Richie Robb

Richie Robb (Democratic Party) is running in a special election to the West Virginia State Senate to represent District 17. He declared candidacy for the special Democratic primary scheduled on May 12, 2026.^[source]

Biography

Richie Robb was born in Huntington, West Virginia. He served in the United States Army from April 2, 1969, to January 6, 1971. Robb received a bachelor's degree from Marshall University in 1969 and a J.D. from Capital University College of Law in 1983.

Robb served as mayor of South Charleston, West Virginia, from 1975 to 2007. His professional experience includes being an attorney. Robb has been associated with the National Silver Hair Congress, Better Medical Care in West Virginia, Veterans Committee of West Virginia, and the State Bar.^[1]

Elections

2026

General election

The primary will occur on May 12, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Special Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 17

Ted Boettner (D) and Richie Robb (D) are running in the special Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 17 on May 12, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Ted Boettner
		Richie Robb

	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Republican primary

Special Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 17

Incumbent Anne Charnock (R) and Michael Jarrouj (R) are running in the special Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 17 on May 12, 2026.

		Candidate
		Anne Charnock
	Submit photo	Michael Jarrouj

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Endorsements

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2024

General election

General election for Attorney General of West Virginia

John B. McCuskey defeated Teresa Toriseva in the general election for Attorney General of West Virginia on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	John B. McCuskey (R)	70.0	501,452
	Teresa Toriseva (D)	30.0	214,654

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 716,106
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Attorney General of West Virginia

Teresa Toriseva defeated Richie Robb in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of West Virginia on May 14, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Teresa Toriseva	52.7	50,480
	Richie Robb	47.3	45,356

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 95,836
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Attorney General of West Virginia

John B. McCuskey defeated Mike Stuart in the Republican primary for Attorney General of West Virginia on May 14, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	John B. McCuskey	59.8	117,263
	Mike Stuart	40.2	78,745

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 196,008
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Ryan Weld (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Robb in this election.

2020

United States Senate election in West Virginia, 2020 (June 9 Republican primary)

United States Senate election in West Virginia, 2020 (June 9 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. Senate West Virginia

Incumbent Shelley Moore Capito defeated Paula Jean Swearengin and David Moran in the general election for U.S. Senate West Virginia on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Shelley Moore Capito (R)	70.3	547,454
	Paula Jean Swearengin (D)	27.0	210,309
	David Moran (L)	2.7	21,155

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 778,918
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Franklin Riley (Unaffiliated)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia

Paula Jean Swearengin defeated Richard Ojeda and Richie Robb in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia on June 9, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Paula Jean Swearengin	38.3	71,725
	Richard Ojeda	32.9	61,712
	Richie Robb	28.8	53,944

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 187,381
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia

Incumbent Shelley Moore Capito defeated Allen Whitt and Larry Butcher in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Shelley Moore Capito	83.3	173,331
		Allen Whitt	9.6	19,972
	Submit photo	Larry Butcher	7.1	14,673

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 207,976
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Candidate profile

Richie Robb

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office:

Mayor of South Charleston, West Virginia (1975-2007)

Submitted Biography: "I was Mayor of South Charleston (WV 10th largest city) from 1975 to 2007. I was awarded the Bronze Star in Vietnam and am a practicing attorney. I was also captain of the football team at Marshall University. I am married to a school teacher. I have two children and a delightful 5-year old granddaughter. I grew up and was later mayor for 32 years in a town that was one of the most prosperous in America. That is no longer the case or even close to it. Thousands of good paying jobs have left this town and state. I want to bring them back ASAP!"

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Good Jobs. Senators Byrd and Rockefeller brought good jobs to WV. So will I.

Medical care affordable, accessible and easy to understand.

Reduce economic inequality.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate West Virginia in 2020.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

Richie Robb has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Richie Robb, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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2024

Richie Robb completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Robb's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Mayor of South Charleston 1975-2007. Vietnam Veteran-Bronze Star. Statewide law practice and one of few WV lawyers admitted to practice before Supreme Court of United States.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Fight against increasing utility rates
Bolster consumer protection
Assist prosecution white collar crime and public corruption

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

See above three positions.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Honest and Courageous

The National Association of Attorneys General has described the office as being at the "intersection of law and public policy." What does that mean to you?

Just what it says. I agree

The attorney general often sets policy priorities for law enforcement. For example, a state's attorney general may decide to dedicate extra resources to combat human trafficking. Are there certain areas of law enforcement that you would emphasize?

Public corruption and white-collar crime

A state's attorney general has many responsibilities. Which of those do you personally consider the most important?

Consumer protection and public corruption

Attorneys general can represent their states in legal conflicts with the federal government. Do you consider this an important part of an attorney general's responsibilities?

Yes

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a state's attorney general to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Churchill and two Roosevelts - courageous and far-sighted.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Anything on Churchill or two Roosevelt Presidents

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and Integrity

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Courageous and Far-sighted

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Consumer protection and public corruption

What legacy would you like to leave?

Made consumer cheats fear West Virginia.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Kennedy 1960 WV primary election

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Assistant College Football Coach - one year

What is your favorite book? Why?

