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United States Senate election in West Virginia (May 8, 2018 Republican primary)

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U.S. Senate, West Virginia
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: January 27, 2018
Primary: May 8, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent:
Joe Manchin III (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Voting in West Virginia
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Lean Democratic
Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
U.S. Senate, West Virginia
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd
West Virginia elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) defeated coal mining executive Don Blankenship (R) and Rep. Evan Jenkins (R) in the three-way battle for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in West Virginia.

The primary was one of the most expensive Senate races in 2018.[1] Blankenship blanketed the airwaves with more than $1 million in self-funded digital and television ads beginning in 2017 to promote his candidacy. Many of these ads stated that Blankenship had been falsely prosecuted and convicted for a 2015 federal misdemeanor related to the fatal Upper Big Branch mine explosion.[2]

Mountain Families PAC, which has links to the national Republican Party, also highlighted the misdemeanor, launching a $1.3 million ad campaign calling Blankenship a “convicted criminal." Following the ad buy, Blankenship accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of meddling in the election.[3][4]

Jenkins and Morrisey both faced offensives from a super PAC with Democratic ties. Duty and Country PAC spent $1.8 million on opposition ads against Jenkins and Morrisey.[4] Jenkins alleged the PAC was targeting him to boost Blankenship's chances of winning and provide a more favorable opponent for incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin (D).[5][6]

Altogether, satellite organizations spent more than $4 million on the race.[7]

Following the primary, Blankenship accepted the Constitution Party's nomination for the seat. West Virginia law, however, prevents any candidate who participated in a primary for a recognized political party from running again as a third party or independent candidate.[8][9] The state Attorney General's Office retained outside counsel in June to represent the state in the event Blankenship's candidacy was challenged.[9]

Republicans considered the Senate race in West Virginia one of the party’s best opportunities to change a seat from Democratic to Republican control. Donald Trump (R) defeated Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election by 42 points—the second-largest margin of victory in any state.[10][11]

West Virginia voter? Here's what you need to know.
Primary electionMay 8, 2018
Candidate filing deadlineJanuary 27, 2018
Registration deadlineApril 17, 2018
Absentee application deadlineMay 2, 2018
General electionNovember 6, 2018
Voting information
Primary typeSemi-closed
Early voting deadlineMay 5, 2018
Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day.


For more on related elections, please see:


Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia on May 8, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate West Virginia

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Patrick Morrisey
Patrick Morrisey
 
34.9
 
48,007
Image of Evan Jenkins
Evan Jenkins
 
29.2
 
40,185
Image of Don Blankenship
Don Blankenship
 
20.0
 
27,478
Image of Tom Willis
Tom Willis
 
9.8
 
13,540
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Bo Copley
 
3.1
 
4,248
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Jack Newbrough
 
3.0
 
4,115

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 137,573
Candidate Connection = 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Top candidates

The candidates below either led in polls, received support from U.S. elected officials, or were mentioned by media coverage as top contenders. They are listed in alphabetical order.

Republican Party Don Blankenship (R)

Don Blankenship Square.jpg

Blankenship is the former chief executive of Massey Energy, a mining company that had large operations in West Virginia. He was convicted of conspiring to violate mine safety and health standards in 2015, following the fatal Upper Big Branch Mine explosion, and served one year in prison for the misdemeanor.[12][13]

"I'm running because I think I can make a difference. I don't think West Virginia has to be on the bottom of every list. I think I can make a very real difference in the way people have to live in West Virginia," Blankenship said in an interview in December 2017.[14] He also noted that he believed his prosecution under the Obama administration was "a badge of honor."[15]

Blankenship said that his platform was closer to President Trump's than any other candidate's in West Virginia, given his focus on regulations, trade policy, and immigration.[14][15] Blankenship self-funded his election bid; he contributed $400,000 to his campaign in 2017.[16]

Republican Party Evan Jenkins (R)

Evan Jenkins Official.jpg

Jenkins was first elected to represent West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District in 2014, after switching his political affiliation from Democratic to Republican.[17] He previously served in the West Virginia State Senate, representing District 5, from 2002 to 2014. Jenkins was also the CEO of the West Virginia Medical Foundation and the former co-chairman of the Health Care Committee in the West Virginia State Chamber of Commerce.[18]

"With Donald Trump in the White House, we’ve got a real chance to turn things around. He needs our help, and I need your help. West Virginia needs your help. We can’t let liberal New York millionaires and D.C. lobbyists buy this race or the Senate, but if we do this together, there’s no way we can lose," Jenkins said when announcing his candidacy.[19] He was endorsed by state auditor John B. McCuskey (R).[20]

On his campaign website, opposing the privatization of Social Security, supporting anti-abortion policies, and enacting national firearms reciprocity laws were listed as some of his policy priorities.[21]

Republican Party Patrick Morrisey (R)

Patrick J Morrisey.jpg

Morrisey had practiced law since 1992 and took part in the multi-state challenge to the federal Affordable Care Act of 2010, counseling Congress members who sought to repeal it.[22] He unseated five-term incumbent state attorney general Darrell McGraw (D) in 2012.[23] A February 2013 article in Governing named Morrisey as one of the top state Republican officials to watch.[24]

"We need someone who is going to take on Washington corruption and advance conservative values. There is so much we can do if we have a conservative with principles going to Washington. And someone who is willing to take on the mess. As your senator, I'll stand with President Trump and we will beat the Washington elites," Morrisey said in a video announcing his candidacy.[25] Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) endorsed him.

