ELKINS — Casting himself as a political outsider in a three-way Republican primary, Jack Reger on Tuesday outlined an expansive platform for West Virginia’s 11th Senate District during a campaign launch at the Tygart Hotel.
Reger, a Buckhannon city councilman and former assistant superintendent for Upshur County Schools, is challenging Sen. Bill Hamilton and former Sen. Robert Karnes in the May 12, 2026, Republican Primary.
Throughout his remarks, Reger returned repeatedly to education, criticizing school closures and leadership within the state Department of Education.
“When schools close in Upshur, Barbour and Randolph counties, the loss goes far beyond a building. A school is the heart of a community,” Reger said. “This is not acceptable. And I won’t let that happen. Our students deserve better.”
He argued that the district has experienced more school closures than any other in the state and said the trend sends a discouraging message to families.
Reger also criticized the department’s hiring practices, describing them as “administrative incest” and contending that top leadership roles have too often been filled internally.
“We must bring in those individuals who are successful and bring in transformational leadership into our education system,” he said. “We want the very best. Our children deserve the very best.”
He pledged to introduce legislation requiring broader searches for the state superintendent, assistant superintendents and key administrators. In addition, Reger proposed creating classrooms at each programmatic level for students with autism and establishing clearer training and certification pathways for teachers.
Beyond education, Reger emphasized affordability for seniors and working families. He called for automatically granting the senior citizens tax credit at age 65 and expanding the homestead exemption.
“They should receive the senior citizen tax credit once they turn 65 years of age,” he said, adding that the state must ensure “seniors and families can stay in their homes.”
On economic policy, Reger proposed reducing business taxes from 6% to as low as 2% or 3% to better compete with neighboring states and cutting regulatory requirements he described as burdensome.
“A thriving economy is the foundation of strong communities,” he said. “Let’s remove the barriers to investing in West Virginia.”
He also advocated lowering utility bills by strengthening coal and natural gas policies and allowing cross-state insurance competition to reduce premiums, while requiring insurers to pay valid claims.
Government transparency and public safety formed another pillar of his campaign. Reger criticized Senate Bill 616, passed in 2022, which he said limits public access to records involving crimes against children. He referenced recent reports alleging that Jeffrey Epstein flew into Randolph County beginning in 2005 while trafficking underage girls.
“Transparency not only respects the public’s right to know, but it empowers voters and strengthens our democracy,” Reger said. “Protecting children is essential and holding abusers accountable is a fundamental public safety responsibility.”
He called for annual performance audits of state departments, ethics reforms and greater support for municipalities, particularly in upgrading water infrastructure and sustaining emergency services.
Framing the campaign in broader terms, he said,
“West Virginia stands at a crossroads. Our state faces both challenges and opportunities, and the decisions made today will shape our future for generations.”
“We need to work together to build this state and most importantly this senatorial district into one that is thriving and affords opportunities for our families today and for our children and our grandchildren in the future,” Reger said. “The barriers for prosperity need to be eliminated.”
District 11 includes Braxton, Webster, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur, Barbour and Pendleton counties.
