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Swope turns over West Virginia Senate Economic Development chair to Jeffries

By Steven Allen Adams 4 min read

CHARLESTON -- In a move Senate President Craig Blair called "selfless," Economic Development Committee Chairman Chandler Swope turned over leadership of the committee to the Senate's newest Republican member, Sen. Glenn Jeffries.

Swope, R-Mercer, announced from the Senate floor Friday morning he had recommended Jeffries, R-Putnam, to chair the Senate Economic Development Committee after discussing the matter with Blair, R-Berkeley, Thursday night.

"I've been thinking about this for a while, so last night I came to the Senate President's office and asked if he'd ever thought about naming (Jeffries) chair of economic development," Swope said. "If he had that title, it might strengthen his appearance when he's out in the presence of the Warren Buffetts of the world. After a little bit of arm twisting, (Blair) finally agreed that yeah, (Jeffries) would make an awesome chairman of the Economic Development Committee."

"I'd like to take this opportunity to say to (Swope) thank you for your faith in me.," Jeffries said. "When you brought that to me yesterday, I knew I had that deer-in-the-headlight look looking at you. How can I replace what you're doing currently with this committee? You've set a legacy. You have a passion to move this state forward. That's one thing I will promise to you I will continue to do."

Swope cited Jeffries' work on helping to land a major economic development project for Jackson County at the end of last year.

Two companies owned by Berkshire Hathaway -- BHE Renewables and Precision Castparts Corp. -- announced the purchase of more than 2,000 acres at the former Century Aluminum site in Jackson County to build a modern titanium melt facility powered by the nation's first solar energy micro-grid. The project is a $500 million investment by the companies and is expected to create as many as 200 jobs.

In 2020, a group of Democratic lawmakers led by Jeffries wrote a letter to several investors, including Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett, encouraging them to invest in West Virginia. That led to a phone call between Jeffries and Berkshire Hathaway representatives, starting talks that led to the Jackson County project.

"I think everybody is aware that last summer we made an announcement that two Warren Buffett companies were coming to West Virginia, and (Jeffries) a year-and-a-half before that wrote a letter to them and got a positive response," Swope said. "That's going to bring in -- I think in round numbers -- somewhere around $1 billion worth of economic development."

Swope said Jeffries has continued to work with the state Department of Economic Development on business recruitment activities, including meeting with representatives of an unnamed Israeli company looking at West Virginia for a potential $1 billion manufacturing investment.

"I do have a passion for economic development and job creation -- whatever it takes to make that happen," Jeffries said. "I am deeply humbled that the Senate President has entrusted me to take this position. I'm very thankful."

Jeffries, a two-term senator from the 8th District covering parts of Kanawha and Putnam counties, announced he was switching parties from Democrat to Republican in December, taking the Republican supermajority in the Senate to 31 out of 34 seats after Republican victories in November took the majority from 23 seats to 30 seats.

After Swope and Jeffries spoke on the floor, Blair left his place at the podium to speak at his desk on the Senate floor to praise both senators.

"It is something I have not seen in the entire time I've ever served in the Legislature, and I'm unaware of this ever happening where a member that was doing an exceedingly good job sees an opportunity -- not for himself, not someone else, but for the State of West Virginia - for someone else to do a better job of attracting business and economic opportunity to the State of West Virginia," Blair said. "There is, without question, a selfless act that each and every one of us in this chamber should aspire to."

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.

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