My name is Rusty Williams and I’m running to represent the people of the 59th District in the West Virginia House of Delegates.

 

Born in South Charleston and raised in Nitro, I am a lifelong West Virginian.

 

Educated in Computer-Aided Drafting & Design as well as Audio/Video Production/Engineering, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend the majority of my life doing things I truly enjoy. However, after spending the majority of my adult life working as a draftsman, live-sound engineer, musician, artist, and painter, I was diagnosed with late-stage testicular cancer in 2012 and my life was forever changed.

 

Forced to face a life-threatening illness without insurance, not only did I have to fight to stay alive, a good bit of my energy and time was spent fighting bureaucrats who were far more concerned with bottom-line economics than my health and well-being so upon completion of chemotherapy, I resolved to dedicate my life to fighting for patients.

 

For the last decade, I’ve worked tirelessly to end the prohibition of the flower that got me through chemotherapy, and I'm extremely proud of the role I played in building the grassroots movement responsible for the push behind the passage of the WV Medical Cannabis Act. I was appointed to the patient advocate position on the WV Medical Cannabis Advisory Board by Governor Jim Justice in 2017, and reappointed to a second term in the summer of 2021.

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In the time I’ve spent advocating for patients, I’ve not only learned how to properly navigate the political process, I’ve successfully worked with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in both the Senate and the House, forming relationships that will be extremely beneficial when advocating for legislation aimed at putting West Virginia on the path to sustainable prosperity.

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I know what it takes to get things done and I look forward to working for the people of the 59th District. I hope you will consider voting for me when you head to the polls on November 8th! 

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