His campaign website listed fighting substance abuse, fiscal responsibility, and protecting senior citizens as policy priorities, among others.[26]

Candidate forums and debates

Fox News Debate, May 1, 2018
WVPB/The Intelligencer Debate, April 23, 2018

Campaign themes and policy stances

Campaign themes

The policy positions below were mentioned in interviews or listed on the candidates' websites.

Republican Party Don Blankenship

Blankenship was interviewed by WVVA on December 5, 2017, following his campaign announcement. The bolded questions and Blankenship's responses follow below.

The first question is a simple one. Why are you running?

“ I'm running because I think I can make a difference. I don't think West Virginia has to be on the bottom of every list. I think I can make a very real difference in the way people have to live in West Virginia.[27] ”
—Don Blankenship[28]

Are you in it to win it?

“ We'll see. I have to see if I can get into the right position. I don't like to lose. That's why I call myself a competitionist on my website. But we'll see. It's hard to beat a lifetime politician. It's sad but the best liars usually win. I don't intend to lie to the public. Sometimes people don't like to hear the truth. But I think they're tired of hearing Manchin and Jenkins telling them what they're going to do but it never gets done.[27] ”
—Don Blankenship[28]

You're a wealthy man. You could retire and enjoy a nice life. Why public service?

“ I've been around West Virginia and lived in poverty, been in the working class, worked in the coal mines. I'm now wealthy, but I remember how it was. I know more than people in D.C. how hard is to not be able to afford a cheer leading outfit for your kid, pay for your ga,s and mortgage. And I'm fed up with people like Joe Manchin and Evan Jenkins promising something all the time and never doing anything.[27] ”
—Don Blankenship[28]

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin has suggested this is all part of a backroom deal with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. What does he mean?

“ I have no idea. It's a disjointed comment as far as I can tell. Mitch McConnell and I haven't spoken in six or seven years and I don't agree with a lot of his positions. And certainly I've had no discussion with him on whether to run.[27] ”
—Don Blankenship[28]

There's been a lot of speculation in some of the Charleston papers as to whether you are even a West Virginia resident. Are you?

“ I'm a West Virginia resident. I've been a West Virginia resident most of my life. I consider myself a West Virginian. My heart is in West Virginia. I'm legally qualified to run in West Virginia, but I have homes also in other places. But I spend half my time here. [27] ”
—Don Blankenship[28]

Let's say you win...what's your first move in Washington?

“ Sit down with President Trump and others and make sure we know how we compare to other places in the world. We've got to quit arguing among ourselves. We've got to take care of the people in the United States. Trump understands that, whether it's the wall or illegal immigration or trade policy. But we have to move now if we have any chance of catching up.[27] ”
—Don Blankenship[28]

What is the biggest misconception you believe people make about you?

“ The biggest misconception is that I'm responsible or at fault for the explosion at UBB. I hadn't been in that mine for 10 or 15 years. The government had been in the mine everyday. They had cut the air in half. They lied about what happened after that. I'm trying to make sure open-minded people understand that. [27] ”
—Don Blankenship[28]

Republican Party Evan Jenkins

“

PROTECTING SENIORS Protecting the benefits seniors have earned over a lifetime of hard work is one of Evan Jenkins’ top priorities. That’s why he will fight to thwart any schemes to privatize Social Security, or renege on the Medicare promise that Washington made to our seniors.

Seniors struggling on a fixed income depend on Social Security and Medicare; these programs should be strengthened, not dismantled.

Evan has been a champion for military veterans and retired coal miners and their families. He co-sponsored the Coal Healthcare and Pensions Protection Act and successfully fought to ensure funding for black lung benefits; now our coal families can rest assured that the benefits they were promised will continue to be there. Evan has also worked to make sure Washington honors the sacrifices our veterans have made by protecting their pension benefits and fixing the VA mess.

PRO-LIFE LEADER Evan Jenkins is deeply committed to upholding the sanctity of life and protecting the unborn. He believes the right-to-life is the most basic of human rights, and is a passionate advocate of pro-life causes.

His 100% rating from pro-life groups is a testament to his conviction that life begins at conception, and that every human being is worthy of dignity and respect.

In Congress, Evan has voted to stop taxpayer funded abortions and fought to investigate Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers for the horrific practice of buying and selling the body parts of unborn babies.

