Christopher BalladaresCandidate

Christopher Balladares

State HouseIndependent

WV-60 State House

Nicaraguan

Why This Race Matters

Christopher Balladares is running against Dana Ferrell (R, incumbent) or Christina Knapp (R, primary challenger); Lynette Shaw (D).

District 60 (Dunbar and Sissonville) is a heavily Republican seat where incumbent Dana Ferrell won unopposed in 2024 with 6,346 votes. Balladares would be one of the first Latino representatives in WV legislature history, running as a Mountain Party candidate in a state with a tiny Latino population.

Balladares runs on the Mountain Party ticket (WV's Green-affiliated party) in the general election. The Republican primary on May 12 pits incumbent Dana Ferrell vs. Christina Knapp. Democrat Lynette Shaw also filed. Ferrell faces a rare primary challenge but remains the heavy favorite in this deep-red district.

Key dates to watch: Primary on May 12, 2026 and General Election on November 3, 2026.

About

Christopher Balladares is a Nicaraguan-American first-time candidate running for the West Virginia House of Delegates in District 60 (Dunbar and Sissonville) on the Mountain Party ticket. His family fled Nicaragua in the 1980s during the civil war, first settling in New Jersey before Chris moved to Kanawha County at age 19. He works as an Electrical Distribution Designer at DRG Technical Solutions and holds a B.S. from West Virginia State University. He became politically active after attending protests in the Charleston area and is running to show that immigrants are not a threat to their communities.

Family & Heritage

First-generation Nicaraguan immigrant. His family fled Nicaragua to the United States in the 1980s to escape the bloody civil war. They first settled in New Jersey before Chris relocated to Kanawha County, West Virginia as a young adult at age 19, making it his permanent home.

Political Career

Before Politics

Electrical Distribution Designer at DRG Technical Solutions (current); Utilities Locator at USIC (underground utility damage prevention); Bilingual Customer Service Representative at CareFirst; Construction Laborer at Alford Home Solutions

Education

Bachelor of Science, West Virginia State University

Key Issues & Priorities

*Immigration reform and immigrant rights
*Community representation for immigrants and working families
*Government accountability and democratic transparency
*Showing that immigrants contribute to and strengthen their communities

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