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18 of the 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate [lower-alpha 1] 18 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Results of the elections: Democratic gain Republican gain Democratic hold Republican hold Rectangular inset (District 3): both seats up for election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in West Virginia |
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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.
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.
Four incumbents did not run for re-election in 2016. Those incumbents are:
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.
All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia.
Party | Votes | Seats | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Total before | Up | Won | Total after | ± | ||||||||
Republican Party | 379,414 | 51.83 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 22 / 34 | 4 | |||||||
Democratic Party | 345,598 | 47.21 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 12 / 34 | 4 | |||||||
Libertarian Party | 5,619 | 0.77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 / 34 | ||||||||
Mountain Party | 1,404 | 0.19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 / 34 |
District | Winner | Margin |
---|---|---|
District 12 | Democratic | 0.3% |
District 4 | Republican | 2.1% |
District 1 | Republican (flip) | 2.1% |
District 11 | Republican | 2.1% |
District 9 | Republican | 3.6% |
District 16 | Republican (flip) | 5.6% |
District 8 | Democratic (flip) | 6.2% |
District 3 (Special) | Republican | 9.3% |
District 10 | Republican (flip) | 9.5% |
District | Incumbent | Elected Senator | Result | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Member | Party | ||
District 1 | Jack Yost | Democratic | 2008 | Ryan Weld | Republican | Republican Gain |
District 2 | Jeff Kessler | Democratic | 1997 (appointed) | Mike Maroney | Republican | Republican Gain |
District 3 | Donna Boley | Republican | 1985 (appointed) | Donna Boley | Republican | Republican Hold |
District 3 (sp.) | Bob Ashley | Republican | 2015 (appointed) | Mike Azinger | Republican | Republican Hold |
District 4 | Mitch Carmichael | Republican | 2012 | Mitch Carmichael | Republican | Republican Hold |
District 5 | Robert Plymale | Democratic | 1992 | Robert Plymale | Democratic | Democratic Hold |
District 6 | Bill Cole | Republican | 2012 | Chandler Swope | Republican | Republican Hold |
District 7 | Art Kirkendoll | Democratic | 2011 (appointed) | Richard Ojeda | Democratic | Democratic Hold |
District 8 | Chris Walters | Republican | 2012 | Glenn Jeffries | Democratic | Democratic Gain |
District 9 | Sue Cline | Republican | 2016 (appointed) | Sue Cline | Republican | Republican Hold |
District 10 | William Laird | Democratic | 2008 | Kenny Mann | Republican | Republican Gain |
District 11 | Greg Boso | Republican | 2015 (appointed) | Greg Boso | Republican | Republican Hold |
District 12 | Doug Facemire | Democratic | 2008 | Doug Facemire | Democratic | Democratic Hold |
District 13 | Roman Prezioso | Democratic | 1996 | Roman Prezioso | Democratic | Democratic Hold |
District 14 | Bob Williams | Democratic | 2008 | Randy Smith | Republican | Republican Gain |
District 15 | Craig Blair | Republican | 2012 | Craig Blair | Republican | Republican Hold |
District 16 | Herb Snyder | Democratic | 2008 | Patricia Rucker | Republican | Republican Gain |
District 17 | Corey Palumbo | Democratic | 2008 | Corey Palumbo | Democratic | Democratic Hold |
District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 |
All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia. [3]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ryan Weld | 21,191 | 51.07% | |
Democratic | Jack Yost (incumbent) | 20,303 | 48.93% | |
Total votes | 41,494 | 100.00% | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Mike Maroney | 6,585 | 54.30% | |
Republican | Ginger Nalley | 5,541 | 45.70% | |
Total votes | 12,126 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Mike Maroney | 22,902 | 54.30% | |
Democratic | Lisa Zukoff | 15,754 | 37.35% | |
Libertarian | H. John Rogers | 3,521 | 8.35% | |
Total votes | 42,177 | 100.00% | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
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]
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Donna Boley (incumbent) | 11,508 | 62.97% | |
Republican | Bob Ashley | 3,398 | 18.59% | |
Republican | John Riggs | 3,368 | 18.43% | |
Total votes | 18,274 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Donna Boley (incumbent) | 27,172 | 64.70% | |
Democratic | Bradley Vanzile | 14,826 | 35.30% | |
Total votes | 41,998 | 100.00% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Mike Azinger | 9,065 | 60.72% | |
Republican | Sam Winans | 5,865 | 39.28% | |
Total votes | 14,930 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Mike Azinger | 23,034 | 54.64% | |
Democratic | Gregory K. Smith | 19,125 | 45.36% | |
Total votes | 42,159 | 100.00% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Mitch Carmichael (incumbent) | 8,442 | 59.49% | |
Republican | Dustin Lewis | 5,749 | 40.51% | |
Total votes | 14,191 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic | Brian Prim | 6,999 | 58.77% | |
Democratic | Bruce Ashworth | 4,910 | 41.23% | |
Total votes | 11,909 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Mitch Carmichael (incumbent) | 22,032 | 51.05% | |
Democratic | Brian Prim | 21,123 | 48.95% | |
Total votes | 43,155 | 100.00% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Robert Plymale (incumbent) | 22,863 | 60.24% | |
