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West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District election, 2018

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West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District
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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:
Vacant
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Voting in West Virginia
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Lean Republican
Inside Elections: Lean Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District
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 Del. Carol Miller (R) defeated state Sen. Richard Ojeda (D) in the general election on November 6, 2018, to represent West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.

Nick Rahall (D) represented the district from 1976 until 2015, when Evan Jenkins (R) defeated him by 10.8 percentage points in the 2014 election. Jenkins won re-election in 2016 by 43.9 percentage points, while Donald Trump won the district by nearly 50 percentage points. Jenkins did not seek re-election in 2018, choosing to run for the U.S. Senate instead.

West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District is located in the southern portion of the state and includes Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Greenbrier, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, Webster, and Wyoming counties.[1]

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, Click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House West Virginia District 3

Carol Miller defeated Richard Ojeda in the general election for U.S. House West Virginia District 3 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Carol Miller
Carol Miller (R)
 
56.4
 
98,645
Image of Richard Ojeda
Richard Ojeda (D)
 
43.6
 
76,340

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

Total votes: 174,985
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 3

Richard Ojeda defeated Shirley Love, Paul Davis, and Janice Hagerman in the Democratic primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 3 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Richard Ojeda
Richard Ojeda
 
52.2
 
29,867
Image of Shirley Love
Shirley Love
 
24.6
 
14,109
Image of Paul Davis
Paul Davis
 
16.0
 
9,137
Image of Janice Hagerman
Janice Hagerman
 
7.2
 
4,147

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

Total votes: 57,260
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 3

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 3 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Carol Miller
Carol Miller
 
23.8
 
8,923
Image of Rupie Phillips
Rupie Phillips Candidate Connection
 
19.5
 
7,319
Image of Marty Gearheart
Marty Gearheart
 
18.2
 
6,814
Image of Conrad Lucas
Conrad Lucas
 
18.1
 
6,771
Image of Rick Snuffer
Rick Snuffer
 
10.6
 
3,987
Image of Ayne Amjad
Ayne Amjad
 
7.5
 
2,795
Image of Philip Payton
Philip Payton
 
2.3
 
861

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

Total votes: 37,470
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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Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages


Carol Miller, West Virginia state representative
Miller carol.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: West Virginia House of Delegates District 16 (Assumed office: 2007)

Biography: Carol Miller earned a bachelor's degree in history and political science from Columbia College in 1972. Her career experience includes working as a self-employed real estate manager since 1985. She has owned Swann Ridge Bison Farm since 1994. Miller ran for the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2004 but was not elected.[2] Miller was elected to represent West Virginia's District 15 seat in 2006 and held that seat until being redistricted to District 16 in the 2012 election. As of 2018, Miller was the majority whip in the state House of Delegates.[3]

Key messages
  • Miller emphasized her endorsement by President Donald Trump (R). Lara Trump, Senior Advisor to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., said "Carol is pro-coal, pro-Second Amendment, and pro-Trump through and through, and is prepared to tackle the opioid epidemic that’s affected countless West Virginians."[4]
  • Miller, a bison farmer who supported proposals to build a wall on the southern U.S. border, included the slogan "Cut the bull, build the wall," in her first two campaign ads. Calling herself an America-first conservative, Miller also advocated for making English the national language and ending trade deals that she said send jobs overseas.
  • Miller credited the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) for what she called a return to a competitive economy and small business growth.[5] She touted work "to pass bills that would encourage growth and economic opportunity, including allowing ride-sharing companies to operate in West Virginia, and promoting young entrepreneurship by waiving business filing fees for anyone under 30 years old."[6]



Richard Ojeda, West Virginia state senator
Richard Ojeda.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Political office: West Virginia State Senate District 7 (Assumed office: 2017)

Biography: Richard Ojeda was born on September 25, 1970, in Rochester, Minnesota. He was raised in Logan County, West Virginia, and graduated from Logan High School in 1988. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1989. He earned a bachelor's degree from West Virginia State College in 1997. After 24 years of service, Major Ojeda retired from the U.S Army in 2013.[7] Ojeda received national attention for his role as an organizer in the 2018 teacher's strike in West Virginia.[8]

