2016 West Virginia Senate election

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2016 West Virginia Senate election
Flag of West Virginia.svg
  2014 November 8, 2016 2018  

18 of the 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate [lower-alpha 1]
18 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
  Bill Cole.jpg Jeff Kessler.jpg
Leader Bill Cole
(retired)
Jeff Kessler
(retired)
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 6th district 2nd district
Seats before1816
Seats won2212
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 4Decrease2.svg 4
Popular vote379,414345,598
Percentage52.3%47.7%
Seats up810
Races won126

2016 West Virginia State Senate Election.svg
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain     Republican gain
     Democratic hold     Republican hold
Rectangular inset (District 3): both seats up for election

Senate President before election

Bill Cole
Republican

Elected Senate President

Mitch Carmichael
Republican

The 2016 West Virginia Senate elections were held on November 8, 2016, as part of the biennial United States elections. Seventeen of West Virginia's 34 state senators were up for regular selection, along with an unexpired term for another seat. West Virginia Senate districts each have two elected representatives. State senators serve staggered four-year terms in West Virginia, with one senator from each district up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential election years (such as 2016), and the other up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential midterm years.

Contents

Primary elections in the state were held on May 10. After the previous 2014 state elections, Republicans held a slim majority in the Senate, holding 18 seats to the Democrats' 16. The Republican Party had long been the minority party in West Virginia, but the decline of the strength of coal worker unions, the Democratic Party's increasing focus on environmentalism, the unpopularity of President Barack Obama, and the increasing social conservatism of the Republican Party have helped the GOP solidify power in the state rapidly since 2000.

The high popularity of candidate Donald Trump within the state and his 42-point margin of victory, helped the Republicans gain four seats. This can be attributed to the increasing association of the West Virginia Democratic Party with the national Democratic Party, and a strong year for the Republican Party nationally, in which they gained control of the presidency, and kept control of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Donald Trump won West Virginia with 68.5% of the vote, his largest share of the vote in any state. Trump's performance helped Republican Senate candidates down-ballot, as he won every senate district in the state. [1]

Following the state's 2016 Senate elections, Republicans maintained and increased their control of the Senate with 22 seats to the Democrats' 12.

Retirements

Four incumbents did not run for re-election in 2016. Those incumbents are:

Republicans

  1. District 6: Bill Cole: Retired to run in the 2016 Gubernatorial Election.

Democrats

  1. District 2: Jeff Kessler: Retired to run in the 2016 Gubernatorial Election.
  2. District 10: William Laird: Retired
  3. District 16: Herb Snyder: Retired

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

Two incumbents were defeated in the May 10 primaries. Senator Bob Ashley was appointed to the 3rd Senate District and was the incumbent for the remainder of the unexpired term. However, Ashley chose to challenge fellow incumbent senator Donna Boley for a full term.

Republican

  1. District 3: Bob Ashley lost nomination to fellow incumbent Donna Boley.

Democrat

  1. District 7: Art Kirkendoll lost renomination to Richard Ojeda.

In the general election

Republican

  1. District 8: Chris Walters lost to Glenn Jeffries.

Democrats

  1. District 1: Jack Yost lost to Ryan Weld.
  2. District 14: Bob Williams lost to Randy Smith.

Results summary

Votes, of total, by party

   Republican (51.83%)
   Democratic (47.21%)
   Libertarian (0.77%)
   Mountain (0.19%)

All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia.

Results [2]
West Virginia Senate 2016.svg
PartyVotesSeats
Votes %Total
before
UpWonTotal
after
±
Republican Party 379,41451.83
18812
22 / 34
Increase2.svg 4
Democratic Party 345,59847.21
16106
12 / 34
Decrease2.svg 4
Libertarian Party 5,6190.77
000
0 / 34
Steady2.svg
Mountain Party 1,4040.19
000
0 / 34
Steady2.svg
Popular vote
Republican
51.83%
Democratic
47.21%
Libertarian
0.77%
Mountain
0.19%
Senate seats
Republican
64.71%
Democratic
35.29%

