Both parties seem to want to oust Pat Rucker from State Senate District 16 in West Virginia. So she must be doing something right.

West Virginia was one of the first states to enact a universal school choice scholarship program in 2022, giving parents a $4,600 scholarship to send kids to the private school of their choice.

Pat Rucker serves on the board of ALEC, was the leading warrior for that program, and she carried it over the goal line. “Everyone was scared of the teachers’ unions,” she recalls. 

The union tried to defeat her in the last election. They wanted to mount her scalp on their spear for all to see. They needed to send a message across the country that this is what happens when you fall out of line with the union/education cartel.  She survived despite being outspent three to one.

Then this year she got cross-haired with the Republican Senate President Craig Blair, who removed her as Education Chair and recruited a State House member to challenge her in this week’s GOP primary. In Tuesday’s primary, she won again – narrowly.

It was woman versus machine and she’s still standing.

We need a lot more like her in every state capital and in Congress.