1996 West Virginia gubernatorial election

Last updated

1996 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Flag of West Virginia.svg
  1992 November 5, 1996 2000  
  Cecil Underwood 1998 (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Cecil Underwood Charlotte Pritt
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote324,518287,870
Percentage51.6%45.8%

1996 West Virginia gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Underwood:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Pritt:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election

Gaston Caperton
Democratic

Elected Governor

Cecil Underwood
Republican

The 1996 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1996 to elect the Governor of West Virginia. Republican Cecil Underwood, who had previously been the Governor of West Virginia from 1957 to 1961, defeated Democratic State Senator Charlotte Pritt. Concurrently, the state voted the opposite way federally, choosing Democratic U.S. Presidential nominee, incumbent Bill Clinton over Republican nominee Bob Dole in the Presidential election that year.

Contents

Pritt was the first woman to secure the West Virginia gubernatorial nomination of either of the two major political parties. This was the last election in which a Republican was elected Governor of West Virginia until 2020. Former Republican Jim Justice was elected in the 2016 election as a Democrat and later switched back to the Republican Party seven months into his term, making him the first Republican governor since 2001 when Underwood left office.

Democratic primary

Candidates

West Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary, 1996 [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Charlotte Pritt 130,107 39.54%
Democratic Joe Manchin 107,12432.56%
Democratic Jim Lees64,10019.48%
Democratic Larrie Bailey15,7334.78%
Democratic Bobbie Edward Myers3,0380.92%
Democratic Lyle Sattes2,9310.89%
Democratic Bob Henry Baber1,4560.44%
Democratic Louis J. Davis1,3510.41%
Democratic Frank Rochetti1,3300.40%
Democratic Richard E. Koon1,1540.35%
Democratic Fred Schell7330.22%
Total votes329,057 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

West Virginia Republican gubernatorial primary, 1996 [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Cecil Underwood 54,628 40.78%
Republican Jon McBride 44,25533.03%
Republican David McKinley 35,08926.19%
Total votes133,972 100.00%

Results

West Virginia gubernatorial election, 1996 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Cecil Underwood 324,518 51.63% +15.07%
Democratic Charlotte Pritt 287,87045.80%−10.21%
Libertarian Wallace Johnson16,1712.57%+2.57%
Margin of victory36,6485.83%−13.62%
Total votes628,559 100.00% N/A
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaston Caperton</span> American politician

William Gaston Caperton III is an American politician who served as the 31st governor of West Virginia from 1989 to 1997. He was president of the College Board, which administers the nationally recognized SAT and AP tests, from 1999 to 2012. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 2, 2004, in 11 states and two territories. There was no net gain in seats for either party, as Democrats picked up an open seat in Montana while defeating incumbent Craig Benson in New Hampshire, while Republicans defeated incumbent Joe Kernan in Indiana and won Missouri after Bob Holden lost in the primary. These elections coincided with the presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 7, 2000, in 11 states and two territories. The elections coincided with the presidential election. Democrats gained one seat by defeating an incumbent in West Virginia. As of 2024, this remains the last gubernatorial cycle in which a Democrat won in Indiana.

Charlotte Jean Pritt is an American educator, businesswoman, and politician in the U.S. state of West Virginia. From 1984 to 1988, she served in the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing Kanawha County. From 1988 to 1992, she served in the West Virginia State Senate. She ran unsuccessfully for West Virginia governor in 1992, 1996 and 2016 and for West Virginia Secretary of State in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 West Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2004 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2004 for the post of Governor of West Virginia. Democratic Secretary of State of West Virginia Joe Manchin defeated Republican Monty Warner. Manchin won all but 3 counties. Despite Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry losing the state to George W. Bush by double digits in the concurrent presidential election, Manchin won by nearly 30 points.

