Elias Coop-Gonzalez

Elias Coop-Gonzalez (; ; born May 2, 2002) is an American politician. He currently serves as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates for District 67, which encompasses Randolph County and Pendleton County, for the Republican Party. He assumed office on December 1, 2022. Coop-Gonzalez is among the youngest state legislators in the United States, running at age 19 and taking office at 20. He currently sits on four committees: Banking and Insurance, Energy and Manufacturing, Political Subdivisions, and Veterans Affairs/Homeland Security.

Early life and education Coop-Gonzalez was born May 2, 2002 in Guatemala to an American father and a Guatemalan mother. He is the second of three sons raised in Panajachel. After his parents' divorce, he moved to the United States at age 12. He finished growing up in Elkins, West Virginia and in 2020 was graduated as valedictorian from Tygart Valley Christian Academy. He has a degree in business administration and economics from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Career Coop-Gonzalez interned for congressman Alex Mooney and worked for the Leadership Institute, a co-educational non-profit in Arlington, Virginia. During Donald Trump's re-election campaign, he was the youngest member of the West Virginia delegation of the Republican National Convention.

In the 2022 West Virginia House of Delegates election, Coop-Gonzalez defeated the incumbent, civics teacher Cody Thompson (D). In the 2024 rematch between Coop-Gonzalez and Thompson, the former prevailed but saw his victory margin dwindle to nine points. His current term ends on December 1, 2026. + 2022 Election Party Candidate Votes % Republican Elias Coop-Gonzalez 3490 60.29 Democratic Cody Thompson 2299 39.71 + 2024 Election Party Candidate Votes % Republican Elias Coop-Gonzalez 4358 54.54 Democratic Cody Thompson 3632 45.46