Key messages
  • Ojeda highlighted his work to pass the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act, and supported more changes in laws related to cannabis. Ojeda said with decriminalization, and with industries built on medical and industrial use, cannabis could help fight the opioid epidemic, generate revenue, and address prison overpopulation.[9]
  • Ojeda said the Affordable Care Act (ACA) should be expanded to include a public option that would offer "access to a plan with better patient management, provider reimbursement and lower payments." Ojeda also said the 17 million people eligible for tax credits under the ACA should be expanded to include middle-income families who are just “over the line.”[9]
  • West Virginia had the highest rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States in 2016, and Ojeda made the issue a focus.[10] Ojeda accused Miller of accepting campaign donations from, and owning stock in, pharmaceutical companies that he said are responsible


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District election
Poll Republican Party Miller Democratic Party OjedaUndecidedMargin of ErrorSample Size
New York Times/Siena College
October 14-18, 2018		 46%41%13%+/-4.9490
Monmouth University
October 10-14, 2018		 48%45%7%+/-5.2350
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
September 16, 2018		 44%48%8%+/-4.2540
Emerson College
September 13-15, 2018		 31%36%33%+/-6.3274
New York Times Live Poll
September 8-11, 2018		 48%40%12%+/-5499
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate 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 finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Richard Ojeda Democratic Party $2,851,528 $2,844,604 $6,923 As of December 31, 2018
Carol Miller Republican Party $1,943,498 $1,924,905 $18,593 As of December 31, 2018

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.


Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[11][12][13]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

  • Partnership for an Opioid-Free Appalachia made a $205,000 ad buy against Miller in October 2018.[16]
  • Winning For Women had spent $48,000 in support of Miller, as of September 26, 2018.[17]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[18]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[19][20][21]

Race ratings: West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District election, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political ReportLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean RepublicanLean RepublicanToss-upToss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+23, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 23 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District the 26th most Republican nationally.[22]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.07. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.07 points toward that party.[23]

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Click the links below for to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites.

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Republican Party Carol Miller

Support

"Stone Cold," released October 3, 2018
"Fight," released September 26, 2018
"Greatest," released September 25, 2018
"Should Be," released September 11, 2018
"Mercer," released April 26, 2018
"Cabell," released April 26, 2018
"Values," released April 11, 2018
"Bull," released March 27, 2018

Oppose

"Wendy," released October 30, 2018
"Nick," released October 16, 2018

Democratic Party Richard Ojeda

Support

"DUMPED," released October 10, 2018
"ANGRY," released October 8, 2018
"COUNTRY," released September 27, 2018
"CRISIS," released September 26, 2018
"AIRBORNE," released September 11, 2018

Campaign themes

Republican Party Carol Miller

The themes below were taken from the candidate's website.

Times are tough in West Virginia. Jobs seem to grow scarcer by the day and families are struggling. Meanwhile, the politicians and lobbyists in Washington DC care more about taking away our guns than addressing the opioid epidemic facing our community. We need to send a representative to Congress who will fight for our West Virginia Values and support President Trump - and that's exactly why I'm running for Congress. I'm pro-life, pro-jobs, pro-coal, pro-Second Amendment, I strongly support protecting Medicare and Social Security, and I'm running to cut the bull out of politics - That's why I'm the only candidate endorsed by President Trump!

As a small business owner, farmer, and job creator, I've seen first hand how the taxes and regulation from Washington DC hurt West Virginia families and businesses. As a State Delegate, I've protected our Second Amendment rights and fought for good-paying jobs West Virginians deserve. As a wife, mother, and grandmother I've raised my family with our Christian values and worked to help those most in need in our community. Please, join me in bringing our West Virginia values to Washington. With your help I can go to Congress to lower taxes, help create good paying jobs, end the opioid epidemic, and support President Trump. CAROL MILLER [24]

Democratic PartyRichard Ojeda

The themes below were taken from the candidate's website.

Net Neutrality

Your access to the open internet will be removed unless you take action now.

On February 26, 2015, the FCC ruled in favor of net neutrality by reclassifying broadband as a common carrier under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 and Section 706 of the Telecommunications act of 1996. Now, with net neutrality under attack, Mozilla stated “Net neutrality is the freedom to say, watch and make what we want online without interference from internet service providers. The FCC has a plan to destroy net neutrality. It’s up to us to stop it.”

