Thornton Cooper

Thornton Cooper was born in South Charleston, West Virginia. He graduated from South Charleston High School. He earned a B.A. in political science from Yale University in 1972 and J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law in 1978. Cooper's career experience includes working as an attorney.[1]

Which West Virginia Democratic candidate for United States Senate has the most experience in government?

I have the most experience in state government, having served about 29 years before retiring. For most of that time, I was an attorney and administrator for the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSCWV). Before that, I worked for the state Department of Highways and the state Human Rights Commission.

A native and resident of South Charleston, West Virginia, I graduated from South Charleston High School, Yale University (B.A., Political Science), and the WVU College of Law (Juris Doctor). I have 2 sons and 4 grandchildren. An environmentalist, I have 24 solar panels on my roof and drive a plug-in hybrid.

An active member of the West Virginia State Bar from 1978 to the present, I have argued cases and/or submitted briefs before the PSCWV, several circuit courts, the state Supreme Court of Appeals, West Virginia's two federal district courts, and one federal appeals court.

A long-time activist, I have been participating in political campaigns (either as a volunteer or as a candidate) since I was a teenager. I have also actively opposed or supported many proposed state constitutional amendments. From 1981 to the present, I have been developing redistricting plans.

I have also been a volunteer in a number of campaigns for other Democrats who have run for the United States Senate.

Currently, I am the South Charleston's Democratic Party Chairman.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I support raising the basic federal minimum wage to $15.00 per hour.I support universal health care (Medicare for all).I oppose the war on Iran.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Some of the things that I would do if elected United States Senator include the following::

(1)

Raise the basic federal minimum wage to $15.00 per hour;

(2)

Establish universal health care (Medicare for all);

(3)

End the war on Iran;

(4)

Repeal the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that Senator Capito voted for;

(5)

Increase funding for hospitals;

(6)

Increase funding for public education;

(7)

Require a county to hold a referendum to allow county voters to block any proposed data center and power plant in that county;

(8)

Save Social Security by ending tax breaks for individuals with high incomes; and

(9)

Raise the marginal income tax rates on millionaires and billionaires.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

One challenge is to ensure that wealth and income are more evenly distributed than at present. A second challenge is to transition to solar power, wind power, geothermal power, hydroelectric power, and other forms of power that do not add more carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. A third challenge is to preserve democracy by reducing the powers and immunity of the executive branch. A fourth challenge is to prevent nuclear war.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

(1) Each state has 2 Senators. (2) The Senate was designed to deliberate on issues, not to reflect the political passions of the day. (3) The Senate is an important block on the power of the President. It can reject nominations for Cabinet positions and federal judgeships.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

The first significant historical event that I remember was the election of John F. Kennedy as President of the United States on Tuesday, November 8, 1960.

I was just 10 years old.

My parents were Democrats who were strong supporters of JFK. For Election Day, my mother decorated our dining and living rooms with some red, white, and blue symbols, and, as I recall, also a donkey and an elephant. I believe that we might have even owned a "PT 109" tie clip to celebrate Kennedy's heroic naval service during World War II.

John F. Kennedy had a strong connection with West Virginians. Although my parents were Protestants, our family thought that people in our state who opposed Kennedy because he was a Roman Catholic were ignorant. Kennedy's defeat of Hubert Humphrey in the 1960 Democratic primary election was cited by the national media as evidence that a Catholic could defeat a Protestant. (Actually, though, West Virginia Democrats had supported Roman Catholic Al Smith back in the 1928 Democratic primary.)

My parents invited another couple, who attended the same Baptist church in Charleston that we attended, over to our house in South Charleston to watch the election returns on the black and white TV in our living room. On Election Night, I used red and blue colored pencils to draw on a white poster the following characters: Uncle Sam, John F. Kennedy, and a donkey. On that poster, I added the following sentence: "Let Democrats do it for you."

In terms of the popular vote, the race between JFK and Richard Nixon turned out to be very close. The results in the Electoral College were also in doubt. Our neighbors returned home long before the networks finally called the election.

Although he was assassinated in 1963, John F. Kennedy motivated millions of young Americans to go into politics and government.

I am one of them.

Campaign websiteCooper's campaign website stated the following:Why are you running for the United States Senate in 2026? Here are nine (9) of the reasons that I am running for the United States Senate from West Virginia in the Democratic primary in 2026:I want the national Democratic Party to become the party of the working class.I am a progressive Democrat. I have been a social and political activist since I was a teenager 60 years ago. I am a native and resident of West Virginia.I have already served the people of West Virginia for 29 years as a state employee.I understand federal and state law, including complicated federal and state constitutional issues, and have appeared before the West Virginia state supreme court about 30 times and also before federal courts several times in my legal career. I want to restore civility to politics. I prefer compromise to grandstanding. I want to help, and not hinder, the Democratic candidates in West Virginia who would be below me on the Democratic ticket on the ballot in the November 2026 general election.— Thornton Cooper's campaign website (May 8, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Which candidate for Secretary of State is the most experienced?

