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17-year-old student tops sitting W.Va. lawmaker

By WTOP Staff

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A week before her high school graduation, Saira Blair was barely old enough to vote when she unseated a West Virginia lawmaker almost four times her age.

After Tuesday’s GOP primary, the 17-year-old is one election away from becoming the youngest state lawmaker in West Virginia history.

Blair’s birthday is in July, so she would barely meet the 18-year-old minimum age for West Virginia House delegates.

Only about 150 votes separated Blair from Republican Del. Larry Kump in the Eastern Panhandle primary.

Blair is a churchgoer who says she is pro-life, pro-gun rights and pro-business.

The Martinsburg teen plans to attend West Virginia University but skip spring classes if she clinches the win. The Legislature meets January to March.

Democratic lawyer Layne Diehl will face Blair in November.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
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