Close races

DistrictWinnerMargin
District 12Democratic0.3%
District 4Republican2.1%
District 1Republican (flip)2.1%
District 11Republican2.1%
District 9Republican3.6%
District 16Republican (flip)5.6%
District 8Democratic (flip)6.2%
District 3

(Special)

Republican9.3%
District 10Republican (flip)9.5%

Summary of results by State Senate District

DistrictIncumbentElected SenatorResult
MemberPartyFirst electedMemberParty
District 1 Jack Yost Democratic2008 Ryan Weld RepublicanRepublican Gain
District 2 Jeff Kessler Democratic1997 (appointed) Mike Maroney RepublicanRepublican Gain
District 3 Donna Boley Republican1985 (appointed) Donna Boley RepublicanRepublican Hold
District 3 (sp.) Bob Ashley Republican2015 (appointed) Mike Azinger RepublicanRepublican Hold
District 4 Mitch Carmichael Republican2012 Mitch Carmichael RepublicanRepublican Hold
District 5 Robert Plymale Democratic1992 Robert Plymale DemocraticDemocratic Hold
District 6 Bill Cole Republican2012 Chandler Swope RepublicanRepublican Hold
District 7 Art Kirkendoll Democratic2011 (appointed) Richard Ojeda DemocraticDemocratic Hold
District 8 Chris Walters Republican2012 Glenn Jeffries DemocraticDemocratic Gain
District 9 Sue Cline Republican2016 (appointed) Sue Cline RepublicanRepublican Hold
District 10 William Laird Democratic2008 Kenny Mann RepublicanRepublican Gain
District 11 Greg Boso Republican2015 (appointed) Greg Boso RepublicanRepublican Hold
District 12 Doug Facemire Democratic2008 Doug Facemire DemocraticDemocratic Hold
District 13 Roman Prezioso Democratic1996 Roman Prezioso DemocraticDemocratic Hold
District 14 Bob Williams Democratic2008 Randy Smith RepublicanRepublican Gain
District 15 Craig Blair Republican2012 Craig Blair RepublicanRepublican Hold
District 16 Herb Snyder Democratic2008 Patricia Rucker RepublicanRepublican Gain
District 17 Corey Palumbo Democratic2008 Corey Palumbo DemocraticDemocratic Hold

Detailed results by State Senate District

District 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11District 12District 13District 14District 15District 16District 17

All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia. [3]

District 1

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 1st Senate District [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Ryan Weld 21,191 51.07%
Democratic Jack Yost (incumbent)20,30348.93%
Total votes41,494 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 2

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 2nd Senate District [5]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mike Maroney 6,585 54.30%
Republican Ginger Nalley5,54145.70%
Total votes12,126 100.00%
General election
Republican Mike Maroney 22,902 54.30%
Democratic Lisa Zukoff15,75437.35%
Libertarian H. John Rogers3,5218.35%
Total votes42,177 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 3

In 2016, both seats were up for election due to an unusual series of events. Republican Bob Ashley, who had been appointed to the Senate following the departure of David Nohe in 2015, chose to run in a primary against his fellow senator Donna Boley, leaving his own seat open and triggering a special election. [6]

Regular

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 3rd Senate District [7]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Donna Boley (incumbent) 11,508 62.97%
Republican Bob Ashley 3,39818.59%
Republican John Riggs3,36818.43%
Total votes18,274 100.00%
General election
Republican Donna Boley (incumbent) 27,172 64.70%
Democratic Bradley Vanzile14,82635.30%
Total votes41,998 100.00%
Republican hold

Special

2016 West Virginia Senate special election, 3rd Senate District [8]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mike Azinger 9,065 60.72%
Republican Sam Winans5,86539.28%
Total votes14,930 100.00%
General election
Republican Mike Azinger 23,034 54.64%
Democratic Gregory K. Smith19,12545.36%
Total votes42,159 100.00%
Republican hold

District 4

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 4th Senate District [9]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mitch Carmichael (incumbent) 8,442 59.49%
Republican Dustin Lewis5,74940.51%
Total votes14,191 100.00%
Democratic Brian Prim 6,999 58.77%
Democratic Bruce Ashworth4,91041.23%
Total votes11,909 100.00%
General election
Republican Mitch Carmichael (incumbent) 22,032 51.05%
Democratic Brian Prim21,12348.95%
Total votes43,155 100.00%
Republican hold

