A staunch Conservative and proud January 6 Patriot, Derrick Evans is a lifelong West Virginian. He was born in Huntington, WV, and raised in Wayne County, WV. Derrick received a Bachelor of Arts from West Liberty University, where he earned NCAA First Team All-American honors as a captain of the football team while also being a contributing member of the men's track team.​ After graduating college, Derrick returned to Wayne County where he began his teaching and football coaching career. After four years in the education system, Derrick stepped away from teaching to pursue his passion for real estate investing and property management. Before politics, Derrick was a conservative and pro-life activist whose passion for ending abortion led to numerous unborn lives being saved. Derrick also helped to secure legal support for the adoption of each child whose mother chose adoption. Derrick was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2020, as he became the first Republican to win his District in over 98 years. At the time, it was a multi-member House District, almost the size of the current WV State Senate District. Derrick won in a landslide victory.