On Dec. 14, 2017, with the FCC headed by a previous Verizon lawyer, I fear that net neutrality will come to an end.

We cannot allow that to happen.

Two years ago, as a result of net neutrality, consumers were allowed to share and access information of their choosing without interference. Now, companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast will have the ability to not only interfere with accessible information but also to raise rates for specific internet services.

Net neutrality hinges on the American citizens to fight for an open internet.

Big phone and cable companies and their lobbyists have continually fought against net neutrality even though on June 14, 2016, a federal appeals court upheld the open-internet protections.

The situation is not only an issue of free speech and consumer protections. It is also an issue for the United States economy.

Let’s be honest and realize that large companies already dominate the market. We are talking about companies having the ability to shut out smaller companies, websites and innovation that would compete with them. That is not what America is about. That is not what the American Dream is all about.

Ensuring that American citizens have access to an open internet with limitless information – without interference from companies – will not be easy. We need not some, but every American citizen ready to join the fight. This will require Congress to stop the FCC and ensure that net neutrality remains in place. We are joining a movement with enough power to insist that Americans have more choices and better access to the information provided by the internet and that it is not hindered by a select group of companies looking to dominate, control and silence the flow of information to our citizens and the ability for smaller companies to thrive in the digital world.

Medical Cannabis

As a freshman state senator, Richard Ojeda worked tirelessly to pass the WV Medical Cannabis Act but when it comes to cannabis policy, that was only the beginning. Through comprehensive cannabis legislation, encompassing decriminalization, medical, and industrial use, we can utilize one of the most medically beneficial and economically viable plants on Earth to fight the opioid epidemic, generate revenue to fund new education and infrastructure initiatives, and address the problem of overpopulation within our state correctional facilities. With a comprehensive approach to cannabis policy, we can put West Virginia on a path to a prosperous future and grow a new economy that will benefit the people of our state for generations to come.

Veterans

One of my biggest priorities is taking care of our nation’s veterans. VA care is full of problems especially regarding those who live in rural areas like southern West Virginia. Veterans should be able to get quality care covered through the VA at any facility of their choice. We must also improve the process by which our nation’s heroes can get care in a timely matter. Far too often, men and women with legitimate illnesses are stalled for as long as a year before they can receive care which leads to a sense of hopelessness. A recent VA study found that as many as 20 veterans were committing suicide each day. We have to do better. We have to protect the men and women who have so diligently protected us. Veterans should also never have to worry about their military compensation being replaced with wellness programs. This way of thinking will lead to a drastic increase in veteran homelessness. I will also work to put Veterans back to work when they return home and protect their access to education.

Energy

I believe that West Virginia has the opportunity to be leaders in the energy economy once again. It is no secret that for decades, coal mining has powered our nation and put food on our tables. It is also no secret that for decades, the industry has been feast or famine. I do not believe coal is dead. In fact, I believe coal will continue to be mined especially for our nation’s steel industry and as long as coal is being used, West Virginia will be putting coal miners to work. However, I do not want to stop there. For far too long, coal companies and coal barons have kept West Virginia politicians in their pockets, threatening to close mines and lay off miners in order to sway politicians to say no to any other energy jobs. I will guarantee you that this will not happen to me if I am in Washington. I want to see West Virginia lead in coal production, biofuels, solar, wind and other energy resources as well as research and development of new energy solutions.

Immigration

I believe that immigration is an issue that Congress must face head on. Anyone should have the chance to legally become a citizen of our great country and have their chance at the American Dream.

This is why we must take action and focus on comprehensive immigration reform. Our immigration system is broken and often leaves people without access to citizenship for decades. We must start planning long term solutions for this problem including a pathway to citizenship that would include background checks, a steady employment history and paying fines.

I fully support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. I believe we are a country of compassion and moral responsibility. DREAMers that were brought here as children deserve to be protected. This is their home. This is the only home that they know.

Keeping America Safe

For 24 years, I wore the uniform and I carried the weapon. If there is one thing I am confident in, it is the ability of our nation’s military. The best way to keep Americans safe is to let our military do their job without muddying up their responsibilities with our political agendas. We must be relentless and wise in our national security decisions. Regarding ISIS, I know from experience that the commanders on the ground know more about what needs to happen in order to defeat them. War is not a social experiment and I refuse to let politics play a role in my decision making when it comes to keeping you and your family safe. I will not take my marching orders from anyone else concerning national security. We must be on the offensive when it comes to defeating ISIS. We must be consistent with airstrikes, weaken their efforts with counterintelligence, seek to defund them and stop the radicalization of Americans with ISIS propaganda.

