Jeff Kessler
| Jeff Kessler | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the West Virginia Senate from the 2nd district |
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In office November 10, 1997 – January 11, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Wiedebusch |
| Succeeded by | Mike Maroney |
| Minority Leader of the West Virginia Senate | |
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In office January 14, 2015 – January 11, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Hall |
| Succeeded by | Roman Prezioso |
| President of the West Virginia Senate | |
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In office November 14, 2011 – January 14, 2015 Acting: November 15, 2010 – November 14, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Earl Ray Tomblin |
| Succeeded by | Bill Cole |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jeffrey Vincent Kessler November 16, 1955 Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Gretchen Kessler |
| Alma mater |
West Liberty University West Virginia University, Morgantown |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Jeffrey Vincent "Jeff" Kessler (born November 16, 1955) is a former Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate in the United States, representing the 2nd district from 1997 to 2017. He is the former Minority Leader of the Senate.
Kessler previously served as President of the Senate/Lieutenant Governor, Acting President of the Senate and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Kessler is also involved in private practice, where he is a partner in the law firm Berry, Kessler, Crutchfield, Taylor & Gordon.
Kessler was born November 16, 1955 in Wheeling, West Virginia. He is the son of George Henry Kessler (1924–2009) and Rosemary Krupica Kessler (1930–1978). He is a 1974 graduate of Bishop Donahue High School in McMechen, West Virginia. He also attended West Liberty State College (now West Liberty University) near Wheeling, West Virginia, and the West Virginia University College of Law in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Kessler unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination in the 2011 gubernatorial election, losing to Earl Ray Tomblin, and in the 2016 gubernatorial election, losing to Jim Justice.
In 2014, Kessler speared headed the SCORE Initiative, which stands for Southern Coalfields Organizing and Revitalizing the Economy. The initiative aims to provide economic opportunities in areas which have suffered from job losses and economic hardships primarily due to losses in the coal industry. According to Kessler, the program acts as a counterpunch to the effects of the "war on coal" and aims to "change our way of thinking so that [Southern West Virginia] can once again become a region that offers our children and grandchildren opportunities for a better future."
Kessler has previously voted in favor of a bill that eliminated the requirement for a permit and training before a person can carry a concealed weapon. He refers to himself as a "second amendment advocate."
In 2015, Kessler proposed raising the state cigarette tax by $1 per pack, stating that a $1 increase in the cigarette tax would bring in an estimated $130 million. Citing West Virginia's relatively high smoking rate, he has proposed setting aside $20 million of the new revenue for substance abuse programs; this move comes as part of a larger effort He also hopes to set aside $10 million of the money for collegiate scholarships. The idea began to receive increased support in late 2015, with some newspaper boards citing the higher rates of neighboring states and comparing West Virginia's "arbitrarily low" rates to government subsidies for smokers.
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