Anything on Churchill or two Roosevelts

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

James Bond

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Shake it of by Taylor Swift

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Practice of law in behalf of ordinary citizens.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Why did chicken cross the road? Vote for Robb

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

none to date

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Absolute!!!

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Richie Robb completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Robb's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was Mayor of South Charleston (WV 10th largest city) from 1975 to 2007. I was awarded the Bronze Star in Vietnam and am a practicing attorney. I was also captain of the football team at Marshall University. I am married to a school teacher. I have two children and a delightful 5-year old granddaughter. I grew up and was later mayor for 32 years in a town that was one of the most prosperous in America. That is no longer the case or even close to it. Thousands of good paying jobs have left this town and state. I want to bring them back ASAP!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Good Jobs. Senators Byrd and Rockefeller brought good jobs to WV. So will I.
Medical care affordable, accessible and easy to understand.
Reduce economic inequality.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Bringing good jobs to West Virginia. We have been left behind, This state has many wonderful
qualities but we need good jobs and need them now.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I admire Winston Churchill because of his courage in the face of adversity and much criticism.

This business is easy when telling people what they want to hear. However, to achieve meaningful

goals, it takes courage, intelligence and perseverance.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I like military history. Perhaps movies as Saving Private Ryan and Platoon are good. They emphasize
a struggle for good and demonstrate perseverance.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and Integrity

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Courage, intelligence and perseverance

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Representing constituents and applying one's best judgment.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Brought good jobs to West Virginia.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

My military service in Vietnam was a traumatic experience that made me realize the importance of
public policy. I have been engaged in public affairs since leaving the military nearly 50 years ago.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

First real job I can recall was being a coach of the Marshall University freshman football team. I had exhausted all of my eligibility as a varsity player yet still needed a semester for my degree. I was hired as a coach and we were undefeated. Two years later most of these players were killed in a plane crash. I learned about this from helicopter pilots bringing us a warm Thanksgiving meal in Vietnam. I did not go back to Marshall for years as it was too painful.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I read constantly and have always been a reader, primarily non-fiction. I particularly books about Churchill
and both Roosevelts (FDR and TR).

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I read very little fiction but loved Ian Fleming's James Bond books growing up.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I sang Country Roads (Almost Heaven West Virginia) loudly and proudly whenever it came over the
radio when I was delivering my campaign signs around the state.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Mechanical apptitude

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

(1) Climate Change (2) Income Inequality (3) Medical Care

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Being the smaller of the two legislative bodies and power to approve presidential appointments and treaties make it unique.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think experience helps because it should give one a background to achieve goals. I want to bring good jobs to West Virginia. This is not being done. With my experience and given the importance of the office (there are only 100), I believe it can be done.

What do you think of the filibuster?

While it can be viewed as undemocratic, I think at the same time it can be used to raise additional
issues for a deliberative body as the US Senate to consider.

What criteria would you apply when deciding whether to confirm presidential appointees?

Honesty and Integrity

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other senators?

Absolutely!

If you are not a current senator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Appropriations/Finance/Judiciary

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. Senate, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I would be interested for the purpose of getting things rather than delay and obfuscation that too often
seems to occur.

Is there a particular senator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I liked Robert Byrd, Jay Rockefeller and Jennings Randolph.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Richie Robb campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Attorney General of West Virginia	Lost primary	$2,297	$1,736
2020	U.S. Senate West Virginia	Lost primary	$25,833	$22,139
Grand total			$28,130	$23,875
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 15, 2020

[show]

Current members of the West Virginia State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Randy Smith

Majority Leader:Patrick Martin

Minority Leader:Mike Woelfel

Senators

District 1

Laura Wakim Chapman (R)

Ryan Weld (R)

District 2

Charles Clements (R)

Christopher Rose (R)

District 3

Mike Azinger (R)

Trenton Barnhart (R)

District 4

Amy Grady (R)

Eric Tarr (R)

District 5

Scott Fuller (R)

Mike Woelfel (D)

District 6

Craig Hart (R)

Mark Maynard (R)

District 7

Zack Maynard (R)

Rupie Phillips (R)

District 8

T. Kevan Bartlett (R)

Glenn Jeffries (R)

District 9

Brian Helton (R)

Rollan Roberts (R)

District 10

Vince Deeds (R)

Jack Woodrum (R)

District 11

William Hamilton (R)

Robbie Morris (R)

District 12

Patrick Martin (R)

Ben Queen (R)

District 13

Joey Garcia (D)

Mike Oliverio (R)

District 14

Randy Smith (R)

Jay Taylor (R)

District 15

Darren Thorne (R)

Tom Willis (R)

District 16

Jason Barrett (R)

Patricia Rucker (R)

District 17

Anne Charnock (R)

Tom Takubo (R)

Republican Party (32)

Democratic Party (2)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 15, 2020

[1]

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Richie Robb

Biography

Elections

2026

General election

Democratic primary

Special Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 17

Republican primary

Special Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 17

Endorsements

2024

General election

General election for Attorney General of West Virginia

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Attorney General of West Virginia

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Attorney General of West Virginia

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

2020

General election

General election for U.S. Senate West Virginia

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia

Candidate profile

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

2024

2020

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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