We must also ensure that terrorists do not reach American soil by abusing our immigration process. We must keep an up to date terror watch list but provide better vetting for those that go onto the watch list. The terror watch list should be for people who are serious potential threats to homeland security. It is not an area where mistakes should ever be allowed. Individuals who are on the terror watch list should be prevented from flying on American airplanes and from legally purchasing firearms.

Helping Seniors Retire

For decades, Medicare and Social Security have been a backbone of support for our middle class seniors. West Virginia seniors have worked for years as they paid into these critical programs that they now have to depend on. I am committed to protecting Social Security and Medicare.

Fiscally Responsible

Being fiscally responsible almost always means that you must make tough decisions. By targeting fraud, waste and abuse and bringing costs down in programs that are over budget, I believe that we can be more fiscally responsible without harming those who are most vulnerable.

College Affordability

College affordability is an urgent matter, especially with the amount of jobs that require more advanced degrees. I believe in easing the student loan debt burden by offering relief in the form of lower interest rates. In addition to easing loan debt, we must work with local governments and universities to better monitor tuition costs. One way for us to work with local universities and governments by offering incentives and tax breaks to rein in costs. A middle class family that has to pay for their child to go to college suffers more than anyone by far. Most middle class families make “too much” money to currently receive aid but not nearly enough money to cover college expenses out of pocket. We must expand aid to middle class families and raise the maximum income requirements for current federal aid such as the Pell Grant.

Holding Government Accountable

“We are a nation with a government that tends to only be accountable to those who line their pockets. I believe instead, they should be held accountable only to the voters. Their decisions, my decisions and the choices we all make impact the lives of millions of people. These decisions should never be influenced by personal gain, when it could harm millions of others. Unfortunately that is exactly what is happening now in Washington D.C.” – Richard Ojeda

POLICY PROPOSALS

  • Do not allow Congress to use a budget vote for political gain without repercussions of withholding pay.
  • Overturn Citizens United.
  • Campaign Finance Reform. We must move toward publicly funded elections.
  • Regulate the amount of money spent by Super PACS
  • Ensure that Super PACs must disclose their contributions and contributors.
  • Implement term limits.
  • Put a stop to lobbyists having better access to politicians than the voters.

Economy

Despite what side of the political spectrum you belong to, job creation is the one thing I believe we can all agree on. I want to protect and grow West Virginia’s economy with steady job creation. Currently, so many families in West Virginia feel the strain of keeping up with the cost of living. While there are multiple contributing factors for West Virginia’s economic state, the one that is obvious is the decline of coal jobs. When coal jobs decline, other jobs in those communities decline because they are dependent upon the coal miners’ support.


“When coal jobs decline, other jobs in those communities decline because they are dependent upon the coal miners’ support.”


We cannot allow West Virginia and other states like it to survive with a mono economy. ​That is why I will fight for policies that will create jobs and job choice for West Virginians.

We are not going to allow lobbyists and special interests to keep politicians in their pocket while advocating that job choice and competition is not a good thing. I will work with my colleagues to ensure that West Virginia becomes an energy leader in this nation, not only in coal but in every field of energy that is available. West Virginia will no longer be used for extraction only. If I am in Washington, I will make sure that West Virginians’ are reaping the benefits from the service and profits they provide to others and this nation. And those benefits will be found in our economy.

We are not going to force entire communities to enter into job choices that they may not be interested in simply because it is all that is available. I will also work with Congress to ensure that middle class West Virginians who do not work in the energy industry also have job choice and options and this will include a focus on bringing technology jobs to West Virginia that allow the state to innovate and thrive.

We are not going to let states like West Virginia be the face of economic decline in our nation any longer.

It is wrong to leave West Virginians and other American citizens in the dark while the rest of the nation excels. In the future, I want West Virginia to be known as an energy industry leader and the home to Fortune 500 companies.

