Rockin’ Politics in the Eastern Panhandle

Ace Parsi rode the campaign trail right into Harpers Ferry for a fundraiser and introduction at the Barn of Harpers Ferry bar.

From Morgantown, he is the brand-new Democratic candidate for Congress in West Virginia’s 2nd District.

The incumbent Congressman Riley Moore lives in Jefferson County. For a year and a half, Eastern Panhandle freedom fighters have held a protest every week at Moore’s district office. We’ve protested his racism against Latino people, against his slavish worship of MAGA and Trump, and against Riley Moore’s complete lack of concern for West Virginia and our people suffering anxiety, noise, water usage and rising electricity prices from Gov. Morrisey’s data centers, and the lack of drinking water for so many homes. It is a “no-show job” tethered to his office only by a paycheck.

You gotta love the name Ace for a public servant. I first met him in Martinsburg at the third nation al Indivisible “No Kings Day,” where he gave a great speech on democracy and freedom that showed deep commitment to all of us.

Ace worked our crowd that day with his smile that covered his face, happy spirit and joy in well doing.

The crowd of a hundred or more in the now iconic venue for import ant events in The Barns of Harpers Ferry loved his talk, greeted him with excitement and gave rave reviews.

Afterwards, I asked Ace to flesh out his priorities in the campaign:

“My top priorities are to bring affordability for families across the district, invest in a care economy and ensure people feel a stronger connection to a transparent, accountable government.”

On affordability, Ace said, “We need to address the core reasons prices have gone up higher, which are the tariffs and the war in Iran that have driven gas and diesel pric es up, as well as dangerous cuts to healthcare. Funding other needs of our people. We also need to put forward an economy that invests in small businesses in West Virginia and our communities, their unique character. Do not just extract our resources, use our land and bodies and send the profits out of state.”

“West Virginia needs a much stronger care economy, including investments in care professions like teachers, nurses, social workers, police officers and first responders. The wages in these professions are too low and the cost of education too high. I believe in a Care Stimulus to help address the very human needs of people in our state, funded by a simplified tax system that ensures billionaires pay their taxes. Right now, through loopholes, too many don’t pay a dime.”

Ace said his last priority is “a government that is responsive and trustworthy. That included the major issues of data centers being put in communities without listening to community voices.”

You have to acknowledge that Ace Parsi’s priorities address some of the worst problems of West Virginia.

Local grassroots organizer Marie Uehling organized the event with Jefferson County Democratic President Troy Miller and other local activists.

Local Democratic candidates Regina Dyer, Marta Beck and Jenny Thacker were all there in support and solidarity.

Marie Uehling said, “We had over 100 attending with incredible, positive energy. It was a delight to work with Ace and his campaign team; being a 33-year resident of Jefferson County, I knew that if voters see his thought- ful platform, he can and should win.”

Jefferson County and all the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia have much greater Democratic Party activity than we’ve seen in the past. The party of Joe Manchin is no more. The developing Democratic Party is moving beyond its past sweet tea on the porch and remembering the old days of Joe Manchin using the Democratic Party for his masters in the fossil fuel industry.

Welcome to the Democratic Party of today in West Virginia.

Stewart Acuff