Lissa Lucas, a Democratic candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates, has been hailed a “hero” by the media. Her campaign has enjoyed tremendous success, receiving around $90,000 in donations — more than five times that of Republican incumbent Del. Jason Harshbarger.
But amid the widespread coverage Lucas has received in the wake of her viral public testimony that resulted in her being kicked out of the state House earlier this year, none of the reports mention a rather intriguing piece of trivia: she’s a former Wiccan cult leader.
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According to a recently published investigation by The Daily Caller News Foundation, Lucas didn’t just dabble in the occult — she’s written multiple books on the topic of spells, and once upon a time, she was one of the highest ranking members of the Wiccan cult.
As a third-level Wiccan leader, Lucas instructed lower-level witches in pagan rituals and spells. She published two books under the pen name Llysse Wylle, and both her Facebook and Twitter accounts still use the handle “@LlysseWylle.”
Go #vote, #wv! pic.twitter.com/lAL63qjhfh
— Lissa for WV House ??? (@LlysseWylle) October 24, 2018
According to the Daily Caller, the author description for Lucas’ 2007 book, “The Art of Magic Words,” details her experience as a witch.
“Llysse Smith Wylle has been Pagan for many years and Wiccan for seven,” it reads. “She is a member of the Third Circle of the Tradition of Universal Eclectic Wicca; she also teaches and coordinates its First Circle degree via the Coven of the Far Flung Net.”
“For a number of years, she has studied Chaos and other magical techniques privately, as well as with a small esoteric study society called the Order of the Golden Breath,” it continues.
The book was published by Ground Mark Press in Cairo, West Virginia — the town where Lucas lives and is running her political campaign. Her author description notes that she and her husband live on a “beautiful, secluded” property in the town. Lucas’ campaign page also includes personal information about her beloved 45-acre farm, but makes no mention of her heavy involvement in pagan witchcraft.
Lucas co-authored a second work, an academic textbook on Wiccan practices titled, “Wicca 334: Further Advanced Topics in Wiccan Belief,” which was published in January 2008.
“I’m a regular person,” she notes on her campaign page, “just a regular person who got so disgusted with money in politics that, despite being an introvert, I’m running for office.”
In an email to The Daily Caller News Foundation, Lucas expressed frustration over opponent Jason Harshbarger’s alleged criticism of her spiritual practices.
“I think what really bugs me about my opponent’s attacks on my spirituality is that for that kind of attack to be an effective political strategy, he has to have presumed that the people of this district are religious bigots, and they’re just not,” she wrote.
“I don’t like that he views them that way,” Lucas added. “They’re good, kind, hard-working people who love their neighbors. In small towns and rural areas we love and stand up for each other, period.”
The Democrat candidate did not respond to a follow-up email asking whether she remains a practicing Wiccan.
(H/T: The Daily Caller)