Groups with ties to billionaire Republican mega-donors are spending thousands of dollars to unseat two high-ranking Republicans who suggested changes to the Hope Scholarship.
Four out-of-state groups have spent more than $56,000 in an effort to unseat Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, and Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, in the Republican primary. The two Republicans are the chair and vice chair of the powerful House Finance Committee.
In advertisements on Facebook, Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political organization, has attacked the two men due to a proposal they rolled out of the finance committee to cap the award amount from the Hope Scholarship. The organization was founded by David Koch, one half of the billionaire Koch brothers, known for funding conservative and libertarian organizations supporting public school alternatives all over the country.
Over the last four years, Hope Scholarship costs have ballooned from $9 million in its first year to more than $200 million this year. During the 2026 Legislative session, the House Finance Committee, under Criss and Riley, floated a proposal to cap the scholarship award at $5,250, while maintaining universal eligibility for all students in the state.
That proposal would’ve shaved $20 million off the program while keeping the award amount roughly the same as what families would receive this year. But opponents to the measure said it would kill the program outright.
“When those lawmakers decided to try to backslide on educational freedom, obviously we don’t agree with that policy position, so that was definitely a contributing factor to us supporting opponents to their incumbency,” said Jason Huffman, director of the West Virginia chapter of Americans for Prosperity.
Despite voting nearly 90% of the time with AFP’s policy positions, Criss, who has been in and out of office for 38 years, said AFP, which supports Governor Patrick Morrisey, is joining the attack on him because he doesn’t always agree with the governor.
“It’s disrespectful to the voter that he has done this. He has decided to burn a lot of bridges in these local districts, and it’s just a damn shame,” Criss said.
Morrisey’s office replied that Criss had opposed tax cuts, clean water and “attacked parents’ rights to send their children to the school of their choice.”
“Wood County needs an actual conservative in that position,” wrote Lars Dalseide, spokesman for the Governor’s Office.
But it isn’t just AFP on the attack. Make Liberty Win, a more libertarian-oriented political action committee, has also spent money to oppose Criss and a number of other sitting Republicans. Like AFP, that group has received funds from the Koch Foundations.
Two other groups, Sugar Maple PAC and School Freedom Fund, are also tossing money into the races. Both groups have received money from Pennsylvania billionaire and big-time political donor Jeffrey Yass, who told the Washington Post last year that programs like the Hope Scholarship are his number one priority in the political realm.
Sugar Maple commissioned an advertisement accusing “liberal Vernon Criss” of “making life easier for illegals” and another accusing Riley of being a RINO (Republican in Name Only).
Charles Hartzog, the challenger against Criss, said he chose to run against the finance chair because he believes Criss isn’t following the party line on issues like the Hope Scholarship. But he said there’s nothing he can do about all the outside money flooding into the race.
“Well, I don’t like the fact that a lot of this is getting done without my approval, but, at the same time, I cannot legally interfere with a PAC,” Hartzog said.
Over in Harrison County, Megan Krajewski is challenging Riley. A former teacher, who filed for office on the very last day to do so, she has made support of the Hope Scholarship a key plank in her platform.
The outside groups have spent money in support of both Krajewski and Hartzog.
Huffman, speaking for AFP, made it clear the challenge was directly related to the Hope Scholarship.
“He’s (Riley) the vice chair of the committee on finance, and that committee originated the bill, which was authorized by their leadership, that we view as an attack on school choice. He also advocated against cutting taxes. And you know, those are two policy positions that we firmly disagree with,” Huffman said.
Riley said he’s always been supportive of both the Hope Scholarship and cutting taxes. He said in the case of the Hope Scholarship — and public education for that matter — lawmakers reviewed those proposals in committee before moving the policy forward.
“That’s not an attack on school choice or public education, that’s doing the job West Virginians sent us there to do,” Riley said.
Outside spending in politics isn’t unusual in West Virginia. During the 2024 cycle, Make Liberty Win, AFP and other groups spent money in primaries to ensure their preferred candidates would win. Most notably, outside money contributed to the ousting of then-Senate President Craig Blair.
The four groups are targeting more than 26 incumbents in the Republican primary. Among them are former Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, long-serving Del. Gary Howell, R-Mineral and Wood County Republican Chair and delegate Scot Heckert.
Riley said it’s these groups’ right to put out messages, but flyers in the mail attacking candidates serve no one.
“What I would prefer is that organizations and individuals take the time to actually understand a candidate’s record and positions before drawing conclusions,” Riley said. “Assumptions don’t serve anyone well.”
Criss said the attacks, and the Governor’s endorsements in the primary, are highly unusual.
“I have never seen this happen, and in my lifetime, I’ve personally known every governor since Wally Barron, and I can tell you that since that time period, there has never been a situation like this,” Criss said. “It’s embarrassing.”