Republican | Tyson Smith | 15,092 | 39.76% | |
Total votes | 37,955 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Rocky Seay | 8,618 | 64.64% | |
Democratic | Brandon Barker | 4,715 | 35.36% | |
Total votes | 13,333 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Chandler Swope | 20,776 | 57.11% | |
Democratic | Rocky Seay | 15,606 | 42.89% | |
Total votes | 36,382 | 100.00% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Richard Ojeda | 11,154 | 55.17% | |
Democratic | Art Kirkendoll (incumbent) | 9,065 | 44.83% | |
Total votes | 20,219 | 100.00% | ||
Republican | Jordan Bridges | 2,807 | 57.04% | |
Republican | Gary Johngrass | 2,114 | 42.96% | |
Total votes | 4,921 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Richard Ojeda | 19,978 | 58.82% | |
Republican | Jordan Bridges | 13,987 | 41.18% | |
Total votes | 33,965 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Glenn Jeffries | 20,768 | 53.08% | |
Republican | Chris Walters (incumbent) | 18,357 | 46.92% | |
Total votes | 39,125 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sue Cline (incumbent) | 18,861 | 51.81% | |
Democratic | Mike Goode | 17,545 | 48.19% | |
Total votes | 36,406 | 100.00% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Kenny Mann | 4,343 | 47.05% | |
Republican | Tom Ewing | 3,444 | 37.31% | |
Republican | Dan Hill | 1,443 | 15.64% | |
Total votes | 9,230 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Kenny Mann | 21,148 | 54.73% | |
Democratic | Dave Perry | 17,494 | 45.27% | |
Total votes | 38,642 | 100.00% | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Greg Boso (incumbent) | 20,610 | 49.39% | |
Democratic | Denise Campbell | 19,718 | 47.25% | |
Mountain | Bruce Breuninger | 1,404 | 3.36% | |
Total votes | 41,732 | 100.00% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Franklin Cornette | 5,442 | 54.23% | |
Republican | Derrick W. Love | 4,593 | 45.77% | |
Total votes | 10,035 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Doug Facemire (incumbent) | 21,295 | 50.13% | |
Republican | Franklin Cornette | 21,188 | 49.87% | |
Total votes | 42,483 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Roman Prezioso (incumbent) | 10,433 | 59.58% | |
Democratic | Jack Oliver | 7,078 | 40.42% | |
Total votes | 17,511 | 100.00% | ||
Republican | Barry Bledsoe | 4,615 | 58.17% | |
Republican | James Clawson | 3,318 | 41.83% | |
Total votes | 7,933 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Roman Prezioso (incumbent) | 24,404 | 59.60% | |
Republican | Barry Bledsoe | 16,544 | 40.40% | |
Total votes | 40,948 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Randy Smith | 23,201 | 53.26% | |
Democratic | Bob Williams (incumbent) | 18,264 | 41.93% | |
Libertarian | Matthew Persinger | 2,098 | 4.82% | |
Total votes | 43,563 | 100.00% | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Craig Blair (incumbent) | 9,702 | 67.82% | |
Republican | Larry Kump | 4,604 | 32.18% | |
Total votes | 14,306 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Craig Blair (incumbent) | 32,475 | 70.44% | |
Democratic | Brad Noll | 13,629 | 29.56% | |
Total votes | 46,104 | 100.00% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Patricia Rucker | 5,359 | 55.95% | |
Republican | Joe Funkhouser | 4,219 | 44.05% | |
Total votes | 9,578 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic | Stephen Skinner | 6,904 | 67.21% | |
Democratic | David Manthos | 3,368 | 32.79% | |
Total votes | 10,272 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Patricia Rucker | 22,499 | 52.79% | |
Democratic | Stephen Skinner | 20,122 | 47.21% | |
Total votes | 42,621 | 100.00% | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Corey Palumbo (incumbent) | 22,781 | 55.39% | |
Republican | Chris Stansbury | 18,345 | 44.61% | |
Total votes | 41,126 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic hold | ||||
Robert Hugh Plymale is a Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 5th district since 1992. As of 2021, Plymale is the longest active serving Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate. Plymale is also the second longest active serving senator after President pro tempore Donna Boley.
The 2014 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2014. A total of 36 seats in the 100-member U.S. Senate were contested. Thirty-three Class 2 seats were contested for regular six-year terms to be served from January 3, 2015, to January 3, 2021, and three Class 3 seats were contested in special elections due to Senate vacancies. The elections marked 100 years of direct elections of U.S. senators. Going into the elections, 21 of the contested seats were held by the Democratic Party, while 15 were held by the Republican Party.
The 2014 United States House of Representatives election in West Virginia was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the three U.S. representatives from West Virginia, one from each of the state's three congressional districts.
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.
Donna Jean Boley is a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate representing the 3rd district. West Virginia Governor Arch A. Moore, Jr. appointed Boley on May 14, 1985, to fill a seat made vacant by the resignation of Sam White on April 24, 1985. Since her election to White's unexpired term in 1986, Boley has gone on to win re-election nine times. From 1990 to 1996, she was Senate Minority Leader. In 1991 and 1992, Boley was also the only Republican member in the 34-member Senate, making her the minority chairwoman for every single Senate committee.
