PARKERSBURG — A former member of the House of Delegates on Monday filed precandidacy papers for the Wood County Commission.

Roger Conley said he will be the conservative option in the Republican primary in 2024.

“I believe the people of Wood County need an option,” Conley said. “I want to present myself as that option.”

Conley filed for District B, which presently is represented by Commission President Blair Couch. Couch, in office since 2007, in January announced he will run for re-election in 2024.

Conley, who owned Conley Manufacturing, said his experience in the Legislature and on Vienna City Council demonstrates his conservatism in fiscal matters and in life.

“I present myself to be very conservative in general,” he said.

Conley represented the old District 10 in the Legislature. He ran for the new 11th District and was defeated in the primary by Delegate Bob Fehrenbacher.

He also was chairman of the Wood County Republican Executive Committee and recently organized a support-Trump rally independent of the party.

Prospective candidates for office in West Virginia can file as precandidates as a means to raising campaign funds and gauge support for their candidacy. Precandidacy does not commit the candidate to running for the office cited.

The filing period for office for the 2024 election is Jan. 8-27. The primary election is May 14.