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Robert Karnes
Robert Karnes (Republican Party) was a member of the West Virginia State Senate, representing District 11. He assumed office on December 1, 2020. He left office on December 1, 2024.
Karnes (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the West Virginia State Senate to represent District 11. He lost in the Republican primary on May 14, 2024.
Biography
Robert Karnes' career experience includes working as a life guard, in the construction industry, as a satellite communications technician, a database programmer, a field engineer, a network engineer, and operating a communications business.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org
2023-2024
Karnes was assigned to the following committees:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Energy, Industry and Mining Committee
- Senate School Choice Committee
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Workforce Committee
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| West Virginia committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Education, Vice chair |
| • Health and Human Resources |
| • Judiciary |
| • Natural Resources |
| • Workforce |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Karnes served on the following committees:
| West Virginia committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Agriculture and Rural Development |
| • Education |
| • Health and Human Resources |
| • Interstate Cooperation, Vice-Chair |
| • Judiciary |
| • Labor |
| • Natural Resources, Chair |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: West Virginia State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for West Virginia State Senate District 11
Robbie Morris defeated Mandy Smith Weirich in the general election for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robbie Morris (R) | 75.9 | 31,279 |
| Mandy Smith Weirich (D) | 24.1 | 9,913 | ||
| Total votes: 41,192 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11
Mandy Smith Weirich advanced from the Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on May 14, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Mandy Smith Weirich | 100.0 | 5,093 | |
| Total votes: 5,093 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11
Robbie Morris defeated incumbent Robert Karnes in the Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on May 14, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robbie Morris | 65.9 | 9,199 |
 | Robert Karnes | 34.1 | 4,765 | |
| Total votes: 13,964 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Karnes in this election.
2020
See also: West Virginia State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for West Virginia State Senate District 11
Robert Karnes defeated Denise L. Campbell in the general election for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Karnes (R) | 51.4 | 23,364 |
 | Denise L. Campbell (D) | 48.6 | 22,116 | |
| Total votes: 45,480 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11
Denise L. Campbell advanced from the Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Denise L. Campbell | 100.0 | 10,618 |
| Total votes: 10,618 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11
Robert Karnes defeated incumbent John Pitsenbarger in the Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Karnes | 54.0 | 7,778 |
| John Pitsenbarger | 46.0 | 6,618 | ||
| Total votes: 14,396 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for West Virginia State Senate District 11
William Hamilton defeated Laura Finch in the general election for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | William Hamilton (R) | 70.4 | 23,718 |
| Laura Finch (D) | 29.6 | 9,953 | ||
| Total votes: 33,671 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11
Laura Finch defeated Margaret Kerr Beckwith in the Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Laura Finch | 52.4 | 5,087 | |
 | Margaret Kerr Beckwith | 47.6 | 4,617 | |
| Total votes: 9,704 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11
William Hamilton defeated incumbent Robert Karnes in the Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 11 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | William Hamilton | 62.3 | 6,523 |
| Robert Karnes | 37.7 | 3,955 | |
| Total votes: 10,478 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
Elections for the West Virginia State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 13, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 25, 2014. Incumbent Gregory A. Tucker was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Steve Foster was defeated by Robert L. Karnes in the Republican primary. Karnes defeated Tucker in the general election.[2][3][4]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Robert L. Karnes |
55.6% | 15,171 | |
| Democratic | Gregory A. Tucker Incumbent | 44.4% | 12,122 | |
| Total Votes | 27,293 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Robert L. Karnes |
53.1% | 3,327 |
| Steve Foster | 46.9% | 2,941 |
| Total Votes | 6,268 | |
2012
Karnes ran in the 2012 election for West Virginia House of Delegates, District 44. Karnes defeated Duane Borchers, Sr. in the May 8 primary election and was defeated by Dana L. Lynch in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[5][6][7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dana Lynch |
59.9% | 3,351 | |
| Republican | Robert Karnes | 40.1% | 2,240 | |
| Total Votes | 5,591 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Robert Karnes |
58.7% | 484 |
| Duane Borchers, Sr. | 41.3% | 341 |
| Total Votes | 825 | |
Endorsements
In 2012, Karnes was endorsed by the following:[8]
- National Rifle Association (NRA)
- National Federation of Independent Business
- West Virginians for Life
- Sue Blake Andersen
- FARM PAC
- John Sandy
- Patriot Coal
- West Virginia Family Foundation
- Tim Woody
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Robert Karnes did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Robert Karnes did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2012
Karnes' website highlighted the following campaign themes:
Pro Education
- Excerpt: "Parents, teachers and local school boards need more flexibility to shape the education of their children. It is silly to think a bureaucrat and a union representative meeting behind closed doors in Charleston to formulate “policy” care more for our kids than the parents who changed the diapers and baited the hooks or the teachers who have spent years in the classroom providing individualized attention to the children entrusted to them."