Rupert W. "Rupie" Phillips, Jr. is an American politician and a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate since 2020. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served in the West Virginia House of Delegates representing the 19th and 24th Districts from 2011 to 2019.
Carol Miller is an American farmer and politician who has represented West Virginia's 1st congressional district since 2019. The district, numbered as the 3rd district from 2019 to 2023, covers the southern half of the state, including Huntington, Charleston, Bluefield, and Beckley.
Mark Allen Hunt is an American politician who is a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 8th district. From 2012 to 2014, Hunt was a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing District 36 from 2012 to 2014. Hunt served consecutively from January 2009 until January 2013, and non-consecutively from January 1995 until January 2001 and from January 2005 until January 2007 in District 30 and District 31 seats. Hunt was a candidate for West Virginia Senate in 2000 and a candidate for the United States House of Representatives for West Virginia's 2nd congressional district in 2006.
Ronald Neal "Ron" Walters Sr. is an American politician and a Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing District 39 since January 12, 2013. Walters served consecutively from January 2001 until January 2013 and non-consecutively from January 1993 until January 1999 in a District 32 seat. Walters was a candidate for West Virginia Senate in 1998.
Daniel Jackson Hall is an American politician and a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate representing District 9 between 2012 and 2016. Hall served consecutively in the West Virginia Legislature from December 1, 2008, until December 1, 2012, in the West Virginia House of Delegates in a District 22 seat. He joined the Republican Party on November 5, 2014, to give Republicans control of the Senate in the January 2015 session.
Mitchell Carmichael is an American politician. He is a former Republican member of the West Virginia Senate representing District 4 from 2012 until his defeat in 2020. Prior to his service in the Senate, Carmichael served in the West Virginia House of Delegates representing District 12 from 2000 through 2012. Carmichael was also a candidate for Governor of West Virginia in the 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election. As President of the state Senate from January 2017 to January 2021, he held the title Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia. After his defeat in 2020, Governor Jim Justice appointed Carmichael as West Virginia's economic development director.
Craig Philip Blair is an American politician and a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate representing District 15 since January 12, 2013. Blair served non-consecutively in the West Virginia Legislature from January 2003 until January 2011 in the West Virginia House of Delegates in the District 52 seat. Blair is also the father of former WV Delegate Saira Blair.
Robert D. Beach is an American politician and a Democratic member of the West Virginia State Senate representing District 13 since January 2011. Beach was also the Democratic nominee for West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture in 2020. Beach served consecutively in the West Virginia Legislature's House of Delegates from January 2001 until January 2011, and non-consecutively from his May 1998 appointment to fill the vacancy caused by the passing of his father, the late Delegate Robert C. Beach, until December 3, 1998, in the West Virginia House of Delegates within the 44 Delegate District.
William Michael Hall is an American politician and chief of staff to the governor of West Virginia Jim Justice. He previously was a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate representing District 4 between 2006 and 2017. Hall served six terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 14th district. In 2012, Hall was nominated by the Republican Party as its nominee for the office of West Virginia State Treasurer. He was defeated in the general election by incumbent State Treasurer John Perdue.
The 2020 United States Senate elections were held on November 3, 2020, with the 33 class 2 seats of the Senate contested in regular elections. Of these, 21 were held by Republicans, and 12 by Democrats. The winners were elected to 6-year terms from January 3, 2021, to January 3, 2027. Two special elections for seats held by Republicans were also held in conjunction with the general elections: one in Arizona, to fill the vacancy created by John McCain's death in 2018; and one in Georgia, following Johnny Isakson's resignation in 2019. These elections ran concurrently with the 2020 United States presidential election in which incumbent president Donald Trump lost to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Michael Thomas Azinger is an American politician. He is a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 3rd district since January 11, 2017. Prior to this, Azinger represented the 10th District in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2015 to 2017, succeeding his father, Tom Azinger. Prior to service in the West Virginia legislature, he was a resident of Ohio, where he ran twice for the Sixth Congressional District. In 1998, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination, coming in third behind Lt. Governor Nancy Hollister and former Congressman Frank Cremeans. In 2000, he won the Republican nomination, but failed in his bid to unseat Rep. Ted Strickland, taking only 40% of the vote.
Patricia Rucker is a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 16th district since January 11, 2017. Rucker served as the chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee from 2019 to 2022.
Tom Takubo is a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 17th district since January 14, 2015. Takubo also serves as Majority Leader of the West Virginia Senate, succeeding Ryan Ferns who was defeated in the 2018 West Virginia Senate election.
Stephen Baldwin Jr. is an American politician and former Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 10th district from 2016 to 2022. During the 85th Legislature, Baldwin served as the Senate Minority Leader. Baldwin was the third Minority Leader since the Republicans took the majority in the Senate in 2014.
West Virginia's 3rd Senate district is one of 17 districts in the West Virginia Senate. It is currently represented by Republicans Donna Boley and Mike Azinger. All districts in the West Virginia Senate elect two members to staggered four-year terms.