Michael Mosteller II
Michael G. Mosteller II is the Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates in District 21. He is a husband and father of two who lives in Putnam County. Mosteller previously ran for the House in 2024. His campaign says his interest in politics grew after the 2014 Elk River chemical spill, when he became involved in efforts to improve protections around above-ground storage tanks. He says he authored the Above Ground Storage Tank Act as a private citizen after the spill, and the legislature later passed the bill into law. His campaign identifies concerns about the opioid crisis and education as reasons he became more involved in politics. He made environmental protection, drinking water, education, health care and reproductive rights part of his campaign. He won the Democratic nomination in the May 2026 primary and will face Republican C.D. Caldwell in November. The race is for an open seat because current District 21 Republican Delegate Jarred Cannon is not seeking reelection.
· Candidate campaign website & Ballotpedia (secondary source)
Campaign site
“There's no doubt the Democratic Party left the people behind in our state in 2016. My goal is to rebuild the Democratic Party into something that reflects the will of the people.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey) “I think everyone should have free healthcare. The idea of it has been ruined by talking points, but we could all have free healthcare, and we would all pay less out-of-pocket to do so. I think we need smaller government. We don't want surveillance cameras on every corner. I believe that politicians should stay out of women's doctors offices, Billionaires need to start paying their fair share. Their companies benefit from technology that we paid for, they destroy our infrastructure and pay nearly nothing in taxes. I refuse to accept corporate money or money from PACs that don't represent everyday people. We need a New Way Forward.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey) “I look up to Joe Manchin because he never ran a negative attack ad against anyone. He talked about policy, not ad hominem attacks. Bipartisanship is important to him.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey)C. D. Caldwell
C.D. Caldwell is the Republican candidate for the House of Delegates in District 21. He is a longtime Putnam County educator and currently serves as the director of Career and Technical Education for Putnam County Schools and serves on Hurricane City Council. Caldwell graduated from Hurricane High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from West Virginia State University and a master’s degree in leadership studies from Marshall University. Caldwell’s campaign has emphasized career readiness, internships, registered apprenticeships and creating clearer pathways for students after high school. He described three main pathways for students being employed, enrolled or enlisted as a goal for career preparation. Caldwell won the Republican nomination in the 2026 primary and will face Democratic candidate Michael G. Mosteller II in the November general election. The race is for an open seat in District 21.
· Candidate campaign website & Ballotpedia (secondary source)
Campaign site
“The 21st District is at a critical moment as new manufacturers move into our region, bringing growth but also major infrastructure challenges. Increased housing and traffic demand stronger planning and investment. Many of our roads are already in unacceptable condition, and adding more strain without action will only worsen safety and congestion. Our community deserves reliable roads, improved traffic flow, and long‑term infrastructure solutions — not endless patches. It's time for a strong voice to advocate for the improvements the 21st District urgently needs.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey) “CD's background lends him a unique perspective to workforce development and how Career and Technical Education investment is paramount to the future success of our area and state. Creating internships and registered apprenticeships needs to be put on the forefront and removing barriers to access for our young adults. Career ready means many different things for students leaving high school and them having a clear plan after graduation is paramount. All students need to be on a pathway during their senior year of Employed, Enrolled or Enlisted. There are three clear pathways for all students and this will build a brighter future for us all.”
(C. D. Caldwell Campaign Website)