Ohio State student Mark Phipps is running for West Virginia House of delegates. Credit: Courtesy of Mark Phipps
Most students spent spring break relaxing and enjoying the spring weather. Mark Phipps, however, spent his time in government offices and with political committees, campaigning to be elected to the West Virginia Legislature.
Phipps, a 23-year-old West Virginia resident and third-year in civil engineering, is running as a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates in the state’s primary election on May 12.
Phipps is running against Democratic candidate Sarah Morris. She graduated from University of South Florida in 2014 with a degree in psychology and is currently a small business owner, according to her Ballotpedia.??
Born and raised in Rupert, West Virginia, Phipps said he enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school in 2022, serving for four years as a geospatial engineer, or cartographer.
Following his discharge earlier this year, Phipps chose to remain in the Army reserves. With his reserve unit based in Ohio, Phipps said he decided to enroll at Ohio State to pursue a degree in civil engineering.
Even a state away, Phipps said he remains deeply connected to his home.
Phipps said he was stunned by how many of his friends had left West Virginia due to the state’s struggling economy, which ranks the lowest in the nation for hourly earnings, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Whenever I came home from the military after a brief hiatus away, I was able to see all the people I had graduated high school with had to leave. They’re in other states now, just to find work,” Phipps said. “I was really shocked.”?
Phipps said he couldn’t watch from the sidelines.
“I wasn’t going to be complacent with what was going on,” Phipps said.
Encouraged by a former science teacher, Phipps said he decided to run in the 47th district for the West Virginia House of Delegates.
The House of Delegates is one half of West Virginia’s bi-cameral legislature, composed of a House and a Senate. Delegates are elected from each of the state’s 100 districts to serve two-year terms, according to the West Virginia Legislature website.
The legislature convenes for 60 days at the start of each year to propose, amend and vote on bills, the website said.
However, getting on the ballot is no simple task.
“First, you had to decide you want to be a candidate, and then you have to research the rules and eligibility requirements to ensure that you meet those,” Phipps said, “You have to file with the Secretary of State’s office and pay a fee and establish a committee.”
Once he decided to run, Phipps said he began assembling a team to help organize his campaign, leveraging his network to find people skilled in finance and digital outreach.
“You have to have an official committee to fundraise,” Phipps said. “You have to make sure your message is getting across to people. You have to design a website.”
One of these team members is Noah Rudd, a friend who joined after hearing Phipps’ talk about his desire to make West Virginia better.
“I was excited for him and I wanted to help,” Rudd said.
Rudd works full-time as an accountant for Vandalia Health, a West Virginia-based healthcare provider, and serves as Phipps’ campaign treasurer.
Rudd said the campaign started with a steep learning curve — navigating campaign finance rules, setting up a bank account and learning the “rules of the road.”
His primary role is ensuring that finance reports are accurate and compliant, Rudd said.
“We’ve kept a very tight budget,” Rudd said. “We are focused on showing how [Phipps] is the best democrat on the ticket.”
Any funds left over after the campaign, Rudd said, will go to charity, and he asks donors to give only what they can genuinely spare.
On the digital side, Phipps turned to a fellow Ohio State student, Alex Dunahay, a first-year in computer science and engineering, to be the campaign’s social media manager.
Dunahay said he met Phipps in an engineering class and was invited to join the team after discussing Dunahay’s experience creating graphics for Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel’s “Team Tressel Fitness Challenge.”
“[Phipps] expressed that he was looking for someone well-versed in social media who could produce content,” Dunahay said. “What ultimately motivated me to join was the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.”
Phipps said social media outreach is a campaign priority, allowing him to engage with voters even when he isn’t in West Virginia.
Dunahay said he develops video concepts, creates graphics and records and edits videos to keep the campaign visible online.
“The response has been encouraging,” Dunahay said. “We regularly receive comments on our videos from District 47 residents asking [Phipps] more specific, personal questions about his plans and priorities. We use [those] as an opportunity to engage further, often responding with follow-up videos that provide additional information and help voters get to know [Phipps] on a deeper level.”
Outreach is tailored by platform, Dunahay said, targeting a younger audience on platforms like Instagram and Tiktok, while taking a broader approach on sites like Facebook and X.
Still, digital outreach is only part of the strategy. Phipps travels to West Virginia regularly, using weekends and school breaks to network face-to-face.
For spring break, Phipps said he organized campaign activities, including speaking engagements, endorsement interviews and finalizing campaign purchases.
If he advances, Phipps said he will take a hiatus from school to focus on the campaign. For now, Phipps balances running the campaign with being a full-time student.
“I’m not going to say it’s easy,” Phipps said. “I wake up at probably 5 a.m. every single day. Sometimes I go to sleep late because I’m working on things associated with the campaign”
It’s a sentiment Dunahay echoes.
“The primary challenge is balancing the demands of coursework with a role that carries real significance for thousands of people,” Dunahay said. “[Our] time together is often brief, and our meetings must be productive.”
Proper time management and prioritization are essential, Phipps said, adding that mindset is key.
“If it’s something you care about, you find time to fit it into your schedule,” he said.
For Dunahay, the experience has pushed him to grow.
“It is a challenge I enjoy,” Dunahay said. “It has pushed me to be more resourceful and independent in my work.”
Phipps said he hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the House of Delegates, though he said people have been skeptical due to his age.
“Sometimes it’s hard for people to see you as legitimate,” Phipps said. “I’m talking about the organizations, and some of the political insiders, they will kind of not prioritize you as a legitimate candidate.”
Even within his own party, Phipps said he has faced doubts.
“I’ve gotten the impression that [some party members] don’t see me as a viable candidate because of my age,” he said. “I don’t really think twice about them. There’s a lot of people I speak to that are really happy to see somebody new.”
Primary elections will be held this coming May. If he advances, Phipps will likely face Republican opponent Denny Canterbury Jr. in the general election this November.
Canterbury previously served as a delegate from 2000 to 2016, and was elected again in 2024 in the 47th district, according to Ballotpedia.
Phipps acknowledged that he faces an uphill battle in the district, but believes that his message can “break through the noise,” and resonate with voters on the issues that affect their daily lives.
“[In Charleston], they’re fighting an ideological battle that, you know, is not bringing down grocery prices, it’s not bringing down the housing crisis, it’s not fighting the drug epidemic, it’s not keeping people in West Virginia,” Phipps said.
“[I am] talking about issues that matter to West Virginians right now,” he said. “So I think I could break through the noise.”
Dunahay said authenticity is one of Phipps’ greatest assets.
“He does not fit the typical mold of a political candidate,” Dunahay said. “[Phipps] is genuinely kind, transparent about his beliefs, and deeply invested in the well-being of his home district.”
Rudd said Phipps is detail-oriented and hardworking.
“[Phipps] is not afraid to get into the details and get some work done,” Rudd said.
For Phipps, politics is personal and participation is essential. He said everyone, especially young people, need to get involved.
“The choices being made right now at every level of government will shape your freedoms, your ability to buy a home, and so many other aspects of your life,” Phipps said. “You need to participate, vote, speak up and demand better from your elected officials.”
Rudd said he also felt compelled to act.
“I personally was the most motivated to help [Phipps] after praying about it. I was scared of the political violence we have seen,” Rudd said. “I feel that I would rather be scared of ‘what ifs’ than regret not participating in helping.”
As Phipps continues to balance his studies, military service and campaigning, he said his message is clear: change requires action.
“Progress has never waited for permission,” he said. “You have to get out there and you have to fight for what you believe in.”