As a state legislator, Evan supported legislation to end partial-birth abortion, require abortion providers to notify pregnant women of alternatives to abortion, and codify that unborn children in the womb are also treated as victims in violent crimes against pregnant women.

2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS New York liberals like Michael Bloomberg and Chuck Schumer would repeal the Second Amendment if they could; they have no regard for our constitutional rights and our special way of life in West Virginia.

As our senator, Evan Jenkins will fight tooth and nail to defend the Second Amendment when it’s under attack. Evan’s work in Congress to stop liberal assaults on our gun rights has earned him an A Rating from the National Rifle Association, because he understands that our God-given freedoms and constitutional rights are not up for negotiation.

Believing that the right to own a gun represents a fundamental founding principle of our country – and committed to ensuring West Virginians have the ability to defend themselves and their families – Evan Jenkins will push for legislation to enact national Right-to-Carry Reciprocity.

JOBS & THE ECONOMY Evan Jenkins understands that in West Virginia, coal is not just our economic lifeblood – it is an important part of who we are – and we must do more to expand our state’s economic base.

That’s why he co-sponsored the RECLAIM Act to bring $1 billion in economic diversification funding to hard-hit coal communities; helped pass a highway bill that invests billions in the construction & repair of West Virginia’s infrastructure; and has worked to foster new growth industries such as tourism and high-tech research.

And Jenkins stood up to both parties’ by voting to deny President Obama the authority to fast-track trade deals, such as TPP, that fail to protect good-paying West Virginia jobs from going overseas.

Evan firmly believes that “a good job solves a lot of problems” – and that getting people back to work is critical to ending the opioid crisis that has destroyed too many lives.

WEST VIRGINIA COAL Evan Jenkins is working with President Trump to reverse the damage done by Obama’s War on Coal and roll back his job-killing legacy. He strongly opposed Obama’s cap-and-trade scheme, an anti-coal carbon tax, and job-killing EPA regulations. Evan understands that in West Virginia, coal is not just our economic lifeblood – it’s an important part of who we are.

In Congress, Evan championed legislation that stopped Obama’s parting shot on his War on Coal, saving one-third of American coal jobs.

Evan knows our coal miners put themselves at great risk to keep the lights on for our country; they earned their benefits, and that’s why he pushed for a permanent fix to protect the health care benefits they deserve. As your voice in Congress, he fought to protect black lung benefits and will never turn his back on our coal miners and their families.[27]

”
—Evan Jenkins for U.S. Senate[29]

Republican Party Patrick Morrisey

“

FIGHTING SUBSTANCE ABUSE According to the Martinsburg Journal, “no state official has been more effective in the struggle against drug abuse” than Patrick Morrisey. Morrisey created the state’s first ever substance abuse fighting unit, and his office reached the largest settlement with pharmaceutical distributors in the state’s history, totaling $47 million.

Morrisey also ramped up the state’s educational efforts to fight substance abuse, holding hundreds of seminars and public meetings to educate kids, community leaders, and seniors.

As U.S. Senator, Morrisey will work with local, state, and federal authorities to better coordinate law enforcement efforts between these groups. He will continue to promote cost effective treatment options for patients and press for tougher sentences for drug kingpins.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY Growing up in a working-class family gave Morrisey an appreciation for how to stretch a dollar. As Attorney General, he has worked to protect taxpayer dollars, voluntarily returning over $40 million to the state general fund and state agencies. In 2016, Morrisey initiated the first-ever disability fraud unit in the Attorney General’s office, saving taxpayers $4.4 million in the first 15 months. As U.S. Senator, Morrisey will work to promote additional federal-state partnerships to combat fraud, waste, and abuse.

With the country’s debt spiraling out of control under President Obama, Morrisey wants to permanently curb Washington’s appetite for spending. Morrisey supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to force Washington to balances its books just like West Virginia families do every day.

FIGHTING FOR OUR SENIORS Our country made a solemn promise to our seniors, and we must do everything to keep that promise. While it’s important to consider reforms to keep Social Security and Medicare solvent, we should not make changes that would negatively impact retirees or those nearing retirement.

During his tenure as Attorney General, Morrisey stood strong for seniors, working to protect them from scams and consumer fraud. As U.S. Senator, Patrick Morrisey will look out for seniors and veterans and target government resources to those who need it most – this includes the many low-income West Virginians on fixed incomes who cannot afford changes to their retirement plans when they are enjoying their golden years.

TERM LIMITS Patrick Morrisey strongly supports term limits and would vote for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that places limitations on the number of terms members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate may serve.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONSERVATIVE VALUES As Attorney General, Morrisey was one of the most aggressive defenders of our Constitution. He led a 27-state coalition to defeat President Obama’s top anti-coal initiative at the U.S. Supreme Court. Morrisey successfully stood up to President Obama again when he helped lead a coalition of 30 states against the radical “waters of the United States” rule, which would have crippled West Virginia farmers, homeowners, those in energy jobs, and small business owners.

