Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Bill Flanigan
2024 - Present
2026
0
Bill Flanigan (Republican Party) is a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 4. He assumed office on December 1, 2024. His current term ends on December 1, 2026.
Flanigan (Republican Party) ran for election to the West Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 4. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Flanigan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Bill Flanigan was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia. He graduated from Liberty High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Salem Teikyo University in 1996, a graduate degree from the University of San Francisco in 2000, and a law degree from West Virginia University College of Law in 2006. His career experience includes working as an attorney and business owner. He has been affiliated with Saints and Sinners.[1]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: West Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2024
General election
General election for West Virginia House of Delegates District 4
Bill Flanigan defeated Jonathan Haught in the general election for West Virginia House of Delegates District 4 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bill Flanigan (R)  | 66.0 | 5,991 |
| Jonathan Haught (D) | 34.0 | 3,093 | ||
| Total votes: 9,084 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for West Virginia House of Delegates District 4
Jonathan Haught advanced from the Democratic primary for West Virginia House of Delegates District 4 on May 14, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jonathan Haught | 100.0 | 1,487 | |
| Total votes: 1,487 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for West Virginia House of Delegates District 4
Bill Flanigan defeated incumbent Diana Winzenreid in the Republican primary for West Virginia House of Delegates District 4 on May 14, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bill Flanigan | 61.2 | 1,714 |
 | Diana Winzenreid | 38.8 | 1,086 | |
| Total votes: 2,800 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Flanigan in this election.
2016
Elections for the West Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 10, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was January 30, 2016. Incumbent William Flanigan (R) did not seek re-election.
The following candidates ran in the West Virginia House of Delegates District 51 general election.[2][3]
| West Virginia House of Delegates District 51, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Barbara Fleischauer Incumbent |
11.84% | 16,269 | |
| Democratic | John Williams |
10.47% | 14,386 | |
| Democratic | Rodney Pyles |
9.48% | 13,025 | |
| Republican | Cindy Frich Incumbent |
11.78% | 16,182 | |
| Republican | Joe Statler Incumbent |
11.15% | 15,318 | |
| Democratic | Evan Hansen | 9.45% | 12,988 | |
| Democratic | Nancy Jamison | 9.04% | 12,426 | |
| Republican | Michael Acevedo | 7.09% | 9,742 | |
| Republican | Eric Finch | 7.16% | 9,832 | |
| Republican | Roger Shuttlesworth | 9.03% | 12,407 | |
| Libertarian | Eddie Wagoner | 3.51% | 4,824 | |
| Total Votes | 137,399 | |||
| Source: West Virginia Secretary of State | ||||
The following candidates ran in the West Virginia House of Delegates District 51 Democratic primary.[4][5]
| West Virginia House of Delegates District 51, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Barbara Fleischauer Incumbent |
20.12% | 9,702 | |
| Democratic | Evan Hansen |
13.30% | 6,414 | |
| Democratic | John Williams |
13.35% | 6,438 | |
| Democratic | Nancy Jamison |
12.73% | 6,136 | |
| Democratic | Rodney Pyles |
12.12% | 5,842 | |
| Democratic | John G. Lucas | 8.51% | 4,105 | |
| Democratic | Billy Smerka, Jr. | 11.62% | 5,603 | |
| Democratic | Barry L. Wendell | 8.24% | 3,971 | |
| Total Votes | 48,211 | |||
Michael Acevedo, Eric Finch, incumbent Cindy Frich, incumbent Brian Kurcaba and incumbent Joe Statler were unopposed in the West Virginia House of Delegates District 51 Republican primary.[4][5]
| West Virginia House of Delegates District 51, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Michael Acevedo | |
| Republican | Eric Finch | |
| Republican | Cindy Frich Incumbent | |
| Republican | Brian Kurcaba Incumbent | |
| Republican | Joe Statler Incumbent | |
2014
