At 20, Liberty student becomes youngest delegate in West Virginia House

Liberty University’s online programs are providing students from across the country and the world the opportunity to receive a quality Christian education and further their life goals, including newly elected Delegate Elias Coop-Gonzalez, who serves in the West Virginia House of Delegates.

Coop-Gonzalez, 20, a republican representing the 67th District, was sworn into office on Jan. 11, becoming the youngest delegate for his state. He is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration with Liberty.

Born in Guatemala, where he has spent the majority of his life, Coop-Gonzalez said that he has developed a strong appreciation for the American government and wanted to contribute to its success.

“I’ve always been intrigued as to why the United States is so exceptional and why it’s so set apart from the world,” Coop-Gonzalez said. “So, I got involved in civics and learning the Constitution and American history and beyond that, Greco-Roman history and the things that influenced the Founding Fathers. I decided that politics was going to be one of those things I was always going to be involved in.”

Prior to running for office, he served as an intern under West Virginia Congressman Alex Mooney and worked for a year at the Leadership Institute, which is dedicated to training conservative politicians.

Coop-Gonzalez defeated two-term incumbent democrat Cody Thompson to secure his seat, and in doing so became only the second Hispanic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates.

Coop-Gonzalez credits Jesus Christ with guiding him through the campaign, which he said was an arduous and rigorous 10-month process. Citing his faith as a driving force in his service of the state, Coop-Gonzalez said he will use his platform to champion Christian ideals.

“The most important issue for me personally is the issue of life, because there’s a moral question there,” he said. “One of the things that we have upcoming in this session is providing more resources for women who are pregnant and feel like they don’t have a choice or anywhere to go.”

As the youngest member of the House of Delegates, Coop-Gonzalez faces the challenge of entering the legislature with less experience than many of his colleagues, but he said he chooses instead to focus on the individual experiences that each person can bring to the table.

“There certainly is a balance between being a younger person and having that unique perspective, but at the same time being humble and recognizing that the other members have had different experiences and they have valuable input,” he said, stating that his fellow delegates come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from law enforcement, to business, and stay-at-home parents.

“They all provide valuable input, and that’s really the beauty of a legislature. No one person can have all that knowledge, but when you have 100 people from different backgrounds, they all have valuable input into policy that could change our state.”

Coop-Gonzalez plans to take a break from classes for this semester as he focuses on his new role, but he said he hopes to resume classes in the summer and fall. He also expressed interest in potentially spending a semester as a residential student, having visited campus once in the past.

“I’m thankful for the role that Liberty University plays in our country,” he said. “I decided to go to Liberty University just because (it aligns) with the Bible, and I’ve just been very thankful for the things that I’ve been able to learn there and the very strict emphasis on giving an education with a biblical worldview.”