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Kendra Fershee
Kendra Fershee (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent West Virginia's 1st Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Biography
Kendra Fershee earned a bachelor's degree in political science and communications from the University of Michigan in 1995 and a Juris Doctor from Tulane University Law School in 2003. Her career experience includes working as a deputy field director of People for the American Way, and as a professor of law at University of North Dakota School of Law and West Virginia University.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for U.S. House West Virginia District 1
Incumbent David McKinley defeated Kendra Fershee in the general election for U.S. House West Virginia District 1 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | David McKinley (R) | 64.6 | 127,997 |
 | Kendra Fershee (D) | 35.4 | 70,217 | |
| Total votes: 198,214 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = 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. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 1
Kendra Fershee defeated Ralph Baxter and Tom Payne in the Democratic primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 1 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kendra Fershee | 47.2 | 23,137 |
| Ralph Baxter | 38.1 | 18,670 | ||
 | Tom Payne | 14.6 | 7,169 | |
| Total votes: 48,976 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 1
Incumbent David McKinley advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 1 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | David McKinley |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Kendra Fershee participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on April 10, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Kendra Fershee's responses follow below.[2]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | 1) Increased federal education funding and opposition to Betsy DeVos's voucher programs/budget cuts 2) Universal healthcare (which has the added bonus of helping to combat the opioid epidmeic) |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | I am passionate about increasing education funding. I am passionate about universal healthcare. I am passionate about removing marijuana from the Schedule-1 list and getting the federal government out of the way of the states. I am passionate about medical marijuana serving as an opioid alternative. I am passionate about creating innovative new jobs. I am passionate about expanding broadband access in rural America. I am passionate about getting money out of politics. In other words, I am passionate about a lot of issues. But it all stems from one core belief - Freedom. I am a big believer of freedom. But I think the concept has been hijacked by the Right, who have emphasized individual freedom but ignored collective freedoms. Our Founders realized that freedom, true freedom, takes team effort. Its why they built public roads and hospitals. FDR further expanded upon this in his famous Four Freedoms address. In essence, they understood that you cannot live freely if you are not healthy or if you cannot find a decent job or send your kids to quality schools. You aren't free if you are struggling with poverty or addiction. Collective freedom is about coming together as country and communities to enable all people to live life to its fullest. That is what will motivate me in Congress.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[4]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Kendra Fershee answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
| “ | Lana Pollack. She is a former Michigan State Senator whom I volunteered for during her run for US Senate in 1994. I was Lana's driver, so I got to accompany her throughout the state as she worked her tail off. While she ultimately did not win, she inspired me, showed me what a woman in politics can do. We need more women like Lana to run for office and I hope that my run inspires others, as she inspired me.[4] | ” |
| “ | I think we need more elected officials who are like the people they represent. I am working mom. I am still working a 9 to 5 as I run for Congress. I have a couple kids in public school. I understand what it is to juggle a full time job, with family responsibilities. I am not independently wealthy. I have bills and student loans. So many people we send to DC don't understand the day to day struggles of the average American because they don't live that life. They are wealthy and detached. We need more elected officials who are average working people.[4] | ” |
| “ | A successful office holder should, first and foremost, be a good listener. But they should also listen to the right people: their constituents rather than corporations and donors.[4] | ” |
See also
- United States House of Representatives
- West Virginia's 1st Congressional District election, 2018
- West Virginia's 1st Congressional District
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook page
- Campaign Twitter page
- Campaign Instagram page
- LinkedIn page
Footnotes
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Kendra Huard Fershee," accessed February 17, 2018
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Kendra Fershee's responses," April 10, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
