Roger Hanshaw
Roger Hanshaw is a Republican from Wallback in Clay County. He is an attorney in Charleston for the law firm of Bowles Rice, LLP. Hanshaw has served in the House of Delegates since 2014. He is currently the speaker of the House of Delegates. Hanshaw was first elected to serve as speaker in the state House in 2018 after Gov. Jim Justice (R) appointed then-Speaker Tim Armstead to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. As a result, Hanshaw became the second Republican since 1931 to be elected speaker. Hanshaw was elected to a full two-year term in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025. He championed the Third Grade Success Act from West Virginia schools. Hanshaw earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from West Virginia University in 2002, a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Notre Dame in 2006, and a J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2012. He is running unopposed in the 2026 general election.
Campaign site
“An important part of restoring our local economies is supporting our local business owners and entrepreneurs. We offer benefits and bonuses to large entities that relocate or hang a shingle in our state. I will fight so our own local job creators have the same kind of encouragement.”
(Ballotpedia (Campaign Themes)) “Home rule' should not just be a pilot program, only available to a set of handpicked cities around the state. I believe we deserve the same respect and right to govern our own district, as enjoyed by the citizens of Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown. I will work to earn that privilege on behalf of our district in the House of Delegates.”
(Ballotpedia (Campaign Themes)) “Companies require connectivity and access through high-speed Internet and mobile service to connect us with customers on the next block, and the next continent. Good fiber optics will allow our businesses to exist and grow in the contemporary marketplace. I will be a voice for developing an infrastructure system that will allow us to conduct business and communicate in the modern world.”
(Ballotpedia (Campaign Themes))