And, not only are we going to fight for coal mining families, families who wish to work in tech industries and manufacturing industries, we will fight for investments in education, infrastructure and research and development that will strengthen our middle class.

At a time when our nation is progressively moving towards innovation and new ideas, we need to make sure that states like West Virginia are not left behind or left out from every advance made in the effort to strengthen our economy.

When the U.S. unemployment rate is 4.4%, not only do we work harder to continue lowering it but we make sure that jobs are being created in middle america and Appalachia and not just the ever popular and growing coastal states.


“We need to make sure that states like West Virginia are not left behind or left out from every advance made in the effort to strengthen our economy. “ _______________________________________________________________________

RICHARD OJEDA WILL :

Fight for coal mining families across the United States

It is a national embarrassment that we have allowed entire communities of generational hard working families to suffer. The coal miner helped build our great nation. Today, there are 50,000 coal mining jobs across the United States. Richard Ojeda supports coal miners and their ability to feed their families.

Expand job choice in states like West Virginia

Ojeda has consistently spoken about his passion for seeing new jobs and industry begin to thrive in West Virginia. Ojeda will fight to expand job choice and job opportunity in West Virginia and other rural states who have recently found themselves crippled by the current economy and loss of jobs.

Go to action for West Virginians to reap the benefits they have sewn into this nation for decades

Ojeda will work for West Virginians to finally have the respect it has more than earned as the backbone of United States of America.

Generate technology jobs for rural America

Ojeda will work on a plan to entice technology jobs into rural areas by offering a highly motivated workforce, low cost of living and new opportunities to businesses that locate in unconventional areas.

Increase overall job growth in rural states and communities

According to the most recent statistics, rural job growth is 4.6 smaller than it was in 2008. Increasing job growth in rural America would significantly boost our nations middle class families.

Boost the number of Fortune 500 companies in rural America

The amount of Fortune 500 companies in rural communities versus metropolitan communities is incomparable. There are currently 27 million people employed by Fortune 500 companies across the United States. Increasing the amount of headquarters in rural areas would provide a better insight to the needs of rural communities as well provide even more jobs to states who are struggling in the current economy.

Provide manufacturing jobs to American workers

Ojeda will work to combat the mechanization that has decimated manufacturing jobs across the United States. Although mechanization is one of the leading factors that has put an end to the hard working American job, outsourcing and offshore manufacturing has also played a vital role in taking jobs away from American workers. Well, “reshoring” these jobs is crucial to the future of the American economy. American workers deserve to build and create American sold products. It is an insult to this nation that companies would look for workers in other countries when we have the best work force that this world knows. We built the American dream from the ground up and we should be allowed to continue building it. Ojeda would require companies to offer a percentage of jobs to American workers. In 2013, U.S. overseas affiliates employed 14 million workers which almost doubles the 7.5 million unemployed Americans today. We must require companies that want to make a profit in our great nation to also respect and use our great workforce.

Broaden investments in education

Ojeda will fight for the success of our nation and it’s future. If the United States can see past the partisnship and invest in our future, we can educate our citizens in order to remain competitive in the global economy of the 21st century. Today, more than half of Americans believe that bipartisan legislation can not pass in Washington. However, Ojeda believes that we can work together in Washington to invest in our future by offering solutions particularly to the rising costs of higher education. It is time to address low income students having access to a college education, middle class families who cannot afford outrageous tuition costs because they cannot receive aid and curriculum that many feel is too broad for the specific industries and degrees that the students are seeking.

Make infrastructure a priority

As a WV State Sen., Ojeda has committed more time to making phone calls related to road repairs that nearly anyone else in the state legislature. Ojeda will fight to increase infrastructure jobs that will not only boost our economy but provide better roads, bridges etc to the country.

Increase research and development

Ojeda will fight to expand research and development for agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Department of Health and Human Resources and more. Expanding government support for research and development is needed in order to keep up with technological advances in other countries. Without research and development, innovation and new ideas will slow down and potential jobs will slow down as well.

Education

We must invest into public education now so that our young people can reap the benefits from it later.

A change regarding public funds and education could happen at any moment and that is why it is so important for us to fight for public education. There is simply no reason why public funds should be used for private institutions that limit community involvement, innovation, education and job training in our public schools.

To win the educational victories that we need to, it will take a movement of people that are ready to fight for our children’s education in order to see a boost in the not only STEM careers but in skills careers as well.

