What are the issues in retail automotive that you think other leaders need to be watching? At the end of the day, the most important thing is the consumer. And right now the consumer is making different decisions because they’ve been clamped within inflation. And what they’re really worried about is the cost of a gallon of gas and the cost of a gallon of milk. The amount of disposable income when it comes to being able to buy a car has changed. Increasing costs and interest rates have impacted that. And then you’ve got really bad federal policy when it comes to forcing EVs down our throats, which is something the market does not want. And the utility grid system can’t facilitate it. We’re experiencing a shift when it comes to the postpandemic automotive space. The dealers that let processes dissolve are the ones that are going to be struggling the most moving forward. The dealers that really focus on process and allow for a sales process to be followed, and have a service writer process, are the ones that are going to do better as we move into this post-pandemic automotive economy. It’s going to be like a return to 2016 but with higher interest rates. Focusing on process and F&I opportunities is where dealers are going to be able to thrive. You consider yourself a staunch conservative in a red state. But West Virginia still has independents, moderates and liberals who will be critical to earning your vote. Why should they support you? We can argue about little dumb things and get distracted. But really, at the end of the day, everything is about economics. It is about how much money is in your pocket for just about everybody out there. One of the most important things that we can do is not only remain true to the values that we all believe in, but run a government more like a business to create an economy that thrives. Anybody that wants to be a part of that, that’s a great thing. Those are the real problems we face that are important to fixing our state. If you think about what economic growth does and what population growth does, not only does it grow the state’s ability to have good, solid financial standing, but then everything else that’s connected to it. The cost of healthcare goes down. Workers’ comp modifiers decrease. Insurance premiums go down. Everything gets impacted by economic growth and development. Capital flows like water to the places where it’s most welcome. And when you make yourself welcome to investment, then all of a sudden, Whammo, you’ve got all the ingredients to grow an economy, and everything else gets impacted by that. What is your first order of business if you get elected? Working with the legislature to accelerate getting rid of the state income tax. Three of the four fastest-growing states postpandemic are Tennessee, Texas and Florida. And they all have one thing in common: zero state income tax. Secondly, we are moving into a time, as we grow technology, that you must have baseload power to provide the technology growth and the infrastructure needed for any economy. West Virginia has an abundance of coal, it has an abundance of natural gas, it has the potential for nuclear power, and we also have more water that passes through our state than any other state in the country. Chris lives in his hometown of Huntington with his wife Cassie, their three children, and two puppies. For Miller, boxing runs in the family. He’s hung up the gloves on fights but continues to train and spar. 10 Virginia Auto Dealer
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