Rawle & Henderson, LLP, congratulates Laura Wakim-Chapman, wife of Matt Chapman, Of Counsel in our West Virginia office, on her election as a West Virginia State Senator. Ms. Wakim-Chapman, who won her seat by more than a 20% margin of the vote, is the first woman to be elected to represent West Virginia’s 1^st District since 1978.

Mr. Chapman was a major support for his wife throughout the political process and is looking forward to her making positive changes for the district in the coming years. “I helped with anything I could. She really wants to do good. She wants to improve things for the people in this district.”

Mr. Chapman and his wife are thrilled about the opportunity to help serve the people of West Virginia. However, winning the seat was not without challenges.

“She knew there would be a lot of time to sacrifice. Missing time with the kids and such. That was something I helped a lot with … The biggest challenge was when her opponent decided to go negative against her in the campaign. She did not want to do that. She wanted to highlight the good things she plans to do instead of talk about the bad.”

Ms. Wakim-Chapman will be sworn into office in January 2023 by Haley Bunn. Ms. Bunn serves on the West Virginia Supreme Court and is a close friend of the Chapman family.

“We cannot wait to have Justice Bunn swear her into office. She was a close friend in law school and is very special to us. This whole thing is very exciting.”

Mr. Chapman has also formerly served as the Chairman of the Republican Party in Ohio County, West Virginia, and currently serves as the chairman of the West Virginia State Elections Commission.

Mr. Chapman can be reached at (304)-238-5380 or at mchapman@rawle.com.