The West Virginia Capitol in Charleston, W.Va. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography)
Mark Sorsaia, who has served as the cabinet secretary for the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security, is leaving his position to serve as a Putnam County Circuit Court judge.
Gov. Jim Justice announced his appointment to the 29th judicial circuit during Wednesday’s administrative news briefing. Sorsaia has worked as a cabinet secretary since last August, taking the position after former Secretary Jeff Sandy retired.
Justice said Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Rob Cunningham will take over as interim head of the department following Sorsaia’s departure.
Before joining the state, Sorsaia spent much of his career working in the Putnam County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. He started his career there in 1988 as an assistant prosecuting attorney. He was elected as the county’s prosecuting attorney for the first time in 1996 and served five terms, which Justice said makes him especially qualified to serve there as a judge.
“I don’t think anybody can dispute the credentials that you have to take this position,” Justice said of Sorsaia during the briefing.
Also Wednesday, Justice appointed Raymond “Joe” Funkhouser to the House of Delegates seat vacated last week by Del. Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson. Espinosa served in the House since 2013, opting to run for the Senate in this election cycle. He lost his primary to incumbent Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, who earned 51.1% of votes compared to his 48.9%.
It was announced during last week’s special session that Espinosa was resigning from the House months before the end of his term to begin working at the West Virginia Racing Commission. The Racing Commission is responsible for overseeing thoroughbred horse and greyhound breeding and racing throughout the state of West Virginia.
Funkhouser — who is running for Espinosa’s House seat after winning the May primary against fellow Republican Barbara Fuller — is also affiliated with the state’s racing industry. According to reports with the West Virginia Ethics Commission, Funkhouser worked as a lobbyist for thoroughbred industry group West Virginia Racing United during the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions.
On his campaign website, Funkhouser says he supports making West Virginia a “leader in free-market and conservative policies.” This includes protecting Second Amendment rights, anti-abortion policies, state funding of charter schools, growing the Hope Scholarship and lowering taxes.
In November, Funkhouser will face Democrat Troy Miller in the general election to keep control of the seat.
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