Kathie Hess Crouse of Buffalo will represent the 13th Delegate District when the State Legislature convenes in January 2022.
On Wednesday, November 24, Gov. Justice appointed Crouse to the House of Delegate seat left vacant by the resignation of Joshua Higginbotham (R-Putnam).
Higginbotham announced in September that he intended to run for the State Senate. He recently moved to Kanawha County from where he could be elected in 2022 to represent the new 8th Senatorial District. The new 8th District consists of a small section of Kanawha, the northern portion of Putnam, eastern portion of Jackson, and all of Roane and Clay counties.
Higginbotham submitted his letter of resignation to House Speaker Roger Hanshaw on Friday, November 5. He wrote, “It has been my honor, since my election in 2016, to serve as delegate to the 13th district. From day one my goal has been to make West Virginia a place where young adults can find jobs that affords them a chance to stay in West Virginia and raise their families.”
During his tenure as delegate, Higginbotham served as vice chairman of the House Education Committee and served on committees for Energy and Manufacturing; Small Business and Economic Development; and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.
Gov. Justice selected Crouse from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican 13th Delegate Executive Committee. In addition to Crouse, the executive committee nominated Putnam resident Tony Lester and former delegate Scott Cadle of Mason County.
The delegate nominating committee consists of one female and one male member from each of the 13th Delegate District portions of Putnam, Mason and Jackson. Executive committee members representing Putnam are Kris Raynes of Eleanor and Tim Gibson of Poca. Other members are Michael Ihle and Cindy Morrison (Jackson) and Jared Nutter and Sarah Stover (Mason).
In a statement issued on the day before Thanksgiving, Gov. Justice said, “I’m incredibly honored to appoint Kathie today and I know she is going to do a great job representing the people of the 13th District.”