Elections for the West Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 13, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 25, 2014. District 51 is represented by five delegates. Incumbents Tony Barill, Barbara Fleischauer, and Charlene Marshall and John Williams and Nancy Jamison defeated Michael Safcsak and Marti Shamberger in the Democratic primary. Incumbents Cindy Frich and Amanda Pasdon and Brian Kurcaba, Joe Statler and Bill Flanigan defeated Todd Stainbrook and Roger Shuttlesworth in the Republican primary. Fleischauer, Frich, Kurcaba, Pasdon and Statler defeated Barill, Marshall, Williams, Jamison, Flanigan and Ed Olesh (L) in the general election.[6][7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Kurcaba |
11.3% | 9,040 | |
| Republican | Amanda Pasdon Incumbent |
11.2% | 9,006 | |
| Republican | Cindy Frich Incumbent |
11% | 8,782 | |
| Republican | Joe Statler |
10.9% | 8,772 | |
| Democratic | Barbara Evans Fleischauer Incumbent |
10.7% | 8,543 | |
| Democratic | Charlene Marshall Incumbent | 10.1% | 8,133 | |
| Democratic | John Williams | 9.5% | 7,622 | |
| Democratic | Tony Barill Incumbent | 9.2% | 7,378 | |
| Republican | Bill Flanigan | 7.5% | 5,995 | |
| Democratic | Nancy Jamison | 7.2% | 5,769 | |
| Libertarian | Ed Olesh | 1.4% | 1,093 | |
| Total Votes | 80,133 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Barbara Evans Fleischauer Incumbent |
19.6% | 3,346 |
| Charlene Marshall Incumbent |
18.4% | 3,149 |
| Tony Barill Incumbent |
14.1% | 2,407 |
| John Williams |
13% | 2,223 |
| Nancy Jamison |
12.8% | 2,183 |
| Marti Shamberger | 11.4% | 1,955 |
| Michael Safcsak | 10.8% | 1,846 |
| Total Votes | 17,109 | |
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Cindy Frich Incumbent |
20% | 1,946 |
| Amanda Pasdon Incumbent |
19.7% | 1,916 |
| Brian Kurcaba |
19.4% | 1,896 |
| Joe Statler |
16.2% | 1,576 |
| Bill Flanigan |
12.4% | 1,211 |
| Roger Shuttlesworth | 7.6% | 737 |
| Todd Stainbrook | 4.8% | 467 |
| Total Votes | 9,749 | |
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bill Flanigan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Flanigan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
My name is Bill Flanigan, and I am running to be your voice in the House of Delegates. I stand before you not with the backing of big corporations or the endorsement of distant lobbyists, but with a simple, unwavering belief: the strength of West Virginia lies in its people. It’s time to bring that strength to the forefront of our political discourse and decision-making.
Our state is at a crossroads, facing challenges that touch every corner of our lives, from the quality of our education and healthcare systems to the protection of our natural resources and the creation of good-paying jobs. These issues are complex, but the path forward starts with listening – truly listening – to the people who live these realities every day.
I am committed to opening doors and breaking down the barriers that have kept your voice out of the conversations that matter most. My campaign is built on the promise of transparency, accountability, and active engagement with you, the heart and soul of West Virginia.- Your Voice: I work for you. And I want to hear directly from you about the issues that matter most. Your concerns will guide my actions.
- Accessibility and Engagement: My office will always be open to you. We will use every tool available, from social media to traditional town hall meetings, both in-person and online, to ensure your voice is heard and valued.
- Policy, Not Politics: My focus will be on crafting and supporting legislation that speaks to the real needs of West Virginians, not the agendas of out-of-state corporations.
I propose a multi-faceted approach that focuses on patents, idea development, and support for startups. We will establish a state-funded assistance program to help with patents and the development of the idea through thte creation of innovation incubators across the state. Finally, I propose 5 years of zero tax for startups that meet two critical criteria, first, employee West Virginians and second, create their products right here in West Virgina!
My father's father joined the Army and became and Airborne ranger. He is still living in Harrison County West Virginia. His mind is still sharp as a tack and I venture to say he could probably still physically outwork me.
He told me storied of jumping out of the planes above England. He was a test jumper for the Airborne. That sounded safe until he explained they would jump out of the plane with instructions to wait until a set time before they could pull the cord on the parachute. Free falling towards utter blackness as wartime England turned off all lights at night to prevent German bombers directions.