Pro Growth
- Excerpts:
- "Lower taxes and simplify both the corporate and personal tax codes."
- "Eliminate sales tax on food. (I also oppose imposing sales tax on air and water.)"
- "Help small businesses get established and grow by exempting the first $100,000 in profit from corporate taxes. Small businesses are West Virginia’s and the nation’s primary job creators. We need to recognize this fact and reward them. Currently we tax them heavily so we can give Amazon.com a tax cut."
Pro Gun
- Excerpt: "I am a firm supporter of the 2nd amendment. I support concealed carry laws that reduce the burden on law abiding citizens exercising their 2nd amendment rights. I oppose any form of monthly gun “allowance” that would hinder our right to purchase firearms."
Pro Life
- Excerpt: "I am a strong pro-life advocate. I believe Roe v Wade to be wholly without constitutional foundation. At the state level we need to ensure that public funding is never used to pay for abortion services. We should also help young mothers by making life the easy choice and by streamlining adoption procedures. I support the PersonHood movement’s efforts to extend 14th amendment protections to the unborn."
Pro Family
- Excerpt: "Focusing on educational basics instead of social engineering means not undermining the authority of parents or denigrating their religious beliefs. I support the ParentalRights Amendment."
Energy
- Excerpt: "At present taxes and regulatory barricades make it easier for companies to send the jobs out of state. We need to review both tax and regulatory structures to figure out how we can encourage the creation of more of these jobs right here in West Virginia."==Campaign donors==
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.
2018
| West Virginia State Senate District 11 2018 election - Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Top individual contributors to Robert Karnes's campaign in 2018 | |
| KARNES, ROBERT LEE | $8,051.05 |
| MULLINS, JEFFREY K | $1,000.00 |
| BLAIR, CRAIG | $1,000.00 |
| GAUNCH, CHARLES EDWARD (ED) | $1,000.00 |
| PACK SR, LAWRENCE A (LARRY) | $1,000.00 |
| Total Raised in 2018 | $39,441.05 |
| Source: Follow the Money | |
2014
Karnes won election to the West Virginia State Senate in 2014. During that election cycle, Karnes raised a total of $74,265.
| West Virginia State Senate 2014 election - Campaign Contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Robert Karnes's campaign in 2014 | ||||
| Karnes, Robert L | $55,545 | |||
| Leslie, John | $2,000 | |||
| Petree, Clarence R | $2,000 | |||
| Alpha Natural Resources | $1,000 | |||
| Cole Iii, William Paul | $1,000 | |||
| Total Raised in 2014 | $74,265 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
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.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of West Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
In 2024, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 10 to March 9. A special session began on September 30 and adjourned on October 8.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on firearms issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 11 to March 11.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 12 to March 12.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from February 10 to April 10.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 10 through March 10.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from February 8 through April 9. The legislature held a special session from May 4 to June 26. The legislature held its second special session from August 1 to September 15.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 13 through March 12.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 14 through March 14.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate West Virginia State Senate District 11 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Inter-Mountain, "Karnes announces candidacy for 11th Senatorial district," January 25, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," accessed February 7, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results," accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ WBOY.com, "West Virginia General Election Results November 6, 2012" accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - General Election - November 6, 2012," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - Primary Election - May 8, 2012," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ karnesfordelegate.com, "Endorsements"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Pitsenbarger (R) |
West Virginia State Senate District 11 2020-2024 |
Succeeded by Robbie Morris (R) |
| Preceded by - |
West Virginia State Senate District 11 2015-2018 |
Succeeded by William Hamilton (R) |