Robin Jean Davis is an American jurist who served on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. First elected to fill an unexpired term in 1996, Davis later won full twelve-year terms in 2000 and 2012. However, Davis retired before the end of her second full term in August 2018 after the West Virginia House Judiciary Committee named Davis in articles of impeachment during the Impeachment of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 United States elections</span>

The 2000 United States elections were held on November 7, 2000. Republican governor George W. Bush of Texas defeated Democratic Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee in the presidential election. Republicans retained control of both houses of Congress, giving the party unified control of Congress and the presidency for the first time since the 1954 elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 West Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 1992 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1992. Incumbent Democratic governor Gaston Caperton won re-election by defeating former Republican U.S. representative Cleve Benedict and Democratic State Senator Charlotte Pritt, who ran as an independent write-in candidate after losing to Caperton in the Democratic primary election. Benedict had defeated Vernon Criss for his party's nomination; this was the only election between 1964 and 2000 that the Republicans had nominated someone other than Arch A. Moore or Cecil H. Underwood. Until 2020 this is the last time West Virginia has voted for the same party for governor and for president, as both elections are held concurrently in the state. This is the most recent time that Democrats won both races concurrently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 United States Senate election in West Virginia</span>

The 1960 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 8, 1960. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph won re-election to a full term. Defeating Republican Governor Cecil H. Underwood in a landslide

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election</span>

The 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election was a special election held on October 4, 2011, to fill the office of the West Virginia Governor, which became vacant upon the resignation of Joe Manchin, who resigned after he won a U.S. Senate special election. Lieutenant Governor and Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, first in the line of succession to the governorship, subsequently became acting governor. On January 18, 2011, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election for the governorship must be held so a new governor can be in place by November 15, 2011, exactly one year after Manchin resigned. The primary election was held on May 14. Tomblin and Republican Bill Maloney won their respective primaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 8, 2016, in 12 states and two territories. The last regular gubernatorial elections for nine of the 12 states took place in 2012. The last gubernatorial elections for New Hampshire, Oregon, and Vermont took place in 2014, as Oregon held a special election due to the resignation of Governor John Kitzhaber, while the governors of New Hampshire and Vermont both serve two-year terms. The 2016 gubernatorial elections took place concurrently with several other federal, state, and local elections, including the presidential election, Senate, and House elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 West Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2000 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Republican governor Cecil Underwood ran for re-election to a second consecutive term in office, but was defeated by Democratic U.S. Representative Bob Wise. Concurrently, the state voted for the opposite party federally, choosing Republican nominee, George W. Bush over Democratic nominee Al Gore in the presidential election that year. To date, this is the last time in which an incumbent West Virginia Governor lost re-election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2016, to elect the governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on May 10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in West Virginia</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of West Virginia, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. This was one of ten Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state won by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States Senate election in West Virginia</span>

The 2020 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 3, 2020, in 11 states and two territories. The previous gubernatorial elections for this group of states took place in 2016, except in New Hampshire and Vermont where governors only serve two-year terms. These two states elected their current governors in 2018. Nine state governors ran for reelection and all nine won, while Democrat Steve Bullock of Montana could not run again due to term limits and Republican Gary Herbert of Utah decided to retire at the end of his term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Republican state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey was elected to his first term in office after defeating Democratic Huntington mayor Steve Williams in the general election. Incumbent Republican Jim Justice is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term in office; he is instead running for the U.S. Senate. First elected in 2016 as a Democrat by 6.8 percentage points, Justice switched parties in August 2017 and won re-election in 2020 as a Republican by 33.3 percentage points. Primary elections took place on May 14, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 5, 2024, in 11 states and two territories. The previous gubernatorial elections for this group of states took place in 2020, except in New Hampshire and Vermont, where governors only serve two-year terms and elected their governors in 2022. In addition to state gubernatorial elections, the territories of American Samoa and Puerto Rico held elections for their governors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 West Virginia House of Delegates election</span>

The 2022 West Virginia House of Delegates election was held on November 8, 2022, electing all 100 members of the chamber. This coincided with the election of 17 of West Virginia's 34 state senators, and the election of West Virginia's two U.S. representatives. Primary elections were held on May 10, 2022. Due to redistricting, this was the first House of Delegates election in which all members were elected from single member districts, with West Virginia following a trend of states phasing out multi-member districts in recent decades.

References

  1. "WV Governor - D Primary 1996". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  2. "1996 Primary Election - Official Returns of the Republican party" (PDF). WV Secretary of State. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  3. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".

See also