CHARLESTON — U.S. Senate candidate and state Sen. Tom Willis (R) drew attention to the absence of military backgrounds within West Virginia’s congressional delegation during a period of growing international security concerns.
Willis, a Republican from Berkeley County who represents the 15th Senate District, raised the issue while discussing recent U.S. military action in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Willis described Maduro as a narco-dictator who for years antagonized the United States and its allies and cited statements by the Venezuelan leader calling for a planned, organized armed struggle and the mobilization of militias against the United States. Willis also accused Maduro’s government of fostering drugs, criminality and instability beyond Venezuela’s borders and of emptying prisons into the United States, which he characterized as an act of war.
“His government has emptied their prisons into the US – an act of war,” Willis continued. “This allowed violent criminals to flow into our country, exporting insecurity throughout the hemisphere.”
Willis pointed to actions taken by the Trump administration in March 2025, when it invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to order the detention and deportation of Venezuelans accused of ties to Tren de Aragua, a gang that originated in Venezuela’s Tocorón prison. He said the group has threatened American communities and contributed to broader insecurity across the hemisphere.
Against that backdrop, Willis said leadership experience in national defense is critical. He noted that West Virginia has the highest number of veterans per capita in the nation but currently has no members of Congress with a military background. Willis called that gap unacceptable, saying the state understands service and sacrifice and should be represented by leaders prepared to confront global threats.
“Our national security demands experienced veterans in office who can make hard decisions, stand with our troops, and keep America safe against increasingly dangerous adversaries,” Willis stated.
Tom Willis, a U.S. Army green beret and member of the West Virginia National Guard, is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. Shelley Moore Capito.
