DeFelice talks economic development at meet-and-greet
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LANSING -- Belmont County Republican commissioner candidate Dominic DeFelice held a meet-the-candidate event Thursday.
Family, friends and potential voters spent Thursday evening at Vino di Piccin Winery to meet DeFelice and hear what he stands for ahead of the November election.
Thursday's event was the first meet-the-candidate event he hosted for the November election. He said he previously hosted two meet-the-candidate events during his campaign in the primary election this past spring.
In addition to giving voters the chance to hear what issues DeFelice plans to tackle if elected, it was a fundraising event for his supporters to donate to his campaign.
One topic DeFelice is passionate about is economic development in Belmont County.
"The big thing that I’ve said several times is that the two commissioners that are going to be remaining are doing a good job. I think that what I bring to the table can help. I’ve been in business for 44 years, as of last Saturday," DeFelice said. "I've been on the [Shadyside] school board for 15 years, and been on the [Belmont County] health department board for three years."
DeFelice is the owner of DeFelice Brothers Pizza, which has stores in St. Clairsville, Martins Ferry, Shadyside, Newark, Wintersville, Bethlehem, Wheeling, Follansbee and Moundsville.
He added that although he is running for commissioner, he doesn't consider himself a politician.
"I don’t consider myself a politician, I’m a businessman who wants to help Belmont County. I lived here all my life, grew up here, raised a family here, and I’ve seen people move away, and I want people moving back," DeFelice said. "The trickle-down economics of it, if you will, is economic development brings jobs that bring families, that buy homes, that send their kids to schools, that buy our food. So that’s what I’m working towards."
He added that he wants to help commissioners JP Dutton and Vince Gianangeli work toward the goal of making Belmont County the best it can be.
"I want to help, you know, there’s no crystal ball and no guarantee. It just takes good old-fashioned hard work," DeFelice said.
He added that he wants to remind everyone who voted for him in the primary election to remember to vote again in November.
DeFelice said that if anyone who didn't vote for him in the primary election or is unsure if they should vote in November, they should feel free to reach out to him.
"If you’re skeptical, reach out to me and get to know me. I would ask people to not only vote, but get two of their friends to vote for me. That’s how you win," DeFelice said.
DeFelice will face Democratic candidate Franklin Cecil Shaffer Jr. of Bellaire in the Nov. 3 election.