About

My name is Anthony Murray and I am running as a Democrat for State Senate District 15 which covers all of Hampshire and Morgan County, as well as parts of Mineral and Berkeley Counties. I moved to Capon Bridge in the summer of 2017. When I was baby, I was adopted from Colombia and raised in the DC area, which is very multicultural. When I moved to West Virginia, I was moving to a state and area that is about 92% White. I was a bit hesitant at first because I hate standing out and being seen as different. The first thing I noticed about West Virginia, other than the amazing natural beauty, were the people. Specifically, how nice and welcoming people were. I bad a lot of anxiety about standing out in so many spaces here, but people are genuine and sincere, and always open to have a nice chat, even if it is just for a minute. Slowly, I started to know more of the community through volunteer work at the local food pantries and Recycling center. The people in this area are hardworking, caring and generous people. They truly believe in a sense of community and helping each other.

Then the legislature started following more in line with Donald Trump and started passing more restrictive and right wing policies that were detrimental to the safety and well being of so many vulnerable people in this area. I saw more and more the hateful and antagonistic rhetoric being used to justify these laws which were more focused on culture war issues, rather than everyday issues.

As I have been living in Hampshire County, I have seen a number of problematic laws that are not addressing any of the real issues that affect West Virginian’s. With inflation up, job wages staying stagnant and the cost of everything going up, it is time we enact laws that help benefit the hardworking people of this area. The legislature has been trying to enact laws this year to cut SNAP benefits and also unemployment benefits as well which add to the burden that so many people already feel. I have volunteered throughout my life at Food Pantries. In Hampshire County volunteering with a local Food Pantry and working as a vendor at several local Farmer’s Markets has shown me firsthand how much need there is for basic necessities and affordable fresh foods. I count among the many hardworking young farmers here as some of the many local heroes I have been fortunate to befriend - I will be a Senator who speaks for small farmers and our expanding local food economy’s interest. There is opportunity for young farmers to thrive here, increasing tourism revenue while keeping Hampshire County rural.

As a longtime educator, I see the power that education can bring to a student and how that can empower them in their communities. The WV Legislature continues to pass policies that are not helping their student population. WV ranks last in the country for Math and Reading Grade Level proficiency. We know evidence based approaches to improve these numbers - but we need people in office who will give teachers the right tools. The engagement of our student population is crucial to their success in life. Teacher retention and hiring had struggled statewide. With adequate pay and support that will allow them to serve children we will be able to fill our vacant educator positions. I hope to help pass legislation that will help enable teachers to be able to have all the resources they need to teach effectively. Many students lack the resources to provide proper learning environments, such as a lack of stable internet access. This puts many students in West Virginia at a disadvantage to other students in the country and has contributed to the continuing low test scores and low grade level proficiency.