(Letter to the Editor - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Dear Friends and Fellow West Virginians,

I want to address some recent posts and comments circulating across social media platforms.

Let me be very clear: I have not abandoned the Republican Party, nor have I abandoned the core values that define West Virginia. I remain fully committed to standing alongside the hard working people who make our communities strong.

This means supporting our local hospitals, protecting jobs, and ensuring access to quality healthcare, especially in our rural areas where it’s needed the most.

My vote against repealing the Certificate of Need during the legislative session was not a political maneuver — it was a decision grounded in protecting the future of healthcare in our region. Without careful reform, repealing Certificate of Need could have led to the closure of critical care services, costing jobs and risking lives. I make no apologies for defending our local hospitals and the healthcare workers who serve our families and neighbors.

Regarding so-called “vaccine freedom,” I firmly stand and support individual medical freedom. But I also believe in responsible, common-sense policies that protect public health without government overreach. I won’t play political games that put safety at risk.

Some groups, like the American Action Fund, may try to distort my record or misrepresent my work — but I’ll continue to speak the truth. I have supported legislation that strengthens public safety and invests in law enforcement and our communities without raising taxes on West Virginians. The facts matter.

I will never back down from standing up for the people I represent. I do not answer to out-of-state special interests, political hit squads, or internet trolls.

You elected me to lead with integrity — and that is exactly what I intend to do.

Del. Scot Heckert

R-13th Dist.

Parkersburg