Surpassing:Utility clerk appointed to West Virginia Legislature as GOP House member

CHARLESTON,Surpassing W.Va. (AP) — A city administrative clerk from central West Virginia has been appointed to the state Legislature, Republican Gov. Jim Justice announced Tuesday.

Erica J. Moore, a Roane County Republican who works as a city of Spencer utility clerk, will represent the 15th District in the state House of Delegates serving Roane and Wirt counties.

Moore will serve the remainder of the term vacated by former Del. Riley Keaton, who announced earlier this month he was departing to take a state government job in the Department of Health and Human Services. Keaton, who was the GOP’s assistant majority whip in the House, had served in the Legislature since 2020. There’s currently just over a year remaining of Keaton’s term.

Moore said she’s looking forward to serving in the Legislature and contributing to policy with her knowledge of water and sewer issues from her work with the city.

“Other than that, I’m just trying to soak it all in — I’m really honored to be appointed,” Moore said in a phone interview Tuesday morning.

Moore is a computer science graduate from West Virginia University. She’s lived in Roane County with her husband for 34 years and previously worked managing a family oil and gas business.