Jump to content

Eric Porterfield: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Reverted 1 good faith edit by 69.180.166.174 using STiki - Uncited BLP change
Line 25: Line 25:


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Porterfield was born and raised in [[Princeton, West Virginia]]. Describing himself as a “pretty wild, out-of-control teenager,” he later attended a [[Bible college]] at age 20.<ref>{{cite web|title=Candidate Profile: Eric Porterfield, House, District 27|work=[[The Register-Herald]]|url=https://www.register-herald.com/news/candidate-profile-eric-porterfield-house-district/article_a133ba54-51d1-11e8-a22c-5fb381dcf5e7.html|date=May 5, 2018|accessdate=February 11, 2019}}</ref><ref name="South Sudan">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ptonline.net/news/local_news/porterfields-bring-blind-faith-to-south-sudan/article_fa0ea72a-6f9d-5634-ad5e-fcd5a74464b1.html|title=Porterfields bring Blind Faith to South Sudan|last=Toler|first=Tammie|date=September 28, 2012|website=ptonline.net|publisher=[[Princeton Times]]|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 12, 2019}}</ref> In 2006, at age 32, he was [[visual impairment|blinded]] as a result of a head injury received in a physical altercation.<ref name="blinddel">{{cite web|first=Jake|last=Zuckerman|title=Blind delegate to take office in January |work=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail]]|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/blind-delegate-to-take-office-in-january/article_5f454a5a-8b15-5892-88fa-e164afcfee51.html|date=December 25, 2018|accessdate=February 12, 2019}}</ref> Porterfield has not discussed the cause or nature of the altercation, noting “I can’t fully get into all the details of it, because there’s still some stuff pending on it, but a major altercation with a multitude of men ended up leaving me instantaneously blind on December 10, 2006.” The altercation occurred as a result of Mr Porterfield's associate assaulting a female employee of a strip club where Mr. Porterfield had been a patron for much of the night. During said altercation, which Mr. Porterfield was very much an active participant in, he was blinded by his opponent. <ref name="blinddel" />
Porterfield was born and raised in [[Princeton, West Virginia]]. Describing himself as a “pretty wild, out-of-control teenager,” he later attended a [[Bible college]] at age 20.<ref>{{cite web|title=Candidate Profile: Eric Porterfield, House, District 27|work=[[The Register-Herald]]|url=https://www.register-herald.com/news/candidate-profile-eric-porterfield-house-district/article_a133ba54-51d1-11e8-a22c-5fb381dcf5e7.html|date=May 5, 2018|accessdate=February 11, 2019}}</ref><ref name="South Sudan">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ptonline.net/news/local_news/porterfields-bring-blind-faith-to-south-sudan/article_fa0ea72a-6f9d-5634-ad5e-fcd5a74464b1.html|title=Porterfields bring Blind Faith to South Sudan|last=Toler|first=Tammie|date=September 28, 2012|website=ptonline.net|publisher=[[Princeton Times]]|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 12, 2019}}</ref> In 2006, at age 32, he was [[visual impairment|blinded]] as a result of a head injury received in a physical altercation.<ref name="blinddel">{{cite web|first=Jake|last=Zuckerman|title=Blind delegate to take office in January |work=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail]]|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/blind-delegate-to-take-office-in-january/article_5f454a5a-8b15-5892-88fa-e164afcfee51.html|date=December 25, 2018|accessdate=February 12, 2019}}</ref> Porterfield has not discussed the cause or nature of the altercation, noting “I can’t fully get into all the details of it, because there’s still some stuff pending on it, but a major altercation with a multitude of men ended up leaving me instantaneously blind on December 10, 2006.”<ref name="blinddel" />


==Political career==
==Political career==

Revision as of 20:17, 23 June 2019

Eric Porterfield
Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
from the 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2019
Serving with John Shott & Joe Ellington
Preceded byMarty Gearheart
Personal details
Born
Eric Earl Porterfield

(1974-11-17) November 17, 1974 (age 49)
Princeton, West Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Children2
Residence(s)Princeton, West Virginia

Eric Earl Porterfield (born November 17, 1974) is an American politician and a Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 27, which includes parts of Mercer and Raleigh counties. First elected in 2018, Porterfield is the second blind person to ever serve in the West Virginia legislature. Alongside being a physically disabled politician, Porterfield is well known for his unwavering opposition to LGBT rights.