On issue after issue, Morrisey took on and led fights against the Obama administration, while defending the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, the Fourth Amendment, the Tenth Amendment, and many other parts of our Constitution.

The U. S. Senate needs another constitutional conservative with the courage to defend the people’s rights against an expansive federal government. In the U. S. Senate, Morrisey will continue to ensure that no one – including the federal government – runs roughshod over West Virginia.

TRADITIONAL VALUES A lifelong Republican, Morrisey has been a champion for West Virginia conservative values. One hundred percent pro-life, Morrisey’s advocacy helped lead to passage of the Pain-Capable law in West Virginia.

Morrisey believes that government has a duty to protect innocent life and supports overturning Roe v. Wade. He opposes taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, and has pushed the state legislature and Congress to end funding to this organization.

Morrisey is a staunch advocate for religious freedom and was one of several Attorneys General to join the legal efforts supporting Hobby Lobby. Morrisey supports the nomination of conservative judges who will protect our constitutional rights and not legislate from the bench.

SECOND AMENDMENT Morrisey’s record on Second Amendment issues is second to none in West Virginia, earning an A+ rating from the NRA and West Virginia Citizen’s Defense League. As Attorney General, he dramatically expanded reciprocity rights for gun owners and strongly supported passage of constitutional carry legislation in West Virginia. His office has regularly written legal briefs arguing in favor of gun rights. As your U.S. Senator, he will continue his Second Amendment advocacy and fight the radical gun control lobby at every turn.

SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION Maintaining a strong national defense is essential to preserving American exceptionalism and freedom. The world is growing increasingly dangerous, and our security interests must focus on pressing threats, including, but not limited to, eliminating ISIS and stopping the development of the North Korea and Iran nuclear programs.

As a country of immigrants, Morrisey appreciates that America is a melting pot of different ethnicities, religious backgrounds, history, and culture. At the same time, the country’s lax immigration laws pose a security risk to our homeland.

That is why Morrisey successfully filed suit against the Obama amnesty program and opposes sanctuary cities. Morrisey recently led a 10-state effort in support of President Trump’s anti-sanctuary city policy.

Morrisey believes we need a comprehensive plan to tackle illegal immigration and protect our country, including more aggressive efforts to track the flow of visitors into our country; building a wall; establishing more thorough vetting of security risks, and pushing greater coordination between law enforcement agencies.

JOBS AND ECONOMY West Virginia is still suffering from President Obama’s reckless regulatory policies and executive actions. Congress can help undo some of the damage by permanently repealing Obama’s onerous regulations and enacting comprehensive tax reform.

The current tax system is riddled with loopholes that rewards politically connected corporations at the expense of hardworking taxpayers and small business owners. A simpler, flatter tax system will kick-start economic growth and empower entrepreneurs to create new businesses and hire new employees.

In addition to tax reform, Morrisey believes West Virginia must continue to invest in its infrastructure to meet the needs of its citizens and businesses. For West Virginia to reach its potential, it must improve its roads, bridges, dams, and high-speed internet capacity. As Attorney General, Morrisey reached a record-breaking settlement with Frontier Communications that required the company to invest $150 million into the state’s high-speed internet infrastructure. As U.S. Senator, he will promote the state and encourage new private sector companies to locate here.[27]

”
—Patrick Morrisey for Senate[30]

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
U.S. Senate election in West Virginia, Republican primary
Poll Patrick Morrisey (R) Evan Jenkins (R)Don Blankenship (R)Undecided/OtherMargin of ErrorSample Size
Public Opinion Strategies (commissioned by Morrisey)
April 22-23, 2018		 28%26%15%18%+/-4.4500
Fox News
April 18-22, 2018		 21%25%16%39%+/-3.0985
GOPAC
April 17-19, 2018		 24%20%12%44%+/-4.9411
Harper Polling
March 2018		 19%29%27%23%+/-4.4500
Osage Research
March 2018		 24%17%22%37%+/-4.4500
Harper Polling
February 5-6, 2018		 25%33%18%24%+/-4.4500
Fabrizio, Lee and Associates
October 19-22, 2017		 40%34%0%26%+/-4.9400
Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Republican Party Don Blankenship

Support
"My Dad" - Blankenship campaign ad, released February 19, 2018
"My Enemies" - Blankenship campaign ad, released March 8, 2018


Oppose
"Price" - Mountain Families PAC ad, released April 27, 2018

Republican Party Evan Jenkins

Support
"Evan Jenkins Announces Senate Bid" - Jenkins campaign ad, released May 8, 2017
"Almost" - Jenkins campaign ad, released March 9, 2018
"Backwards" - Jenkins campaign ad, released March 28, 2018


