List of members of the 85th West Virginia Legislature

Last updated

85th West Virginia Legislature
84th86th
Seal of West Virginia.svg
Overview
Legislative body West Virginia Legislature
TermDecember 1, 2020 – December 1, 2022
Election 2020
Governor Jim Justice (R)
House of Delegates
Members100 delegates
Speaker Roger Hanshaw (R)
Speaker pro tempore Gary Howell (R)
Majority leader Amy Summers (R)
Minority leader Doug Skaff (D)
Party control Republican
Senate
Members34 senators
President Craig Blair (R)
President pro tempore Donna Boley (R)
Majority leader Tom Takubo (R)
Minority leader Stephen Baldwin (D)
Party control Republican
Sessions
1stJanuary 13, 2021 – April 10, 2021
2ndJanuary 12, 2022 – March 12, 2022
Special sessions
1stJune 7, 2021
2ndJune 24, 2021
3rdOctober 11, 2021 – October 20, 2021
4thJanuary 10, 2022 – January 11, 2022
5thApril 25, 2022
6thJuly 25, 2022
7thSeptember 12, 2022

The 85th West Virginia Legislature was a meeting of the West Virginia Legislature whose membership consisted of those elected in the 2020 legislative elections. It lasted through two several month long regular sessions and seven special sessions in 2021 and 2022, ending with the 2022 legislative elections and the convening of the 86th Legislature. All members who served in this meeting of the Legislature are listed below.

Contents

Party summary

House of Delegates

Affiliation (Elected)Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican
85th Legislature Start2476100
December 11, 20202377 [hod 1] 100
January 9, 20212376 [hod 2] 99
January 27, 20212377 [hod 3] 100
May 12, 20212278 [hod 4] 100
July 30, 20212277 [hod 5] 99
August 19, 20212278 [hod 6] 100
November 5, 20212277 [hod 7] 99
November 24, 20212278 [hod 8] 100
December 13, 20212277 [hod 9] 99
December 21, 20212278 [hod 10] 100
June 1, 20222277 [hod 11] 99
June 14, 20222278 [hod 12] 100
August 8, 20222277 [hod 13] 99
August 19, 20222278 [hod 14] 100
85th Legislature End2278100
Latest voting share22%78%
  1. Jason Barrett (District 61) switched his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican.
  2. Derrick Evans (District 19) resigned after being federally charged for his participation in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
  3. Josh Booth (District 19) appointed to fill the vacancy left by Derrick Evans.
  4. Mick Bates (District 30) switched his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican.
  5. Jeffrey Pack (District 28) resigned to become the Commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau for Social Services.
  6. Jordan Maynor (District 28) appointed to fill the vacancy left by Jeffrey Pack.
  7. Joshua Higginbotham (District 13) resigned after moving from his Putnam County residence to Kanawha County.
  8. Kathie Hess Crouse (District 13) appointed to fill the vacancy left by Joshua Higginbotham.
  9. Barry Bruce (District 42) resigned over health concerns.
  10. Michael Honaker (District 42) appointed to fill the vacancy left by Barry Bruce.
  11. Joe Jeffries (District 22) resigned to take a job out of state.
  12. Jarred Cannon (District 22) appointed to fill the vacancy left by Joe Jeffries.
  13. Larry Pack (District 35) resigned to join the Justice Administration as a senior advisor.
  14. Andrew Anderson (District 35) appointed to fill the vacancy left by Larry Pack.

Senate

Affiliation (Elected)Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican
85th Legislature Start112334
August 20, 202110 [sen 1] 2333
September 29, 202111 [sen 2] 2334
October 5, 202110 [sen 3] 2333
October 7, 202111 [sen 4] 2334
85th Legislature End112334
Latest voting share32%68%
  1. John Unger (District 16) resigned to become a Berkeley County magistrate.
  2. Hannah Geffert (District 16) appointed to fill the vacancy left by John Unger.
  3. William J. Ihlenfeld II (District 1) resigned to become a District Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia.
  4. Owens Brown (District 1) appointed to fill the vacancy left by William Ihlenfeld.

