West Virginia State House District 12

Current seat holder: Vernon Criss (Republican).

Dennis Rempel

Dennis V. Rempel is a West Virginia native who grew up in a Marine Corps family. He served 14 years in the U.S. military, including the Air Force, and later had a 36-year career with the federal Bureau of the Fiscal Service before retiring from public service. Rempel is running for the West Virginia House of Delegates in District 12. His campaign describes him as a public servant focused on the Constitution, veterans, working families and government accountability. He is from Parkersburg. Rempel was the only Democratic candidate in the May 2026 primary and received 776 votes, or 100% of the Democratic vote in Wood County. For the November general election, Rempel is running against Republican Charles Hartzog and Libertarian Stephen Thomas Smith. Republican incumbent Vernon Criss also filed as a write-in candidate after losing the Republican primary.

· Candidate campaign website & Ballotpedia (secondary source)

Campaign site

Charles Hartzog

Charles D. Hartzog is a 23-year-old Parkersburg native and 2025 graduate of West Virginia University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He graduated from Parkersburg High School in 2021. His professional experience includes working as an assistant manager at Jimmy John’s and, more recently, as an overnight stocker at Walmart. Hartzog ran for Monongalia County Commission in 2022 and for magistrate judge in Monongalia County in 2024. He challenged incumbent Del. Vernon Criss in the 2026 Republican primary for House District 12. The race drew statewide attention because Criss was chairman of the House Finance Committee and had publicly disagreed with Gov. Patrick Morrisey over budget and policy matters. Morrisey endorsed Hartzog and personally campaigned in Parkersburg ahead of the primary. Hartzog defeated Criss with 688 votes, or 61.98%, compared with Criss’ 422 votes, or 38.02%, according to Wood County’s primary results. Criss subsequently filed to run in November as an official write-in candidate.

· Ballotpedia (secondary source)

“I am a West Virginia resident since 2018 and Parkersburg High School graduate. I am currently enrolled online for the remainder of my college education and set to graduate at the end of 2027. I have vowed in the past that I would do everything in my power to make it so that I can stay here and that I can create a family here. I want to be able to do the same for the entire community.” (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey)
“Many of my former classmates are gone from the state. I don't even know where half of them are. The economic opportunities here are not ideal for careers. I'd like my future family to stay here and prosper. West Virginia is full of good people. That's why I want to help build the infrastructure and businesses. I want to be able to let the country roads take us all home.” (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey)

Stephen Smith

Stephen Thomas Smith is a retired commercial banker and business executive from Parkersburg. His professional background includes serving as a controller or chief financial officer for companies in banking, manufacturing, logistics and publishing. He later taught accounting and business at West Virginia University at Parkersburg for 11 years. Smith holds a finance degree from West Virginia University, an MBA, and a master’s degree in accountancy from Stetson University. Smith’s previously ran as a Libertarian candidate for House District 12 in 2022, when he received 295 votes in the general election. For the 2026 election, Smith is on the November general-election ballot along with Democrat Dennis V. Rempel and Republican Charles D. Hartzog. Republican incumbent Vernon Criss is also an official write-in candidate. Stephen Smith appears on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot for West Virginia House of Delegates District 12.

· Candidate campaign website & Ballotpedia (secondary source)

Campaign site

“State Tax Reform: West Virginia's tax system is riddled with loopholes and exceptions for some, while working people pay more. We need to rethink how we collect taxes to pay for the government services the state provides.” (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey)
“West Virginia's tax system is riddled with loopholes and exceptions for some, while working people pay more. We need to rethink how we collect taxes to pay for the government services the state provides.” (Stephen Smith Campaign Website)
“Article 12 (section 12-1) of West Virginia's constitution reads "The Legislature shall provide, by general law, for a thorough and efficient system of free schools," which was novel at the time. We must ensure that the schools being given state funds, whether public or private, are adequately meeting the needs of our students. We cannot just write checks and hope for the best.” (Stephen Smith Campaign Website)