Public education is the key to forming a healthy middle class and equal opportunity should always be the driving force behind our education policies.

Healthcare

We have heard so much about healthcare over the last year. When I hear healthcare being discussed words like “death spiral”, “rising premiums” and “no choice” are used. Let’s be clear, we can no longer afford to look past the serious problems in our nation concerning the Affordable Healthcare Act.

Sign up now for more updates on Richard’s healthcare plans Successful healthcare. Let’s talk about it.

When a family cannot afford their premiums, that is not successful healthcare.

When the healthcare available in our nation is more expensive but with worse outcomes than other developed countries, that is not successful healthcare

When a family cannot afford their deductibles, that is not successful healthcare.

When our most vulnerable and sick citizens have poor access to healthcare, that is not successful healthcare.

Actually, these are all things that show the need to carefully look at, examine and improve the current healthcare system.

When it comes to healthcare, the United States is far behind other developed counties in the world. Americans pay far more for medical care than people in other rich Western nations but have little to show for it.

In other words, Americans are being used by the system that is suppose to keep us healthy and safe.

That is unacceptable. It is a sham and it should be offensive for anyone who plans to use healthcare in their lifetime and let’s face it, that includes us all.

TIME FOR A PUBLIC OPTION It’s an outrage that millions of people in this nation are forced to pay for insurance plans that they cannot afford, simply because they have no other options.

Many scholars and healthcare professionals who have studied healthcare agree that allowing citizens to enroll in a public insurance plan would solve many of the current problems we face concerning healthcare. It’s well known that a public option would increase coverage and create insurance competition at a time when many insurers are dropping out.

The Affordable Care Act, as it stands, is insufficient. Today, national healthcare expenditures are $9,523 per person in the United States. Even more devastating, out-of-pocket spending is $329.8 billion.

In my opinion, every person in America should have secure healthcare coverage including a choice of plans in all areas of the nation, especially in the counties where only a single private insurer now offers coverage. Through the public option, we would guarantee a choice of plans that allows a choice of medical providers.

Americans would buy in to the public option and build on to the current healthcare infrastructure. Families would then have access to a plan with better patient management, provider reimbursement and lower payments.

Tax Credits For Low and Middle Income Americans Millions of Americans pay up to 28 percent of what they earn in income taxes plus payroll taxes. They are overtaxed, underinsured and wondering when it is time for them to catch a break. Today, there are over 17 million people who are eligible for the current tax credits under the Affordable Healthcare Act. There are millions of middle income families who are working long hours and paying their fair share of taxes that are not eligible for these tax credits because they are just “over the line”.

This is why I would introduce a public option that also addressed creating more generous tax credits for American families. This is already being done a smaller scale but when paired with the public option, it will give families another incentive and reward for remaining insured.

Small businesses currently receive a tax credit but are currently struggling to provide health insurance to their employees. But through a public option, their employees would have a better more affordable option and businesses would no longer find themselves under the pressure of providing something that they cannot afford.

Tax credits would reduce American families taxes dollar for dollar.

Tax credits would be “refundable” so that if the amount of the credit is more than the amount of your tax liability, you would receive the difference as a refund.

There is no reason for Americans being underinsured. Our country is the most amazing country in the world and it is amazing because we have always been able to work together for the greater good of our citizens.

There is no reason not to offer tax credits to low and middle income families. It would benefit families, small businesses and the nation’s healthcare system as a whole.

Successful Healthcare Americans should never be forced into doing something that they do not want to do. That is the antithesis of freedom. It is time that we give Americans a public option that would drive down costs, expand coverage and still give each person a choice when it comes to purchasing health insurance.

The next time someone wishes to talk about health care, tell them that we have a plan. A public option will help families keep more money in their pocket, have access to better healthcare and not infringe on anyone’s rights to choose where they want to find that healthcare.

That is a healthcare system I believe we can all agree on.

First Responders

As a former U.S. Army Officer, I have served on the front lines in the struggle to keep Americans safe so I realize the importance of ensuring that our brave first responders have the resources that they need in order to do their job more efficiently.