District 5

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 5th Senate District [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Robert Plymale (incumbent) 22,863 60.24%
Republican Tyson Smith15,09239.76%
Total votes37,955 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 6

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 6th Senate District [11]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rocky Seay 8,618 64.64%
Democratic Brandon Barker4,71535.36%
Total votes13,333 100.00%
General election
Republican Chandler Swope 20,776 57.11%
Democratic Rocky Seay15,60642.89%
Total votes36,382 100.00%
Republican hold

District 7

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 7th Senate District [12]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Richard Ojeda 11,154 55.17%
Democratic Art Kirkendoll (incumbent)9,06544.83%
Total votes20,219 100.00%
Republican Jordan Bridges 2,807 57.04%
Republican Gary Johngrass2,11442.96%
Total votes4,921 100.00%
General election
Democratic Richard Ojeda 19,978 58.82%
Republican Jordan Bridges13,98741.18%
Total votes33,965 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 8

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 8th Senate District [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Glenn Jeffries 20,768 53.08%
Republican Chris Walters (incumbent)18,35746.92%
Total votes39,125 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 9

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 9th Senate District [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sue Cline (incumbent) 18,861 51.81%
Democratic Mike Goode17,54548.19%
Total votes36,406 100.00%
Republican hold

District 10

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 10th Senate District [15]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kenny Mann 4,343 47.05%
Republican Tom Ewing3,44437.31%
Republican Dan Hill1,44315.64%
Total votes9,230 100.00%
General election
Republican Kenny Mann 21,148 54.73%
Democratic Dave Perry 17,49445.27%
Total votes38,642 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 11

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 11th Senate District [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Greg Boso (incumbent) 20,610 49.39%
Democratic Denise Campbell 19,71847.25%
Mountain Bruce Breuninger1,4043.36%
Total votes41,732 100.00%
Republican hold

District 12

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 12th Senate District [17]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Franklin Cornette 5,442 54.23%
Republican Derrick W. Love4,59345.77%
Total votes10,035 100.00%
General election
Democratic Doug Facemire (incumbent) 21,295 50.13%
Republican Franklin Cornette21,18849.87%
Total votes42,483 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 13

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 13th Senate District [18]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Roman Prezioso (incumbent) 10,433 59.58%
Democratic Jack Oliver7,07840.42%
Total votes17,511 100.00%
Republican Barry Bledsoe 4,615 58.17%
Republican James Clawson3,31841.83%
Total votes7,933 100.00%
General election
Democratic Roman Prezioso (incumbent) 24,404 59.60%
Republican Barry Bledsoe16,54440.40%
Total votes40,948 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 14

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 14th Senate District [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Randy Smith 23,201 53.26%
Democratic Bob Williams (incumbent)18,26441.93%
Libertarian Matthew Persinger2,0984.82%
Total votes43,563 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 15

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 15th Senate District [20]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Craig Blair (incumbent) 9,702 67.82%
Republican Larry Kump 4,60432.18%
Total votes14,306 100.00%
General election
Republican Craig Blair (incumbent) 32,475 70.44%
Democratic Brad Noll13,62929.56%
Total votes46,104 100.00%
Republican hold

District 16

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 16th Senate District [21]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Patricia Rucker 5,359 55.95%
Republican Joe Funkhouser4,21944.05%
Total votes9,578 100.00%
Democratic Stephen Skinner 6,904 67.21%
Democratic David Manthos3,36832.79%
Total votes10,272 100.00%
General election
Republican Patricia Rucker 22,499 52.79%
Democratic Stephen Skinner 20,12247.21%
Total votes42,621 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 17

2016 West Virginia Senate election, 17th Senate District [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Corey Palumbo (incumbent) 22,781 55.39%
Republican Chris Stansbury18,34544.61%
Total votes41,126 100.00%
Democratic hold

Notes

  1. A special election was held in District 3, adding a race to the normal 17 seat election cycle.

Related Research Articles

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