Oppose
"Trump Conservative" - Morrisey campaign ad, released May 2, 2018
"Hiding" - Morrisey campaign ad, released April 22, 2018
"A Liberal Record" - Morrisey campaign ad, released April 15, 2018
"Evan Jenkins: Too Liberal for West Virginia" - 35th PAC ad, released April 9, 2018

Republican Party Patrick Morrisey

Support
"Announcement" - Morrisey campaign ad, released July 10, 2017
"Fighter" - Morrisey campaign ad, released February 28, 2018
"West Virginia Conservative" - Morrisey campaign ad, released April 25, 2018


Relationship with Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Blankenship and McConnell

Blankenship released a statement accusing McConnell of meddling in the election, following the launch of a $700,000 ad campaign against Blankenship from Mountain Families PAC, a group with ties to McConnell. Blankenship said on April 16, 2018, "McConnell should not be in the U.S. Senate, let alone be the Republican Majority Leader. He is a Swamp captain. ... The Russians and McConnell should both stop interfering with elections outside their jurisdictions."[3][31]

In the final two weeks of the election, Blankenship criticized McConnell at campaign events and in campaign materials. In an ad released on May 1, 2018, Blankenship said, "One of my goals as U.S. senator will be to ditch Cocaine Mitch."[32]

The clip was accompanied by a statement explaining the nickname: "Mitch McConnell and his family have extensive ties to China. His father-in-law who founded and owns a large Chinese shipping company has given Mitch and his wife millions of dollars over the years. The company was implicated recently in smuggling cocaine from Colombia to Europe, hidden aboard a company ship carrying foreign coal was $7 million dollars of cocaine and that is why we’ve deemed him 'Cocaine Mitch.'"[32]

Blankenship previously questioned whether McConnell was putting America's interests first, given McConnell's familial connection to China through his wife, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao (R), and her father.[33]

This line of attack was emphasized in Blankenship's final primary campaign ad on May 3, 2018. He said, "Swamp captain Mitch McConnell has created millions of jobs for China people. While doing so, Mitch has gotten rich. In fact, his China family has given him tens of millions of dollars. Mitch's swamp people are now running false negative ads against me."[34]

Blankenship defended the tenor of the ad, saying, "We’re confused on our staff as to how it can be racist when there’s no mention of a race. There’s no race. Races are negro, white caucasian, Hispanic, Asian. There’s no mention of a race. I’ve never used a race word."[35]

McConnell political adviser Josh Holmes said, "The one consistency we've seen over the last decade is that the death rattle of a primary candidate is always a tendency to attack other Republicans because they know reporters will report it." He continued, "At this point what's clear is that voters are writing him off and so he knows that by attacking McConnell he'll get attention.”[33]

Jenkins and McConnell

Politico reported in November 2017 that Jenkins, at the time, was the only Republican senatorial candidate to explicitly support McConnell as majority leader.[36]

Relationship with President Donald Trump (R)

The day before the election, Trump discouraged West Virginia voters from supporting Blankenship in a tweet:

Blankenship's 2015 misdemeanor conviction

In December 2015, Blankenship was convicted of conspiring to violate federal mine safety standards. The investigation into Blankenship's business conduct stemmed from the 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion that resulted in the deaths of 29 miners. He was sentenced to one year in prison.[37]

Blankenship published a 68-page booklet alleging that the Obama administration, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), prosecutors, and judges engaged in misconduct and that Blankenship was imprisoned for political reasons.[38] These themes were featured in his campaign ads.[39][40]

Blankenship's opponents have also highlighted the conviction. In an ad from Mountain Families PAC, for example, the narrator asks, "Who will clean up Washington? Not convicted criminal Don Blankenship."[41]

Doctored photo in Morrisey campaign ad

The Jenkins campaign used a doctored image of Morrisey shaking hands with Hillary Clinton (D) in an ad presenting Morrisey as anti-Trump. Morrisey criticized the ad, tweeting, "Despicable @EvanJenkinsWV photoshopped my photo with @realDonaldTrump and substituted it with Hillary, who I have always strongly opposed. Will the media call out Jenkins for his lying and dishonesty? Where is the accountability as this liar tries to deceive voters?"[42][43]

Jenkins campaign spokesman Andy Sere said of the ad, "We sometimes take creative license while arranging images in order to help make a substantive point."[42]