Over the last decade, southern West Virginia has seen a significant rise in opioid and heroin addiction which has led to higher rates of crime. One thing is clear, our first responders need the best resources in order to keep our communities safe. Unfortunately, most communities are left with outdated equipment, understaffed teams and discouraged workers. In order to fix this, I hope to make funding for our first responders a top priority while in Washington.

While I believe that is it vital for us to reduce our deficit, I do not think it needs to happen at the expense of our first responders. I hope to target any recovered revenue from fraud, waste or abuse and use the recovered funds to support police officers, EMT’s, fire departments and correctional officers. With increased wages, better equipment and quality training, I believe our first responders will have better job satisfaction which will create better lives for them as a whole.[9]

Social media

Twitter accounts

Facebook accounts

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.

Republican Party Carol Miller Facebook

Democratic Party Richard Ojeda Facebook

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no pivot counties in West Virginia. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won West Virginia with 68.5 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 26.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, West Virginia cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, West Virginia supported Democratic and Republican candidates for president equally. West Virginia favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in West Virginia. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[25][26]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won four out of 67 state House districts in West Virginia with an average margin of victory of 13.9 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won one out of 67 state House districts in West Virginia with an average margin of victory of 34.4 points.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 63 out of 67 state House districts in West Virginia with an average margin of victory of 31.9 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 66 out of 67 state House districts in West Virginia with an average margin of victory of 46.8 points.


District history

2016

See also: West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Evan Jenkins (R) defeated Matt Detch (D) and Zane Lawhorn (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary opponent on May 10, 2016.[27]

U.S. House, West Virginia District 3 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngEvan Jenkins Incumbent 67.9% 140,741
     Democratic Matt Detch 24% 49,708
     Libertarian Zane Lawhorn 8.1% 16,883
Total Votes 207,332
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

2014

See also: West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District elections, 2014

The 3rd Congressional District of West Virginia held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Evan Jenkins (R) defeated 19-term incumbent Nick Rahall (D) in the general election.

U.S. House, West Virginia District 3 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Nick Rahall Incumbent 44.6% 62,688
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngEvan Jenkins 55.4% 77,713
Total Votes 140,401
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

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).[28]

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[29] 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: 1992-2024
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Seven years of Republican trifectas

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
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[30] 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
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


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ West Virginia Redistricting Map "Map" accessed July 24, 2012
  2. ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Rep. Miller," accessed February 18, 2018
  3. ↑ The Herald-Dispatch, "Miller announces bid for U.S. House," July 20, 2017
  4. ↑ HuntingtonNews.net, "Trump Campaign Announces its Support for Carol Miller to Represent West Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District," accessed September 7, 2018
  5. ↑ Twitter, "CarolmillerWV," August 1, 2018
  6. ↑ Winning for Women, "Carol Miller," accessed September 26, 2018
  7. ↑ Richard Ojeda for Congress, "About," accessed January 30, 2014
  8. ↑ [https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/03/02/richard-ojeda-west-virginia-blue-army-one-217217 Politico, "‘He’s JFK With Tattoos and a Bench Press’ Paratrooper Richard Ojeda is redefining what it means to be a Democrat in a deeply red state," March 2nd, 2018]
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Vote Ojeda, "Issues," accessed September 26, 2018 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ojedaissues" defined multiple times with different content
  10. ↑ National Institute on Drug Abuse, "West Virginia Opioid Summary," accessed September 26, 2018
  11. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  12. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  13. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  14. ↑ Axios, "The midwestern Senate race getting a $2 million boost from Trump's allies," September 26, 2018
  15. ↑ Roll Call, "Pro-Trump Outside Groups Are Investing in These 12 Races," August 24, 2018
  16. ↑ FEC, "FILING FEC-1268811," accessed October 19, 2018
  17. ↑ Open Secrets, "West Virginia's 3rd Congressiona District Outside Spending," accessed September 26, 2018
  18. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  19. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  20. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  21. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  22. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  23. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  24. ↑ Elect Carol Miller, "Home," accessed September 26, 2018
  25. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  26. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  27. ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Listing By Office," accessed February 2, 2016
  28. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Quick Facts - West Virginia," accessed January 23, 2018
  29. ↑ Justice was elected as a Democrat in 2016 but subsequently reregistered as a Republican.
  30. ↑ Gov. Jim Justice switched his registration to Republican on August 4, 2017.
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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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