel strongly about aren't being expressed," he explained.

Those ideas fall into the three main categories of infrastructure, good government, and investing in the future.

From an infrastructure standpoint, Nicholas says West Virginia should explore more mass transit opportunities. Specifically, he advocates pilot projects connecting Charleston with both Parkersburg and Huntington. "The gas situation is only going to get worse," he noted. "Mass transit would reduce traffic and pollution."

The state would have better government, he notes, with public financing of political campaigns. "Campaigns should be based upon ideas, not money. It's not fun asking people for money and I think it discourages people from getting involved."

As for the future, Nicholas says the state would be better served if budgeting figures were based on five-year averages rather than riding the ups and downs of the economy. Tax breaks, he added, should be for locally-owned businesses as opposed to large out-of-state corporations