Of the candidates for Secretary of State, I have the most experience in state government, having served about 29 years before retiring. For most of that time, I was an attorney and administrator for the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSCWV). Before that, I worked for the state Department of Highways and the state Human Rights Commission.

A native and resident of South Charleston, West Virginia, I graduated from South Charleston High School, Yale University (B.A., Political Science), and the WVU College of Law (Juris Doctor). I have 2 sons and 4 grandchildren. An environmentalist, I have 24 solar panels on my roof and drive a plug-in hybrid.

An active member of the West Virginia State Bar from 1978 to the present, I have argued cases and/or submitted briefs before the PSCWV, several circuit courts, the state Supreme Court of Appeals, West Virginia's two federal district courts, and one federal appeals court.

A long-time activist, I have been participating in political campaigns (either as a volunteer or as a candidate) since I was a teenager. I have also actively opposed or supported many proposed state constitutional amendments. I have been a party in a number of election-law court cases involving prior Secretaries of State. From 1981 to the present, I have been developing redistricting plans.

Currently, I am the South Charleston's Democratic Party Chairman.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I want to make it easy for West Virginians to vote in either of 3 ways: (1) If a registered voter wants to vote by mail, he or she should be able to do so without having to give a reason for voting by mail. (2) If a registered voter wants to vote early in person at a designated polling place, he or she should have that choice. (3) If a registered voter wants to vote at his or her local precinct on Election Day, he or she should still have that choice.We need to protect our election workers from harassment and intimidation.The West Virginia Secretary of State, in conjunction with other state officials, should make it easy for someone to form a corporation or limited liability company and to start a business.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I want to make it easier, not more difficult, for a registered voter to cast a vote in West Virginia.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

(1) The most important responsibility of the West Virginia Secretary of State is to serve as the Chief Election Officer of West Virginia. Without free and fair elections, our democratic experiment will not work.

The Secretary of State should display integrity, experience, and competence. For example, the Secretary of State should not let his or her party affiliation affect how he or she rules in a controversy between a candidate of one party and a candidate of another party.

Furthermore, the Secretary of State needs to give proper deference to each of West Virginia's 55 County Clerks. In each county, the County Clerk is the county's chief election officer. The Secretary of State should not attempt to micromanage how each County Clerk does his or her job.

(2) The Secretary of State also should work to make it easier for West Virginians and other individuals to form corporations and limited liability companies. Working with other state officials, the Secretary of State should make it easier for individuals to start businesses.

(3) The Secretary of State also has extensive responsibilities relating to the proper filing of rules adopted by the various state agencies. In many cases, the West Virginia Legislature has to approve an agency's rule before it can take effect.

(4) The Secretary of State also has additional responsibilities, such as the regulation of notaries public.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first significant historical event that I remember was the election of John F. Kennedy as President of the United States on Tuesday, November 8, 1960.

I was just 10 years old.

My parents were Democrats who were strong supporters of JFK. For Election Day, my mother decorated our dining and living rooms with some red, white, and blue symbols, and, as I recall, also a donkey and an elephant. I believe that we might have even owned a "PT 109" tie clip to celebrate Kennedy's heroic naval service during World War II.

John F. Kennedy had a strong connection with West Virginians. Although my parents were Protestants, our family thought that people in our state who opposed Kennedy because he was a Roman Catholic were ignorant. Kennedy's defeat of Hubert Humphrey in the 1960 Democratic primary election was cited by the national media as evidence that a Catholic could defeat a Protestant. (Actually, though, West Virginia Democrats had supported Roman Catholic Al Smith back in the 1928 Democratic primary.)

My parents invited another couple, who attended the same Baptist church in Charleston that we attended, over to our house in South Charleston to watch the election returns on the black and white TV in our living room. On Election Night, I used red and blue colored pencils to draw on a white poster the following characters: Uncle Sam, John F. Kennedy, and a donkey. On that poster, I added the following sentence: "Let Democrats do it for you."

In terms of the popular vote, the race between JFK and Richard Nixon turned out to be very close. The results in the Electoral College were also in doubt. Our neighbors returned home long before the networks finally called the election.

Although he was assassinated in 1963, John F. Kennedy motivated millions of young Americans to go into politics and government.

I am one of them.

Campaign website

Cooper’s campaign website stated the following:

Recently, THORNTON COOPER, the 2024 Democratic candidate for WEST VIRGINIA SECRETARY OF STATE, was asked by a community organization a number of questions about his decision to run as the Democratic candidate for West Virginia Secretary of State.

The following questions and answers are based upon what he told that organization:

Thornton Cooper, what public office are you seeking in 2024?

West Virginia Secretary of State

Mr. Cooper, what will be your number one priority if elected?

If the members of the Legislature concur, I would work to make it easier for a registered West Virginia voter to vote in any of three ways: (1) voting early by mail without having to submit an excuse for doing so, (2) voting in person before Election Day at designated locations in the voter's county, (3) voting in person on Election Day at the voter's precinct.

We should also make it even easier for West Virginians in uniform who are deployed overseas to vote early.

