Mike Woelfel | |
---|---|
Minority Leader of the West Virginia Senate | |
Assumed office January 11, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Stephen Baldwin |
Member of the West Virginia Senate from the 5th district | |
Assumed office December 1,2014 Servingwith Scott Fuller | |
Preceded by | Evan Jenkins |
Personal details | |
Born | Huntington,West Virginia,United States | June 21,1954
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Julia Woelfel |
Children | 2 |
Education | Marshall University (BA) West Virginia University (JD) |
Mike Woelfel (born 21 June 1954) is a Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate representing the 5th district. [1] The 5th district includes all of Cabell County and a small portion of northern Wayne County. [2] In 2022,Woelfel was chosen as Minority Leader of the Senate. [3]
Woelfel was first elected in 2014 to succeed Evan Jenkins who left the Democratic Party and chose to run for Congress as a Republican. Woelfel's victory was a rare pick up for the Democratic Party during a year that otherwise saw major Republican gains in West Virginia. [4] In 2020,Woelfel was appointed as Minority Whip for the Senate Democratic caucus. [5] Two years later,Woelfel became the Minority Leader after his predecessor,Stephen Baldwin,lost re-election. In 2023,Woelfel voted against HB 3018,to establish 18 as the age of consent for marriage.
Woelfel maintains a private personal injury law firm with his son,Matthew Woelfel. [6] Prior to his time in the Senate,Woelfel served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Cabell County and was appointed,on a part-time basis,to a juvenile judicial office for the Supreme Court of Appeals. [6] He also served as an adjunct professor at Marshall University. [7]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike Woelfel (incumbent) | 20,305 | 59.66% | |
Republican | Larry Brooke Lunsford | 13,732 | 40.34% | |
Total votes | 34,037 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike Woelfel | 12,511 | 49.80% | |
Republican | Vicki Dunn-Marshall | 11,818 | 47.04% | |
Independent | Roy L. Ramey | 793 | 3.16% | |
Total votes | 25,122 | 100.0% |