Early life and education

Porterfield was born and raised in Princeton, West Virginia. Describing himself as a “pretty wild, out-of-control teenager,” he later attended a Bible college at age 20.[1][2] In 2006, at age 32, he was blinded as a result of a head injury received in a physical altercation.[3] Porterfield has not discussed the cause or nature of the altercation, noting “I can’t fully get into all the details of it, because there’s still some stuff pending on it, but a major altercation with a multitude of men ended up leaving me instantaneously blind on December 10, 2006.”[3]

Political career

Electoral history

Porterfield was spurred to run for political office after a Republican Mercer County magistrate granted a protective order against him and his wife; this was in response to their organizing a boycott of a local OB-GYN over her support of abortion rights. Porterfield has also cited his opposition to a law banning conversion therapy as a contributing factor in his decision to run.[3] He succeeded incumbent delegate Marty Gearheart, who decided to forgo reelection in 2018 and seek West Virginia's 3rd congressional district seat.[4]

Political views

Porterfield strongly opposes LGBT rights.[5][6] In February 2019, Porterfield faced criticism and calls to resign after he made a series of homophobic comments. After using the slur "faggot" in committee on February 6 while advocating for an amendment that would nullify local LGBT anti-discrimination ordinances, he appeared in interviews on February 8 calling the LGBT community "a modern day version of the Ku Klux Klan" and a “terrorist group."[7][8] On February 10, when asked during a television interview on WVVA what he would do if his son and daughter ever came out to him as gay, Porterfield repeatedly responded that he would "see if they could swim" and declined to clarify what he meant.[9] This was taken by many as implying he would drown them, though Porterfield later rejected this interpretation.[10][11][12] West Virginia Republican Party chair Melody Potter denounced Porterfield's words as unacceptable, saying further that they were "hateful, hurtful, and do not reflect the values of our country, our state, and the Republican Party.”[13] In response, Porterfield refused to apologize and doubled-down on his original statements, calling LGBTQ people "brutal monsters."[14]

Election results

2018 Republican primary, House of Delegates, District 27[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Shott 2,220 23.77%
Republican Joe Ellington 2,033 21.77%
Republican Eric Porterfield 1,854 19.85%
Republican Zane Lawhorn 1,845 19.75%
Republican Mike Swatts 1,388 14.86%
2018 general election, House of Delegates, District 27[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Shott 9,721 23.31%
Republican Eric Porterfield 8,821 21.15%
Republican Joe Ellington 8,729 20.93%
Democratic Carol Bailey 6,066 14.55%
Democratic Phoebe Meadows 4,208 10.09%
Democratic Lacy Watson 3,373 8.09%
Mountain Karen White 785 1.88%

Personal life

Porterfield married the former Jessica Worrell and has two children, Beth and John. They live in Princeton.[3] He is a born again Baptist missionary.[17]

He founded Blind Faith Ministries in 2012 and has done missionary work with the group in South Sudan, Venezuela, and Cuba.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Candidate Profile: Eric Porterfield, House, District 27". The Register-Herald. May 5, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Toler, Tammie (September 28, 2012). "Porterfields bring Blind Faith to South Sudan". ptonline.net. Princeton Times. Retrieved February 12, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d Zuckerman, Jake (December 25, 2018). "Blind delegate to take office in January". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  4. ^ Davis, Pete (November 28, 2018). "Porterfield eager to lend his support to legislative conservatives". WV Metronews. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Willingham, AJ (February 13, 2019). "A West Virginia lawmaker is facing calls to resign after comparing LGBT people to the KKK". CNN. Retrieved 2019-02-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  6. ^ Butler, Tijen (February 13, 2019). "Who is Eric Porterfield? What has the anti-LGBT Republican lawmaker said?". PinkNews. Retrieved 2019-02-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  7. ^ Zuckerman, Jake (February 8, 2019). "GOP delegate compares gay community to Ku Klux Klan". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  8. ^ Blake, Andrew (February 9, 2019). "West Va. GOP legislator: 'LGBTQ is a modern day version of the Ku Klux Klan'". The Washington Times. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  9. ^ "Porterfield stands by statements on LGBTQ community". WVVA. February 10, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "Did West Virginia Pol Eric Porterfield Say He'd Drown His Gay Kids?". The Advocate. February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "Gazette editorial: Eric Porterfield isn't as bad as you think; he's worse". Charleston Gazette-Mail. February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  12. ^ Porterfield, Eric (February 12, 2019). "In my office thinking about my wife and children..." Facebook. Retrieved February 12, 2019.[dead link]
  13. ^ Fitzsimmons, Tim (February 11, 2019). "GOP lawmaker under fire after calling LGBTQ groups 'modern day' KKK". NBC News. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  14. ^ Adams, Steven Allen (February 12, 2019). "Del. Porterfield doubles down on anti-LGBTQ remarks". The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  15. ^ "West Virginia Elections Results, May 8, 2018". Associated Press. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  16. ^ "West Virginia Elections Results, November 6, 2018". Associated Press. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  17. ^ Lam, Kristin (February 13, 2019). "West Virginia lawmaker called to resign after comparing LGBTQ people to the Ku Klux Klan". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-02-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eric_Porterfield&oldid=903135487"