House of Delegates

Party leadership

PositionNamePartyDistrictCounty
Speaker of the House Roger Hanshaw Republican33rd Clay
Speaker pro tempore Gary Howell Republican56th Mineral
Majority Leader Amy Summers Republican49th Taylor
Minority Leader Doug Skaff Democratic35th Kanawha
Majority Whip Marty Gearheart Republican27th Mercer
Minority Whip Shawn Fluharty Democratic3rd Ohio

Vacancies

DistrictVacated byReason for changeSuccessorDate of appointment
19 Derrick Evans (R)Resigned after having been federally charged for his involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. [1] Josh Booth (R)January 27, 2021
28 Jeffrey Pack (R)Resigned after having been appointed Commissioner of the state Department of Health and Human Resources' Bureau for Social Services by Governor Jim Justice. [2] Jordan Maynor (R)August 19, 2021
13 Joshua Higginbotham (R)Resigned after moving from his Putnam County district to Kanawha County. [3] Kathie Hess Crouse (R)November 24, 2021
42Barry Bruce (R)Resigned over health concerns. [4] Michael Honaker (R)December 21, 2021
22 Joe Jeffries (R)Resigned to take a job out of state. [5] Jarred Cannon (R)June 14, 2022
35 Larry Pack (R)Resigned to join the administration of Jim Justice as a senior advisor. [6] Andrew Anderson (R)August 19, 2022