Endorsements

Evan Jenkins

Patrick Morrisey

Satellite spending

  • Duty and Country PAC spent nearly $500,000 on the race in April 2018, making ad buys against Jenkins for $459,000 and Morrisey for $40,000. The organization, which uses the same address and suite number in its registration as the Senate Majority PAC, said it would not target Blankenship in an ad campaign. Spokesman Mike Plante discussed this strategy, saying, “We made the strategic decision based on data that shows that either Patrick Morrisey or Evan Jenkins is more likely to be the nominee, so that’s where we’re focusing our attention."[51][5]
Jenkins said the the PAC was targeting him to boost Blankenship's chances of winning. "Democrats are hoping I lose the primary because they know they cannot defeat me in November but they will be able to trample my Republican opponent at the poll," Jenkins said.[5]
  • Mountain Families PAC spent more than $700,000 on an ad campaign in April 2018 opposing Blankenship. The PAC was registered by Benjamin Ottenhoff, a former chief financial officer of the Republican National Committee, and used an ad-making firm and television buyer previously used by the Senate Leadership Fund.[52][53][33]
  • In March 2018, Restoration PAC made a $500,000 ad buy to support Morrisey. The PAC released an ad highlighting Morrisey's commitment to the Trump administration. "Unlike Joe Manchin, Patrick Morrisey wants you to keep more of your hard-earned money. And unlike Manchin, Patrick Morrisey will move President Trump’s agenda forward," the ad's narrator says.[54][55]
  • The 35th PAC made a six-figure digital ad buy in March 2018 to support Morrisey. It also spent $60,000 on a direct mail campaign that included mailers describing Jenkins as a "career politician with a liberal record." The group's spending to support Morrisey's campaign grew to $700,000 in April 2018.[56][57]

Campaign finance

Timeline

  • May 7, 2018: Trump discouraged West Virginia voters from supporting Blankenship. He tweeted, "To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, can’t win the General Election in your State...No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey!"[59]
  • May 3, 2018: In his final ad of the campaign, Blankenship focused on McConnell, saying, "Swamp captain Mitch McConnell has created millions of jobs for China people. While doing so, Mitch has gotten rich. In fact, his China family has given him tens of millions of dollars. Mitch's swamp people are now running false negative ads against me."
  • May 1, 2018: Blankenship continued criticism of McConnell, who he accused of meddling in the election, by giving him the nickname "Cocaine Mitch" in an ad.[32]
  • April 16, 2018: Mountain Families PAC spent nearly $700,000 on an ad campaign opposing Blankenship.[52][53]
  • April 5, 2018: Jenkins and Morrisey appeared on stage with President Donald Trump (R) at an event promoting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
  • March 28, 2018: Jenkins released a campaign ad featuring a clip of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D) saying she lost the presidential election in states that were "looking backward." Jenkins says in the clip, "The big cities she won are the places flooding our state with heroin, where lawlessness, looting, and liberalism rule. Chicago's the murder capital of America, yet they want to take our guns away?"
  • March 27, 2018: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) announced she would not endorse a candidate this race. "You are big boys and you're expected to fight it out," Capito said she told the candidates.[60]
  • March 16, 2018: A poll from Osage Research found Morrisey in the lead with 24 percent support, followed by Blankenship with 22 percent and Jenkins with 17 percent.
  • March 14, 2018: The 35th PAC made a six-figure digital ad buy to support Morrisey. It also spent $60,000 on a direct mail campaign that included mailers describing Jenkins as a "career politician with a liberal record."[56]
  • March 11, 2018: A Harper Polling survey commissioned by Jenkins found Jenkins leading the field with 29 percent support. Blankenship and Morrisey followed with 27 percent and 19 percent, respectively.
  • March 9, 2018: Jenkins released his first primary season campaign ad, which focuses on his conservative positions. "Working with Trump. West Virginia values. Evan Jenkins," the ad's narrator concludes.
  • February 28, 2018: Morrisey released an ad, "Fighter," to highlight his anti-abortion record and A+ rating from the NRA.
  • February 20, 2018: Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) endorsed Morrisey. He said in a statement, "Patrick has fought for West Virginians while defending the rule of law, and he is ready to keep fighting for them as a champion of conservative reform in Washington, D.C."[45]
  • February 9, 2018: Harper Polling released a poll finding Jenkins ahead of Morrisey, 33 percent to 25 percent. Blankenship received 18 percent support and three other candidates each polled in the single digits.[61]

Race ratings

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in West Virginia, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political ReportLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesTilt DemocraticTilt DemocraticTilt DemocraticTilt Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in West Virginia heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • As of September 2018, Republicans held six of nine state executive positions, and Democrats held one. Two state executive positions were held by nonpartisan officials.
  • The governor of West Virginia was Republican Jim Justice. Justice won office in 2016 as a member of the Democratic Party.