To ensure the integrity of our elections, we need to protect poll workers from intimidation and harassment by political extremists.

Mr. Cooper, please tell us about your professional background and how it would help you serve in office.

I have extensive experience in the executive branch of state government, having served about 29 years before retiring at the end of 2005. For most of that time, I was an attorney and administrator for the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSCWV). Before that, I worked for the West Virginia Department of Highways and the West Virginia Human Rights Commission.

I am a native and resident of South Charleston, West Virginia. I graduated from South Charleston High School, Yale University (B.A., Political Science), and the WVU College of Law (Juris Doctor).

An active member of the West Virginia State Bar from 1978 to the present, I have argued cases and/or submitted briefs before the PSCWV, several circuit courts, the state Supreme Court of Appeals, West Virginia's two federal district courts, and one federal appeals court.

The Secretary of State is the Chief Election Officer of West Virginia. It is important for the individual who serves in that office to understand the election process. I certainly qualify in that regard.

A long-time activist, I have been participating in political campaigns (either as a volunteer or as a candidate) since I was a teenager. I have also actively opposed or supported many proposed state constitutional amendments. I have been a party in a number of election-law court cases involving prior Secretaries of State. From 1981 to the present, I have been developing redistricting plans.

Mr. Cooper, what is your plan for the position and term you are seeking?

First, I shall try to comply with all of the constitutional and statutory requirements imposed upon the Secretary of State.

These involve such varied topics as administering the state's extensive election law; registration of corporations and limited liability companies; proper filing of state rules and regulations; and regulation of notaries public.

The Secretary of State needs to lead by example. There are many requirements administered by the Secretary of State that are imposed upon members of the public. For example, candidates for public office and managers of corporations and limited liability companies are required by law to file many reports and forms with the Secretary of State.

It is important that the Secretary of State himself or herself file all the reports and forms that he or she is required by law to file and to supply all information on those forms that the law requires.

I have no desire to run for another office while I am serving as Secretary of State. For the past several decades, previous occupants of the office have been candidates for other offices.

I would also like to operate the office in a nonpartisan manner. I think that most employees in the Secretary of State's Office should be under Civil Service.

IT IS ORDERED that copies of this RESOLUTION, as adopted, be transmitted and distributed to newspapers and other media throughout the state of West Virginia.

Why did you choose to run for public office?

(1) If the voters of West Virginia honor me by electing me as West Virginia Secretary or State in 2024, I believe that I would be the most qualified individual in West Virginia to serve in that office (except for a few individuals, such as, Joe Manchin and Natalie Tennant, who have already served in that position).

(2) The reason that West Virginians still have the opportunity to elect a Secretary of State is that I, among with many others, helped defeat a proposed state constitutional amendment in an election held on September 9, 1989, that would have denied West Virginia voters the right to vote for Secretary of State, state Treasurer, and Commissioner of Agriculture. I spent many hours working to defeat that proposed amendment.

(3) At the beginning of the 2024 filing period, it was widely believed that no Democrat would file for the office. After working so hard 35 years ago, back in 1989, to preserve the right of West Virginians to elect their Secretary of State, I decided that I could not allow this important office to go to a Republican by default.

Mr. Cooper, how can you be a unifier?

I have no desire to use the Secretary of State's Office as a stepping stone to run for another office. If elected, I would operate the office in a professional, nonpartisan manner.

Thornton Cooper, what plans do you have to enhance the business community?

As someone who has incorporated both a for-profit corporation and a nonprofit corporation, I am aware of the importance of the Secretary of State's Office to someone who wants to establish a small business.

Under existing West Virginia law, the Secretary of State already works in concert with other state officials to make it easy for West Virginians to start their own small businesses.

Please go to business4.wv.gov to access the WV One Stop Business Portal.

I shall encourage comments from the public on making that portal work even better.[11]

—Thornton Cooper’s campaign website (2024)[12]

Cooper's campaign website highlighted the following issues:

For decades, Thornton Cooper has, as a private citizen, taken public positions on dozens of matters of public interest. He has also commenced, or intervened in, several court proceedings on such matters as redistricting, gubernatorial succession, the Charleston “user fee,” school consolidation, and the proper procedures for amending the West Virginia Constitution.

Following the 2010 Census, he developed proposals for redistricting West Virginia’s congressional districts, the State Senate, and the House of Delegates.

He has supported raising the minimum wage, protecting the safety of the state’s drinking water, and preserving state laws relating to the disposal of solid waste.

He campaigned against a law passed in 2014 that allows concealed weapons to be brought into city recreation facilities in Kanawha County. He believes that city governments should have the right to ban concealed weapons in such facilities.

In 2016, he wants to help the Democratic Party regain control of the West Virginia House of Delegates. He opposes a number of the Republican-backed bills that passed the Legislature during the 2015 and 2016 sessions.[11]

—Thornton Cooper[13]

Cooper's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[14]

Raising the minimum wage

Protecting the safety of the state's drinking water

Preserving state laws relating to the disposal of solid waste