Members

  Member left office during Legislature  Member appointed to fill vacancy

DistrictDelegatePartySinceResidenceCounties represented [7]
1 Pat McGeehan Republican2014 Chester Brooke, Hancock
Mark Zatezalo Republican2020 Wierton
2 Phil Diserio Democratic2016 Follansbee Brooke, Ohio
3 Shawn Fluharty Democratic2014 Wheeling Ohio
Erikka Lynn Storch Republican2010 Wheeling
4 Charlie Reynolds Republican2020 Moundsville Marshall
Lisa Zukoff Democratic2018 Moundsville
5 Dave Pethtel Democratic1998 Burton Monongalia, Wetzel
6 David Kelly Republican2018 Sistersville Doddridge, Pleasants, Tyler
7 Trenton Barnhart Republican2019 St. Marys Pleasants, Ritchie
8 Bill Anderson Republican1992 Williamstown Wood
9 Shannon Kimes Republican2020 Rockport Wirt, Wood
10 Roger Conley Republican2020 Vienna Wood
Vernon Criss Republican2016 Parkersburg
John R. Kelly Republican2014 Parkersburg
11 Riley Keaton Republican2020 Spencer Jackson, Roane
12 Steve Westfall Republican2012 Ripley Jackson
13 Joshua Higginbotham Republican2016 Poca Jackson, Mason, Putnam
Kathie Hess Crouse Republican2021 Buffalo
Jonathan Pinson Republican2020 Point Pleasant
14 Johnnie Wamsley Republican2020 Point Pleasant Mason, Putnam
15 Geoff Foster Republican2014 Winfield Putnam
16 Sean Hornbuckle Democratic2014 Huntington Cabell, Lincoln
Daniel Linville Republican2018 Milton
John Mandt Republican2020 Huntington
17 Chad Lovejoy Democratic2016 Huntington Cabell, Wayne
Matthew Rohrbach Republican2014 Huntington
18 Evan Worrell Republican2018 Barboursville Cabell
19 Derrick Evans Republican2020 Prichard Wayne
Josh Booth Republican2021 Ceredo
Ric Griffith Democratic2020 Kenova
20 Nathan Brown Democratic2018 Williamson Logan, Mingo
21 Mark Dean Republican2016 Gilbert McDowell, Mingo, Wyoming
22 Joe Jeffries Republican2018 Culloden Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam
Jarred Cannon Republican2022 Hurricane
Zack Maynard Republican2016 Harts
23 Josh Holstein Republican2020 Ashford Boone
24 Jordan Bridges Republican2020 Logan Boone, Logan, Wyoming
Margitta Mazzocchi Republican2020 Chapmanville
25 Tony Paynter Republican2016 Hanover McDowell, Mercer, Wyoming
26 Ed Evans Democratic2016 Welch McDowell, Mercer
27 Joe Ellington Republican2010 Princeton Mercer, Raleigh
Marty Gearheart Republican2020 Bluefield
Doug Smith Republican2020 Princeton
28 Roy Cooper Republican2012 Wayside Monroe, Raleigh, Summers
Jeffrey Pack Republican2018 Cool Ridge
Jordan Maynor Republican2021 Beaver
29 Brandon Steele Republican2018 Beckley Raleigh
30 Mick Bates Democratic,
then
Republican
2014 Beckley Raleigh
31 Chris Toney Republican2018 Beckley Raleigh, Wyoming
32 Tom Fast Republican2014 Fayetteville Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Nicholas, Raleigh
Austin Haynes Republican2020 Oak Hill
Kayla Kessinger Republican2014 Mt. Hope
33 Roger Hanshaw Republican2014 Wallback Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer
34 Brent Boggs Democratic1996 Gassaway Braxton, Gilmer
35 Larry Pack Republican2020 Charleston Kanawha
Andrew Anderson Republican2022 Charleston
Moore Capito Republican2016 Charleston
Doug Skaff Democratic2018 South Charleston
Kayla Young Democratic2020 South Charleston
36 Jim Barach Democratic2020 Charleston Kanawha
Chris Pritt Republican2020 Charleston
Larry Rowe Democratic2014 Malden
37 Mike Pushkin Democratic2014 Charleston Kanawha
38 Dianna Graves Republican2017 Cross Lanes Kanawha, Putnam
39 Dana Ferrell Republican2020 Sissonville Kanawha
40 Dean Jeffries Republican2018 Elkview Kanawha
41 Heather Tully Republican2020 Summersville Greenbrier, Nicholas
42Barry BruceRepublican2020 Lewisburg Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers
Michael Honaker Republican2021 Lewisburg
Todd Longanacre Republican2020 Caldwell
43 Ty Nestor Republican2020 Elkins Pocahontas, Randolph
Cody Thompson Democratic2018 Elkins
44 Caleb Hanna Republican2018 Fenwick Nicholas, Randolph, Upshur, Webster
45 Carl Martin Republican2018 Buckhannon Upshur
46 Adam Burkhammer Republican2020 Horner Lewis, Upshur
47 Chris Phillips Republican2018 Buckhannon Barbour, Tucker
48 Danny Hamrick Republican2012 Lost Creek Harrison, Taylor
Laura Kimble Republican2020 Bridgeport
Ben Queen Republican2016 Bridgeport
Clay RileyRepublican2020 Shinnston
49 Amy Summers Republican2014 Flemington Marion, Monongalia, Taylor
50 Joey Garcia Democratic2020 Fairmont Marion
Phil MallowRepublican2020 Fairmont
Guy WardRepublican2020 White Hall
51 Barbara Fleischauer Democratic2006 Morgantown Monongalia
Evan Hansen Democratic2018 Morgantown
Joe Statler Republican2020 Core
Danielle Walker Democratic2018 Morgantown
John Williams Democratic2016 Morgantown
52 Terri Funk Sypolt Republican2016 Kingwood Preston
53D. Rolland JenningsRepublican2017 Thornton Preston, Tucker
54 John Paul Hott Republican2018 Petersburg Grant, Mineral, Pendleton
55Bryan WardRepublican2020 Fisher Hardy, Pendleton
56 Gary Howell Republican2010 Keyser Mineral
57 Ruth Rowan Republican2004 Points Hampshire, Mineral
58George A. MillerRepublican2020 Berkeley Springs Hampshire, Morgan
59 Ken Reed Republican2020 Hedgesville Berkeley, Morgan
60Don ForshtRepublican2020 Gerrardstown Berkeley
61 Jason Barrett Democratic,
then
Republican
2016 Martinsburg Berkeley
62 Chuck Horst Republican2020 Falling Waters Berkeley
63John HardyRepublican2018 Shepherdstown Berkeley
64 Eric Householder Republican2010 Martinsburg Berkeley
65Wayne ClarkRepublican2020 Charles Town Jefferson
66 Paul Espinosa Republican2012 Charles Town Jefferson
67 John Doyle Democratic2018 Shepherdstown Jefferson

Senate

Party leadership

PositionNamePartyDistrictCounty
Senate President/Lieutenant Governor Craig Blair Republican 15th Berkeley
President pro tempore Donna Boley Republican 3rd Pleasants
Majority Leader Tom Takubo Republican 17th Kanawha
Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin Democratic 10th Greenbrier
Majority Whip Ryan Weld Republican 1st Brooke
Minority Whip Mike Woelfel Democratic 5th Cabell

