CHARLESTON – Doug Skaff Jr., a businessman and politician who once led the Democratic minority in the West Virginia House of Delegates before switching parties to run as Republican for Secretary of State, died Tuesday afternoon in an automobile accident. He was 48.

According to West Virginia 511 Central, the accident took place at mile marker 101 on I-64 near Weston around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, causing a shutdown of traffic in the southbound lanes. No further information was available Tuesday evening.

Skaff is survived by his wife Marisa and their three children, Andrew, Elias, and Alexander.

Skaff was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2008 representing parts of Kanawha County, declining to see re-election in 2014. He returned to the House, running and winning again in 2018. The H

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