11/02/2023
Candidate profile for write-in candidate Elijah Cordle, who is running against David Eaton for the District 4 Board of Supervisors seat in Russell County. The (of course theres nothing to tag) failed to interview him and even reported the race for District 4 as uncontested, so we reached out to continue to bring you the information that they miss, intentionally or otherwise.
Elijah Cordle Candidate Profile
My name is Elijah Cordle and I’m running as an independent Write-in Candidate for the Russell County Board of Supervisors 4th District against Mr. David “Peanut” Eaton. I am a lifelong resident of Southwest Virginia. Though I have moved in the past for college or to pursue other opportunities, I always find my way home. For the majority of my life, I have lived in Honaker & Swords Creek, it's where I am staying now. I Attended Givens Elementary, as well as Swords Creek & Honaker Elementary, and graduated from Honaker High School in 2009.
I always had big hopes and dreams of going on to do great things, always eager for an opportunity to be a lawyer, or own my own business, or any number of other things a young teenager might think they would have the chance to be or do one day. When I got out into the real world, I quickly found out that it wasn't going to be the case because good jobs and opportunities for people in our region are few and far between. The ones that do exist are gatekept in some way for a small number of people from here, or they bring people from outside our communities into them to do those jobs. Most everyone knows what I'm talking about. It's not something anyone can prove but you can see it. In the faces of people who live here but can't make a living here, and it's been that way for as long as I can remember. These things are what inspired me to go to college and study Political Science and history. I had a bold purpose, I was going to become the congressman for the 9th Congressional District of Virginia. I would figure out how to fix the problems we faced at home and then I would get the power to do something about it.
I attended Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, WV. Where I studied Political Science and history. My special areas of focus were the economics of Appalachia as well as Faith and public policy. I maintained a 4.0 GPA, Regretfully I did not get to complete my degree. I ran out of funding in my last two semesters. During my time At Davis & Elkins College, I served as both the President & Vice President of our Student Government. I helped rewrite our constitution to give students a stronger voice on campus, create transparency in student government and campus organizations, and reinforce community service requirements to help the City of Elkins. I organized a color-run fundraiser to help build a playground for a local school in the city of Elkins. I participated in the West Virginia Center for Budget & Policy summer institute conference where we examined and proposed ideas to fight the opioid epidemic. I had to come home without my degree and though I searched for an opportunity to use the skills I learned; it never came to be. Instead, I ended up becoming a line cook/Chef because the kitchen was the only place hiring those almost 5 years ago and it's what I have been doing since.
I obviously didn't become a congressman, but I want to become the 4th district’s supervisor. I was inspired to run once I heard about the proposed landfill at Moss 3. In my mind, it represents a lot of different things, and it feels like the last straw. Past Economic Development projects have seen companies open here, offer the kinds of jobs that most of us couldn't qualify for, and then close 5-10 years later. Leaving abandoned buildings and property that I'm not honestly sure who is responsible for the taxes or upkeep of. None of that created the growth or opportunity that was promised but a lot of money had to have been made some way or they never would have agreed in the first place. It feels like we've been lied to over and over again. I believe the landfill is another one of these veiled projects, but it will be so much worse than everything that came before it. We have heard all the horror stories of the landfill in Bristol. Countless news stories and testimonies by citizens have been the subject of a lot of news and FB posts. It will make living conditions awful; it will make us & our children sick, and it will poison our wildlife and waterways. All the regulations in the world can't stop it because, like Bristol, we cannot enforce the regulations. It already feels like people don't mean enough for them to do anything meaningful but, the landfill feels symbolic of what they think of us. We are forgotten & discarded people in forgotten & discarded communities. So, we are the perfect place for the rest of the trash.
I don't believe that and I'm sick of us being treated that way. I believe that being a leader means serving your community & building it up. I believe that we can have a brighter future if we invest in our home and its resources the right way. I believe in Russell County and all the good people I know. I don't want you to vote for me because I'm a Republican or a Democrat. I want you to write my name on Election Day because I'm on your side and I'll fight for you, I'll fight for our home, and I will work to make Russell County a better place to work & live.