State legislature

Trifecta status

  • West Virginia was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party held the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: West Virginia elections, 2018

West Virginia held elections for the following positions in 2018:


Demographics

Demographic data for West Virginia
 West VirginiaU.S.
Total population:1,841,053316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):24,0383,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:93.6%73.6%
Black/African American:3.3%12.6%
Asian:0.7%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:1.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85%86.7%
College graduation rate:19.2%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$41,751$53,889
Persons below poverty level:22.2%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in West Virginia.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, West Virginia's three largest cities were Charleston (pop. est. 49,138), Huntington (pop. est. 48,113), and Morgantown (pop. est. 30,855).[62]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in West Virginia from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the West Virginia Secretary of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in West Virginia every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), West Virginia 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 68.6% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 26.5% 42.1%
2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 62.3% Democratic Party Barack Obama 35.5% 26.8%
2008 Republican Party John McCain 55.7% Democratic Party Barack Obama 42.6% 13.1%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 56.1% Democratic Party John Kerry 43.2% 12.9%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 51.9% Democratic Party Al Gore 45.6% 6.3%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2014

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in West Virginia from 2000 to 2014. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), West Virginia 2000-2014
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Shelley Moore Capito 62.1% Democratic Party Natalie Tennant 34.5% 27.6%
2012 Democratic Party Joe Manchin III 60.6% Republican Party John Raese 36.5% 24.1%
2010 Democratic Party Joe Manchin III 53.5% Republican Party John Raese 43.4% 10.1%
2008 Democratic Party Jay Rockefeller 63.7% Republican Party Matthew Wolfe 36.3% 27.4%
2006 Democratic Party Robert Byrd 64.4% Republican Party John Raese 33.7% 30.7%
2002 Democratic Party Jay Rockefeller 63.1% Republican Party Jay Wolfe 36.9% 26.2%
2000 Democratic Party Robert Byrd 77.8% Republican Party David Gallaher 20.2% 57.6%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in West Virginia.

Election results (Governor), West Virginia 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Jim Justice[63] 49.1% Republican Party Bill Cole 42.3% 6.8%
2012 Democratic Party Earl Ray Tomblin 50.5% Republican Party Bill Maloney 45.7% 4.8%
2011 (special election) Democratic Party Earl Ray Tomblin 49.6% Republican Party Bill Maloney 47.1% 2.5%
2008 Democratic Party Joe Manchin III 69.8% Republican Party Russell Weeks 25.7% 44.1%
2004 Democratic Party Joe Manchin III 63.5% Republican Party Monty Warner 34.0% 29.5%
2000 Democratic Party Bob Wise 50.1% Republican Party Cecil Underwood 47.2% 2.9%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent West Virginia in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, West Virginia 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 3 100.0% Democratic Party 0 0.0% R+3
2014 Republican Party 3 100.0% Democratic Party 0 0.0% R+3
2012 Republican Party 2 66.7% Democratic Party 1 33.3% R+1
2010 Republican Party 2 66.7% Democratic Party 1 33.3% R+1
2008 Republican Party 1 33.3% Democratic Party 2 66.7% D+1
2006 Republican Party 1 33.3% Democratic Party 2 66.7% D+1
2004 Republican Party 1 33.3% Democratic Party 2 66.7% D+1
2002 Republican Party 1 33.3% Democratic Party 2 66.7% D+1
2000 Republican Party 1 33.3% Democratic Party 2 66.7% D+1