Vacancies

DistrictVacated byReason for changeSuccessorDate of appointment
1 William J. Ihlenfeld II (D)Resigned after being appointed as United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia by President Joe Biden. [8] Owens Brown (D)October 7, 2021
16 John Unger (D)Resigned after having been elected as a Berkeley County magistrate. [9] Hannah Geffert (D)September 29, 2021

Members

85th West Virginia Senate partisan composition by district WV Senate Composition.png
85th West Virginia Senate partisan composition by district

  Member left office during Legislature  Member appointed to fill vacancy

DistrictSenatorPartySinceResidenceCounties represented [10]
1 William Ihlenfeld Democratic2018 Wheeling Brooke, Hancock, Ohio, Marshall
Owens Brown Democratic2021 Wheeling
Ryan Weld Republican2016 Wellsburg
2 Charles H. Clements Republican2016 New Martinsville Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ritchie, Tyler, Wetzel
Mike Maroney Republican2016 Glen Dale
3 Mike Azinger Republican2016 Vienna Pleasants, Roane, Wirt, Wood
Donna Boley Republican1985 St. Marys
4 Amy Grady Republican2020 Leon Jackson, Mason, Putnam, Roane
Eric Tarr Republican2018 Scott Depot
5 Robert H. Plymale Democratic1992 Huntington Cabell, Wayne
Mike Woelfel Democratic2014 Huntington
6 Mark R. Maynard Republican2014 Genoa McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne
Chandler Swope Republican2016 Bluefield
7 Rupie Phillips Republican2020 Lorado Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Wayne
Ron Stollings Democratic2006 Madison
8 Glenn Jeffries Democratic2016 Red House Kanawha, Putnam
Richard Lindsay Democratic2018 Charleston
9 Rollan Roberts Republican2018 Beaver McDowell, Raleigh, Wyoming
David Stover Republican2020 Maben
10 Stephen Baldwin Democratic2017 Ronceverte Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers
Jack Woodrum Republican2020 Hinton
11 Bill Hamilton Republican2018 Buckhannon Grant, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur, Webster
Robert L. Karnes Republican2020 Helvetia
12 Patrick S. Martin Republican2020 Jane Lew Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis
Mike Romano Democratic2014 Bridgeport
13 Bob Beach Democratic2010 Morgantown Marion, Monongalia
Mike Caputo Democratic2020 Rivesville
14 Randy Smith Republican2016 Thomas Barbour, Grant, Hardy, Mineral, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor, Tucker
David Sypolt Republican2006 Kingwood
15 Craig Blair Republican2012 Martinsburg Berkeley, Hampshire, Mineral, Morgan
Charles S. Trump Republican2014 Berkeley Springs
16 John Unger Democratic1998 Martinsburg Berkeley, Jefferson
Hannah Geffert Democratic2021 Martinsburg
Patricia Rucker Republican2016 Harpers Ferry
17 Eric Nelson Republican2020 Charleston Kanawha
Tom Takubo Republican2014 Charleston

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References

  1. McElhinny, Brad (2021-01-09). "Derrick Evans resigns W.Va. House after entering U.S. Capitol with mob". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  2. Staff Reports (2021-07-22). "Del. Jeffrey Pack named commissioner for West Virginia DHHR's new Bureau for Social Services". WV News. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  3. "W.Va. lawmaker resigns after moving to another county". Associated Press. 2021-11-09. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  4. McElhinny, Brad (2021-12-13). "Delegate Barry Bruce resigns, citing health needs". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  5. McElhinny, Brad (2022-06-09). "Delegate Joe Jeffries, who stirred controversy with saucy video, has resigned his seat early". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  6. "Larry Pack to join Gov. Justice's Administration as Senior Advisor". governor.wv.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  7. "Senate District Maps - 2010 Plan". West Virginia Legislature. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  8. "Northern District of West Virginia | William J. Ihlenfeld, II sworn in as United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. 2021-10-12. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  9. Staff, MetroNews (2021-08-13). "Unger leaving Senate to do 'greatest good' as magistrate". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  10. "Senate District Maps – 2010 Plan". West Virginia Legislature. Retrieved 7 July 2016.