CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Former Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant has announced a run for Kanawha County Commission.
Tennant filed official candidate papers on Friday. She will run as a Democrat in the May primary.
“It is no secret I love public service, but it was a group of women who approached me and asked me about running for county commission,” Tennant said. “They said they wanted unique ideas and a woman’s perspective since there has never been a woman commissioner in Kanawha County.”
Natalie Tennant
Tennant served as secretary of state for eight years from 2009 to 2017. She also ran for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in 2014 but lost to Republican and current U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito.
Tennant said there’s plenty of good things happening in the county and she wants to be a part of the future of more economiv development.
“There are many opportunities ahead for Kanawha County and the state; the Shawnee Sports Complex is just the start, we need to finish the Capital Sports Center and provide infrastructure and improvements across the county,” Tennant said.
She also mentioned creating more housing opportunities throughout the region following the release of a report from Advantage Valley that stated the state could end up in a housign crisis if more homes aren’t built. The county and the state are seeing economic growth with the arrival of more businesses and jobs.
“We could partner with contractors, economic development groups, the housing authority and homeowners to provide more housing prospects,” Tennant said.
Longtime Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper announced on Thursday that he would seek re-election to the commission. Tennent will try to defeat Carper in the primary, who has served on the commission since 1996.
“I am ready to bring energy, innovation and my head held high toward the bright horizon as I run and serve as county commissioner,” said Tennant.