He became a Union Carpenter and has likely built more structures than I could count.
Integrity: honest, ethical, and consistent in actions and decisions. Officials with integrity act in the public’s best interest, even when it conflicts with personal gain or political pressure.
Transparency: Openness in governance builds public trust. Elected officials should be transparent about their actions, decisions, and the processes by which they arrive at those decisions.
Accountability: Being answerable to the constituents is a critical aspect of democratic governance. Officials must take responsibility for their actions and decisions, be willing to admit mistakes, and work to correct them.
Empathy and Compassion: Understanding and caring about the needs, challenges, and aspirations of constituents.
Dedication to Public Service: The primary motivation should be the desire to serve and improve the community, state, or nation, rather than personal ambition or gain.
Vision and Leadership: Effective leadership involves making tough decisions, navigating complex negotiations, and fostering unity.
Competence and Knowledge: Officials should be committed to ongoing learning and understanding new challenges and opportunities.
Communication Skills: The ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and honestly with constituents, stakeholders, and opponents is key.
Commitment to Justice: Ensuring that policies and decisions promote fairness and justice for all citizens
Pragmatism: While ideals are important, the ability to be pragmatic and work within the confines of reality are essential to an elected official.
Committee Participation: Delegates are typically assigned to several committees that focus on specific areas such as education, health, judiciary, finance, and more. Within these committees, they examine bills in detail, hear from experts and the public, and determine whether the full House should consider the bills.
Constituent Representation: Delegates represent the interests and concerns of their constituents within the legislature. This involves keeping in close contact with constituents, understanding their needs and opinions, and advocating on their behalf in legislative matters.
Budget Approval: The House of Delegates, along with the Senate, is responsible for reviewing and approving the state budget. Delegates must work to ensure that the budget reflects the priorities of their constituents and addresses the needs of the state, including education, infrastructure, healthcare, and public safety.
Oversight of State Agencies and Programs: Members of the House of Delegates have a role in overseeing the implementation of laws and the operation of state agencies and programs.
Informed Decision-Making: Delegates are expected to stay informed about a wide range of issues affecting their district and the state as a whole.
Public Service and Engagement: Beyond their legislative duties, delegates often engage in various forms of public service.
Ethical Leadership: Delegates are expected to uphold high ethical standards, demonstrating integrity, transparency and accountability of work.
This fishing trip however caused us to promptly return to West Virginia, and as I recall, led my father to believe he never wanted to go anywhere else.
Water moccasins began attacking the boat, literally trying to get in. Perhaps I embellish somewhat, but in my mind I remember a swarm from all directions and my father bravely using the oar of the row boat to smack them as they tried to climb aboard. He later said it was the most fear he can remember having in his life.
Open Lines of Communication between the bodies and the governors office is crucial.
Cooperation and collaboration with shared goals and an ability to negotiate and compromise when those goals do not match perfectly.
Joint planning and strategy for policy development.
Focus on Public Service
Prioritizing the Public Interest: Above all, both the governor and the legislative body should prioritize the welfare of the state and its residents, setting aside personal and lobbyist interests in favor of what is best for the public.
West Virginia has historically relied heavily on coal mining and related industries for economic prosperity. However, the decline in coal demand due to cheaper alternatives like natural gas and renewable energy sources, along with increasing automation, has led to job losses and economic downturns in many communities. The challenge lies in diversifying the state's economy to reduce its dependence on extractive industries and create sustainable, well-paying jobs in emerging sectors such as technology, healthcare, and green energy.
Demographic Shifts
The state faces significant demographic challenges, including population decline, an aging population, and the outmigration of young, skilled workers seeking opportunities elsewhere. Reversing these trends by attracting and retaining talent and encouraging immigration to the state will be crucial for its economic health and community vitality.
Health and Well-being
Policy Expertise: Experience in government roles can provide legislators with in-depth knowledge of specific policy areas, helping them to craft more informed and effective legislation.
Navigating Bureaucracy: Understanding the intricacies of government bureaucracy is crucial for implementing policies effectively. Experienced legislators may be better equipped to navigate these complexities and advoEntrenchment and Resistance to Change: There’s a concern that individuals with long careers in politics might become entrenched, potentially making them resistant to new ideas or reforms.
