West Virginia Delegate Vernon Criss, a longtime Republican lawmaker and chair of the House Finance Committee, lost his primary election in 2026 after proposing limits on the state’s Hope Scholarship program, which directs public tax dollars to private education. Criss faced a campaign backed by three political action committees, including one affiliated with the Koch family network and two supported by billionaire Jeffrey Yass, who spent more than $145,000 to support a 23-year-old challenger against the incumbent.
The Hope Scholarship, established in 2021 as the nation’s first educational savings account program without income requirements, has expanded rapidly. Enrollment grew from approximately 2,300 students in its first year to 26,000 currently, exceeding the enrollment of West Virginia’s largest public school district. While the program cost the state $9 million in its inaugural year, projections for 2026 estimated annual costs could reach $200 million or more. Criss, who voted to create the program five years prior, argued that unchecked growth combined with recent tax cuts posed risks to the state budget.
What the Left Is Saying
Critics aligned with public education advocates argue that the rapid expansion of voucher programs drains resources from public schools, exacerbating financial shortfalls caused by declining enrollment. Since 2019, 70 public schools in West Virginia have closed, and the system has lost more than 30,000 students. Up to 20 additional schools could close by the end of the current school year. Parents and students rallied at the Capitol during committee hearings, holding signs and bringing children to demonstrate their support for the Hope Scholarship, while critics noted that the program’s growth outpaces the capacity of public systems to adapt to reduced funding.
What the Right Is Saying
School choice proponents and conservative organizations frame the Hope Scholarship as a vital tool for educational freedom, allowing parents to direct public funds to private schools or educational services. David McIntosh, president of the School Freedom Fund and the affiliated Club for Growth, described the primary results as a necessary accountability measure. "These elections are a warning to Republican leaders like Vernon Criss — if you oppose school freedom, expect to be held accountable," McIntosh stated in a press announcement following the election. Supporters argue that the program empowers families and that political pressure to limit spending ignores the demand for alternatives to public education.
What the Numbers Show
Data from the West Virginia Legislature and campaign finance reports indicate the financial scale of the dispute. The three PACs that targeted Criss and nine other incumbent Republicans spent significant resources; Criss alone faced over $145,000 in independent advertising. The Hope Scholarship program’s cost has risen from $9 million in its first year to an estimated $200 million or more annually. Enrollment figures show 26,000 students currently participating in the program. Meanwhile, public school enrollment in the state has dropped by more than 30,000 students since 2019. Nationally, 11 other states have passed similar educational savings account legislation since West Virginia’s initial implementation.
The Bottom Line
The defeat of Delegate Vernon Criss illustrates the growing influence of billionaire-backed political groups in state-level education policy debates. By targeting incumbents who propose spending caps on voucher programs, organizations like the Koch network and School Freedom Fund have successfully shifted legislative dynamics in West Virginia. The outcome reinforces the political difficulty of curbing school choice expenditures, even within the Republican Party. Lawmakers who attempted to limit the Hope Scholarship program faced intense organized opposition, resulting in the ousting of four Republicans in the 2026 primaries. This trend suggests that future efforts to balance state budgets against expanding voucher costs may face similar political hurdles.