The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI of the West Virginia Constitution following the state's split from Virginia during the American Civil War in 1863. As with its neighbor and former constituent Virginia General Assembly, the legislature's lower house is also referred to as a "House of Delegates."
Earl Ray Tomblin is an American Democratic politician who served as the 35th governor of West Virginia from 2011 to 2017. Prior to becoming governor, Tomblin served as President of the West Virginia Senate for almost 17 years. Tomblin became acting governor in November 2010 following Joe Manchin's election to the U.S. Senate. He won a special election in October 2011 to fill the unexpired term ending in January 2013 and was elected to a first full term as governor in November 2012.
The president of the West Virginia Senate is a member of the West Virginia Senate who has been elected to be its president by the other senators. The current Senate president is Craig Blair, who has been in office since January 2021.
Richard "Rick" Thompson is a former Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 17th District since 2000. He served as Speaker of the House from January 2007 to June 2013. He earlier served as a Delegate from 1981 through 1983. He unsuccessfully ran for Governor of West Virginia in 2011, coming in second place behind acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. Thompson resigned from the House of Delegates in June 2013 after being appointed by Tomblin to serve as West Virginia Secretary of Veterans Assistance. Resigned as Assistant Secretary of Veteran Affairs to Run for Wayne County Sheriff. Currently serving as Sherriff of Wayne County.
Natalie E. Tennant is an American politician who served as the Secretary of State of West Virginia from 2009 to 2017. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Tennant was the 2014 Democratic Party nominee for West Virginia's open U.S. Senate seat, which she lost to Republican Shelley Moore Capito. In 2016 she was defeated for re-election by Republican Mac Warner, and left office on January 16, 2017.
The 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial election was a special election held on October 4, 2011 to fill the office of the West Virginia Governor. The office became vacant upon the resignation of Governor Joe Manchin, who was elected to fill the seat of Robert Byrd in the United States Senate in 2010 following Byrd's death. State Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, first in the line of succession, became acting governor in 2010 after Manchin took up the Senate seat. On January 18, 2011, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election for the office of Governor 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.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the three U.S. Representatives from West Virginia, one from each of the state's three congressional districts. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 113th Congress from January 2013 until January 2015. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. A Senate election was also held on that date, during which incumbent Joe Manchin won re-election. As of 2020, this is the last time that a Democrat won a congressional district in West Virginia.
Robert J. "Rocky" Fitzsimmons is an American attorney and politician from the state of West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Fitzsimmons served in the West Virginia Senate for the 1st district.
Phillip W Diserio is an American politician and a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing District 2 since his January 23, 2012 appointment by West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Tim Ennis. Diserio was defeated in his 2014 bid for reelection, but was later elected in 2016.
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.
Anna Border Sheppard is an American politician and a Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing District 9 since her appointment by West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin June 21, 2011, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband, Representative Larry Border.
Samuel Joseph Cann, Sr. is an American politician and a former Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate representing District 12 from his January 16, 2013 appointment by West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Joseph M. Minard to 2014. Cann served consecutively in the West Virginia Legislature from December 1, 1994 until January 16, 2013 in the West Virginia House of Delegates in the District 41 and District 48 seats.
Arthur "Art" E. Kirkendoll is an American politician and former Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate. He represented District 7 from November 14, 2011, when West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin appointed him to fill the vacancy caused by Tomblin's resignation from the seat in order to assume the position of governor, until January 7, 2017. He was defeated for reelection in the 2016 primary election by Richard Ojeda.
William Paul Cole III is an American businessman, politician and a former Republican member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 6th district from 2013 to 2017. He was the President of the Senate from 2015 to 2017. Cole also served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from May 28, 2010, to January 12, 2011, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Delegate John Shott.
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.
Mike Romano is a Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 12th district since January 14, 2015. Prior to his election to the Senate, Romano was a county commissioner in Harrison County.
West Virginia held elections on November 8, 2016. Elections for the United States House, as well as for several statewide offices including the governorship were held. These elections were held concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election and other elections nationwide. Primary elections were held on May 10, 2016.