Drawbacks of previous
Perception of Being Out of Touch: Voters may perceive career politicians as being out of touch with the everyday challenges faced by ordinary people, especially if they have spent much time in roles removed from direct public service.
Networks and Relationships: Politics often relies on relationships and networks. Having established connections within the government can aid legislators in building coalitions, negotiating compromises, and getting things done.
Supports Effective Advocacy
Advocating for Legislation: Strong interpersonal relationships can be leveraged to gain support for specific pieces of legislation. Legislators are more likely to listen to and support colleagues with whom they have developed a positive working relationship.
I contacted the WVSOS directly to figure where his business should be licensed. They responded by saying that he would need to go outside the state and work with someone else doing this idea for a year and then he could return and they would find a way to license him.
I was appalled, no one should expect this young man to leave the state, start a business, and then return to West Virginia.
Checks and Balances
Preventing Abuse of Power: One of the fundamental principles of democracy is the separation of powers, designed to prevent the concentration of power and its potential abuse. Legislative oversight of emergency powers acts as a check on the executive branch, ensuring that such powers are used responsibly and only when absolutely necessary.
Ensuring Transparency and Accountability: By requiring executive actions under emergency powers to be subject to legislative review, we can ensure greater transparency and accountability.
Preamble
WHEREAS, the State of West Virginia recognizes the vital role of innovation and entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and job creation;
WHEREAS, the State is committed to fostering an environment that supports inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs;
WHEREAS, it is imperative to incentivize the development of products within the State and the hiring of West Virginians to strengthen the local economy and workforce;
NOW, THEREFORE, Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of West Virginia:
Section 1: Title
This Act may be cited as the “Innovate West Virginia Act”.
Section 2: Definitions
For the purposes of this Act:
“Innovator” refers to any individual or entity engaged in the development of new products, services, or processes.
“Incubator” refers to a program designed to assist innovators and entrepreneurs in developing their startups into viable, scalable businesses.
“Qualified Innovator” refers to an innovator that meets the requirements set forth in Section 4.
Section 3: Creation of the Innovate West Virginia Program
There is hereby established the Innovate West Virginia Program, to be administered by the Department of Commerce.
The Program’s objectives will include providing financial support in the form of grants and tax breaks, offering access to incubators, and facilitating development opportunities for qualified innovators.
Section 4: Qualification Criteria
To qualify for assistance under the Innovate West Virginia Program, an innovator must:
Employ a workforce where at least 100% are residents of West Virginia.
Manufacture or develop their product(s) predominantly within the State of West Virginia.
Agree to participate in periodic reviews and evaluations by the Department of Commerce to ensure compliance with the Program’s objectives.
Financial transparency and government accountability are deeply interconnected. Transparency provides the information necessary for accountability mechanisms to function. Without access to accurate and timely information, it is difficult for citizens and oversight bodies to hold government officials accountable for their actions and decisions.
Together, transparency and accountability build public trust in government institutions. They reassure citizens that government officials are acting in their best interest, that public resources are being managed responsibly, and that mechanisms are in place to correct errors or address misconduct.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2014
Flanigan's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[8]
- Block Obamacare in West Virginia
- Reverse the unfair DMV fees
- Support our coal industry
- Fight for the unborn
- Protect our second amendment rights
- Address our failing infrastructure
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of West Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2020, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 7.
|
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2019, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 9 through March 9.
|
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2018, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 10 through March 10.
|
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from February 8 through April 9. The legislature held a special session from May 4 to June 26. The legislature held its second special session from August 1 to September 15.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2016, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 13 through March 12.
|
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate West Virginia House of Delegates District 4 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 10, 2024
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate search," accessed November 4, 2016
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "2016 official general election results," accessed May 3, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Listing by Office," accessed January 30, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - Primary Election - May 10, 2016," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate search," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results," accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ Flanigan for WV, "Issues," accessed April 26, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Diana Winzenreid (R) |
West Virginia House of Delegates District 4 2024-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
West Virginia House of Delegates District 51 2016-2016 |
Succeeded by - |
