Candidate Snapshot
64 years old; Resident of Jefferson County for 1 year; Republican Party candidate
Community Service Experience — Cub Scout Patrol leader; Boy Scout leader; Youth sports coach
Work Experience — Defense Intelligence Officer, Navy Intelligence Directorate, Counterintelligence Field Activity, Defense Intelligence Agency (2000 – 2021); Marine Corps (1980 – 2000); NROTC (1976-1980); Sawyer (part time) in Sawmill (1973 – 1979)
Education — Marine Corps War College (Master’s Strategic Studies – Distinguished Graduate); University of Oklahoma (Master’s Managerial Economics); Defense Intelligence College (Post-Graduate Intelligence Program); Marine Corps Command and Staff College and Amphibious Warfare School; Purdue University (undergraduate)
The candidate’s responses below were edited only for clarity & spelling.
What influenced your decision to run for Delegate?
In 2021, as the Chief of Strategic Policy in the Pentagon’s Intelligence Directorate, I witnessed firsthand the disaster of the Biden presidency. I saw Biden’s Leftist national security and domestic policy teams ignore any concerns for their catastrophic actions. After witnessing the debacle of Afghanistan, the impending Russian invasion of Ukraine, social engineering of our military, economic chaos, and other disasters I can’t discuss, I decided I had a responsibility to do what I could to oppose a regime that is threatening our Liberty, and economic and national security. Based on studying our Founding and our governmental system, I knew that our state legislature was designed to be the principal check on federal power, so I decided to run and do what I can to help ensure West Virginia remains an Oasis of Liberty.
What should the residents of Jefferson County expect from a Delegate?
The People of District 100 do not work for the government; the People’s representatives work for them. I will work for the People. I will strive to ensure our People can pursue their lives without government interference. I will work to advance Free Enterprise and create an environment to attract businesses to West Virginia to ensure good jobs for our People. I will further open our economy to investment and businesses by improving infrastructure, cutting unnecessary regulations, and reducing taxes. I will strongly oppose any federal overreach and unconstitutional actions. I will work to improve our local infrastructure, including improving broadband internet for homes and businesses, and road infrastructure. I will help increase school choice for families. I will work to provide cost of living increases for our teachers and police. I will work as hard and honestly for the People of Jefferson County as I did as a Marine in defense of our country. I will be transparent and accessible to the People.
What priorities would you advocate for in the House of Delegates?
If elected, I will — Work with state agencies and other groups to create legislation to push back on federal overreach, and reinforce West Virginia’s sovereignty and Liberty; Increase West Virginia’s energy production in defiance of the federal government to ensure we have power for our communities and businesses; Enhance education by increasing school choice, including funding students not systems, refocusing on core subjects, opposing vice indoctrination, and opposing anti-American, racist and sexualization propaganda; Reduce state government bureaucracy and unnecessary regulations, to ease burdens on our People, and businesses, to create more jobs. Increase government accountability; Combat corruption in government, including establishing an independent Office of Inspector General; Require prosecution of certain crimes; Work with other state legislatures to combat the illegal immigration and the drug epidemic crises the Biden regime is creating.
Is there specific recent WV legislation (not enacted) that you would like to re-introduce?
I would support legislation to — Counter racism, sexism, and political-economic bias in schools; Ban vaccine and mask mandates; Further protect the right to keep and bear arms;. Ban illegal immigrant sanctuary cities and require local entities to enforce immigration laws; Provide cost of living allowances for state police and teachers.
In light of recent decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court and actions by the federal government, the WV legislature will likely be discussing legislation touching on multiple rights of citizens. Do you have specific views to share with voters on any of these issues?
Religious freedom is critical for a free society and we should oppose efforts to suppress religion. Freedom of speech is under attack by collusion between the Biden regime, the legacy media and large corporations. I believe this is the greatest threat to Liberty in our history. I strongly support the 2nd Amendment, and will help make West Virginia a gun rights sanctuary state, ensure the federal government cannot interfere in our rights, and ban federal red flag laws. I am pro-Life and welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to properly return the decision to the states, where it always should have been.
Why should voters elect you?
I will: Fight to preserve our Liberty and our Free Enterprise system; Be pro-Parent; Expand school choice for families, including home-schooling and charter schools, and improve our public education; Oppose indoctrination and sexualization of our kids; Oppose any draconian mandates that harm our People; Reduce bureaucratic impediments to economic growth, and improve infrastructure in thePanhandle, particularly Internet for homes and businesses; Provide our law enforcement the resources they need to combat crime, and keep criminals and illegal drugs out of our state; Attack corruption and work for term limits for professional politicians; Protect our 1st 2nd Amendment rights.
Bill Ridenour – West Virginia Delegate District 100
Web: BillRidenourforDelegate2022.com; Facebook (Bill Ridenour for WV Delegate – District 100); Instagram (BillRidenourforDelegate); Gab (BillRidenourforDelegate); email: elect@BillRidenourforDelegate2022.com; tel: 703-868-2837
About West Virginia House of Delegates District 100
The 100 members of West Virginia’s House of Delegates are elected every two years. The 100th Delegate District (shown in yellow on the map) includes the Town of Shepherdstown, plus Willowdale and Maddex Farms neighborhoods to the west and the neighborhoods near the elementary school to the south. This district stretches eastward to include the Towns of Bolivar and Harpers Ferry, and the unincorporated areas around Moler Crossroads, Bakerton, and Uvilla. This district includes all of the areas to the east of the Shenandoah River (Blue Ridge, Mountain Mission, Shannondale) as well as Millville and portions of Halltown.
In the 2022 general election, there are two candidates running in Delegate District 100:
Susan Benzinger is the Democratic Party candidate.
Bill Ridenour is the Republican Party candidate.
Read More: The Observer’s Guide to the 2022 Election
By Staff Contributor