2008 West Virginia elections

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2008 West Virginia elections
Flag of West Virginia.svg
 2006November 4, 2008 2010  
Registered1,212,117
Turnout57.9% [1] Increase2.svg

West Virginia's 2008 general elections were held on 4 November 2008 with Primary elections being held on 13 May 2008. It saw a landslide Democratic victory across nearly every single office in the state.

Contents

Federal

Senate

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller, was re-elected, defeating Republican nominee Jay Wolfe with 63% of the vote. [2]

House of Representatives

1st congressional district

Democratic incumbent Alan Mollohan, who has represented the 1st district since 1983, easily won re-election as he faced no opposition, receiving 99.93% of the vote. [3]

2nd congressional district

Republican incumbent Shelley Moore Capito, who has represented the 2nd district since 2001, won re-election against Democratic nominee Anne Barth, receiving 57% of the vote. [4]

3rd congressional district

Democratic incumbent Nick Rahall, who has represented the 3rd district since 1993 (and previously represented the 4th district from 1977 to 1993) won re-election against Republican nominee Marty Gearheart, receiving 67% of the vote. [5]

State

Constitutional officers

Governor

Incumbent Democratic Governor Joe Manchin was re-elected against Republican nominee Russell E. 'Russ' Weeks Jr., receiving 70% of the vote. [6] [7]

Secretary of State

2008 West Virginia Secretary of State election
Flag of West Virginia.svg
  2004 November 4, 2008 2012  
  NatalieTennant7.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Natalie Tennant Charles Theophilus Minimah
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote437,430230,283
Percentage65.50%34.48%

Secretary of state elction in West Virginia in 2008.svg
Tennant:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Minimah:     40%-50%     50–60%     60–70%

List of Secretary of State of West Virginia before election

Betty Ireland
Republican

Elected List of Secretary of State of West Virginia

Natalie Tennant
Democratic

Democrat Natalie Tennant won her first term with 65% of the vote over Republican Charles Theophilus Minimah.

West Virginia Secretary of State Election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Natalie Tennant 437,430 65.50%
Republican Charles Theophilus Minimah 230,28334.48%
Independent Phillip Hudok 1720.03%
Total votes667,713 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican
Democratic primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Natalie Tennant 172,458 51.38%
Democratic Joe DeLong 120,26435.83%
Democratic Billy Wayne Bailey, Jr 42,90212.78%
Total votes335,624 100.00%
Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Charles Theophilus Minimah 79,000 100.00%
Total votes79,000 100.00%

Attorney General

2008 West Virginia Attorney General election
Flag of West Virginia.svg
 2004November 4, 2008 2012  
 
Nominee Darrell V. McGraw, Jr. Daniel W. Greear
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote342,011336,699
Percentage50.39%49.61%

Attorney general election in West Virginia in 2008.svg
McGraw:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Greear:     40%-50%     50–60%     60–70%

List of West Virginia Attorneys General before election

Darrell V. McGraw, Jr.
Democratic

Elected List of West Virginia Attorneys General

Darrell V. McGraw, Jr.
Democratic

Democrat Darrell V. McGraw, Jr. (incumbent) won re-election with 50.39% of the vote over Republican Daniel W. Greear.

West Virginia Attorney General Election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Darrell V. McGraw, Jr. 342,011 50.39%
Republican Daniel W. Greear 336,69949.61%
Total votes678,710 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican
Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Darrell V. McGraw, Jr. 172,458 100.00%
Total votes172,458 100.00%
Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Daniel W. Greear 53,121 55.60%
Republican Hiram Lewis, IV 42,42644.40%
Total votes95,547 100.00%

Treasurer

Democratic incumbent John Perdue, won re-election with 99.94% as he faced no opposition. [8]

Auditor

Democratic incumbent Glen Gainer III, won re-election with 99.94% as he faced no opposition. [9]

Commissioner of Agriculture

Democratic incumbent Gus Douglass, who has held the position of state Agriculture Commissioner since 1993 (and previously held the position from 1965 to 1989), won re-election against Republican nominee J. Michael Teets. [10] [11]

Legislature

State Senate

17 of the 34 members of the West Virginia Senate were up for election. The state Senate consisted of 23 Democrats and 11 Republicans. Democrats won 14 of the 17 races. This meant Democrats retained control of the State Senate and expanded that majority resulting in a 26 to 8 Democratic advantage. [12]

State House of Delegates

All 100 members of the West Virginia House of Delegates were up for election. The state House previously consisted of 72 Democrats and 28 Republicans. Democrats won 71 of the 100 races, with Republicans gaining one seat, making the new balance of power 71–29. [13]

Supreme Court

Two seats were up for election on the state Supreme Court of Appeals. The electoral system requires voters to "vote for no more than two" in a single election, rather than electing each seat separately. Both seats were held by Democrats. [14]

Incumbent Justice Larry Starcher retired while Chief Justice Spike Maynard ran for re-election, but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Margaret Workman and Menis Ketchum. Ketchum and Workman faced Republican nominee Beth Walker in the general election and defeated her with 34.83% and 32.93% respectively against Walker's 32.25%. [15]

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References

  1. "2008 General" (PDF). sos.wv.gov. November 4, 2008.
  2. "WV US Senate". ourcampaigns.com. January 2, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  3. "WV District 1". ourcampaigns.com. September 16, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  4. "WV District 2". ourcampaigns.com. December 23, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  5. "West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  6. "WV Governor". ourcampaigns.com. November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  7. "2008 Gubernatorial General Election Results". uselectionatlas.org. 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  8. "WV Treasurer". ourcampaigns.com. December 15, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  9. "WV Auditor". ourcampaigns.com. December 15, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  10. "WV Agriculture Commissioner". ourcampaigns.com. December 15, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  11. "2008 Agriculture Commissioner General Election Results". uselectionatlas.org. July 7, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  12. "WV State Senate". ourcampaigns.com. December 23, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  13. "WV House of Delegates". ourcampaigns.com. September 16, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  14. "Statewide Results General Election - November 4, 2008★★★Official Results★★★". West Virginia Secretary of State . Archived from the original on April 29, 2021.
  15. "WV Supreme Court of Appeals". ourcampaigns.com. January 21, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2023.

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