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

West Virginia Party Control: 1992-2026
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Nine years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Governor D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D[64] R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ OpenSecrets, "Most Expensive Races," accessed May 8, 2018
  2. ↑ Charleston Gazette-Mail, "Blankenship fails to turn in financial disclosure for Senate race by deadline," April 9, 2018
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Politico, "GOP Senate candidate compares McConnell to the Russians," April 16, 2018
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Politico, "Blankenship surging on eve of West Virginia Senate primary," May 5, 2018
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Charleston Gazette-Mail, "Former federal prosecutor part of PAC targeting Blankenship GOP opponents," April 20, 2018
  6. ↑ Washington Examiner, "Democratic PAC escalates spending to sway GOP primary against Evan Jenkins, for Don Blankenship," April 30, 2018
  7. ↑ FEC.gov, "2018 Senate Independent Expenditure, State: West Virginia," accessed April 25, 2018
  8. ↑ Vox, "Don Blankenship can’t run as a third-party candidate, thanks to West Virginia’s 'sour grapes' law," May 8, 2018
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Weirton Daily Times, "W.Va. retains counsel for possible Blankenship challenge," June 28, 2018
  10. ↑ The Hill, "West Virginia Senate primary off to raucous start," August 3, 2017
  11. ↑ CNN, "The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2018," January 3, 2018
  12. ↑ NPR, "Ex-Massey Energy CEO Completes 1-Year Federal Criminal Sentence," May 11, 2017
  13. ↑ Don Blankenship, "About Me," accessed March 29, 2018
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 WVVA, "Don Blankenship explains U.S. Senate run," December 5, 2017
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 CNBC, "Launching a Senate bid, former jailed coal CEO Don Blankenship aligns himself with Trump," January 19, 2018
  16. ↑ FEC.gov, "Don Blankenship," accessed March 29, 2018
  17. ↑ The Associated Press, "Lawmaker switches parties, to seek Rahall's seat," July 31, 2013
  18. ↑ West Virginia Legislature, "Evan H. Jenkins (R - Cabell, 05)," accessed March 27, 2014
  19. ↑ Charleston Gazette-Mail, "Jenkins announces run against Manchin for U.S. Senate," May 8, 2017
  20. ↑ West Virginia Record, "McCuskey to serve as chairman for Jenkins' Senate campaign," August 18, 2017
  21. ↑ Evan Jenkins, "Issues," accessed February 22, 2018
  22. ↑ West Virginia Attorney General's office, "Patrick Morrissey," accessed April 29, 2013
  23. ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Election Results" accessed November 6, 2012
  24. ↑ Governing, "State Republican Officials to Watch in 2013," February 6, 2013
  25. ↑ Washington Examiner, "West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to announce Senate bid on Monday," July 10, 2017
  26. ↑ Patrick Morrisey, "Issues," accessed February 22, 2018
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 27.6 27.7 27.8 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 28.6 WVVA, "Don Blankenship explains U.S. Senate run," December 5, 2017
  29. ↑ Evan Jenkins for U.S. Senate, "Issues," accessed February 22, 2018
  30. ↑ Patrick Morrisey for Senate, "Issues," accessed February 22, 2018
  31. ↑ Vote Don Blankenship, "Republican Party's Washington, DC Swamp Creatures Surface in West Virginia," April 16, 2018
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 Facebook, "Don Blankenship," May 1, 2018
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Politico, "McConnell under barrage in West Virginia," April 26, 2018
  34. ↑ Vimeo, "Ditch Mitch," May 3, 2018
  35. ↑ Roll Call, "Blankenship Insists Ad That Attacks McConnell’s ‘China Family’ Is Not Racist," May 3, 2018
  36. ↑ Politico, "Republicans flee from McConnell in 2018 primaries," Novembeer 25, 2017
  37. ↑ The New York Times, "Donald Blankenship Sentenced to a Year in Prison in Mine Safety Case," April 6, 2016
  38. ↑ Don Blankenship, "An American Political Prisoner," accessed April 30, 2018
  39. ↑ Advertising Analytics, "Don Fought Back," accessed April 30, 2018
  40. ↑ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zp901AuPqg Don Blankenship for U.S. Senate, "My Enemies," March 8, 2018]
  41. ↑ Washington Examiner, "Fearing grassroots backlash, GOP relies on outside group to hit Blankenship in West Virginia," April 16, 2018
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Yahoo, "West Virginia Senate candidate distorts reality in campaign ad," May 2, 2018
  43. ↑ The Hill, "GOP Senate candidate doctors picture of opponent, replaces Trump with Clinton," May 2, 2018
  44. ↑ West Virginia Record, "McCuskey to serve as chairman for Jenkins' Senate campaign," August 18, 2017
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Roll Call, "Scott Walker Backs Patrick Morrisey in West Virginia Senate Primary," February 20, 2018
  46. ↑ Washington Times, "Senate Conservatives Fund backs Morrisey in West Virginia GOP Senate primary," January 24, 2018
  47. ↑ Citizens United Political Victory Fund, "CUPVF endorses conservative Patrick Morrisey for U.S. Senate in West Virginia," accessed January 5, 2018
  48. ↑ Roll Call, "Pro-Trump Great America Alliance endorses in three Senate primaries," October 11, 2017
  49. ↑ West Virginians for Life, "Patrick Morrisey endorsement for U.S. Senate in 2018 Republican primary," July 2017
  50. ↑ Charleston Gazette-Mail, "Breitbart exec Steve Bannon to back Morrisey in Senate race," October 1, 2017
  51. ↑ Politico, "Democrats meddle in West Virginia’s GOP Senate primary," April 19, 2018
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 Politico, "GOP breaks the glass as House outlook darkens," April 13, 2018
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 Politico, "GOP launches secret group to attack West Virginia coal baron," April 15, 2018
  54. ↑ Politico, "Morning Score," March 16, 2018
  55. ↑ Twitter, "Kimberly Railey," March 15, 2018
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 Roll Call, "https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/35th-pac-boosting-morrisey-digital-mail-west-virginia," March 14, 2018
  57. ↑ Politico, "DCCC adds 3 Democratic challengers to ‘Red to Blue’ list," April 26, 2018
  58. ↑ FEC.gov, "2018 Senate Independent Expenditure, State: West Virginia," accessed April 1, 2018
  59. ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. Trump," May 7, 2018
  60. ↑ Politico, "Top 10 Senate races," March 28, 2018
  61. ↑ Roll Call, "Jenkins Leads Morrisey in Internal Poll of West Virginia Primary," February 9, 2018
  62. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Quick Facts - West Virginia," accessed January 23, 2018
  63. ↑ Justice was elected as a Democrat in 2016 but subsequently reregistered as a Republican.
  64. ↑ Gov. Jim Justice switched his registration to Republican on August 4, 2017.


West Virginia's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Shelley Capito (R)
Jim Justice (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Republican Party (4)


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