West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District elections, 2014

U.S. House, West Virginia District 3 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Nick Rahall Incumbent	44.6%	62,688
	Republican	Evan Jenkins	55.4%	77,713
Total Votes				140,401
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

2016 → ← 2012

West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District

General Election Date November 4, 2014

Primary Date May 13, 2014

November 4 Election Winner: Evan Jenkins

Incumbent prior to election: Nick Rahall

Race Ratings Cook Political Report: Democratic Toss Up Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up

West Virginia U.S. House Elections District 1 • District 2 • District 3

2014 U.S. Senate Elections

2014 U.S. House Elections

The 3rd Congressional District of West Virginia held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. West Virginia state Senator Evan Jenkins (R) switched parties in July 2013 to challenge and ultimately defeat 19-term incumbent Nick Rahall (D).

Jenkins did not face a primary challenger. Rahall defeated retired U.S. Army Major Richard Ojeda in the Democratic primary.

West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District was one of Ballotpedia's U.S. House battleground districts in 2014 because of Rahall's vulnerability as a Democrat serving in a Republican district. Fairvote projections showed the district as only slightly favoring Democrats, but Cook PVI showed the district as heavily favoring Republicans.The race was rated a "Tossup" contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call. In addition, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won the district by 26.8 percentage points in 2012, and Sen. John McCain won the district by 13.4 percentage points in 2008.

During the election season, many West Virginians, regardless of political affiliation, opposed abortion, gun control, Obamacare, and Obama's energy policies. Robert Rupp, a professor of history and political science at West Virginia Wesleyan College explained, "There are three political parties in the United States: Democrats, Republicans and West Virginia Democrats." As West Virginia Democrats increasingly disagreed with national Democratic policies, so did Rahall, whose voting record became more conservative. One in every four of Rahall's votes was with the Republican Party, as a member of the 113th United States Congress. Jenkins' and Rahall's rhetoric and stances on the issues were similar except on healthcare, with Rahall supporting Obamacare and Jenkins promising to replace the healthcare bill.

Candidate Filing Deadline	Primary Election	General Election
January 25, 2014	May 13, 2014	November 4, 2014

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. West Virginia utilizes a semi-closed primary system where parties may decide if unaffiliated voters can vote in their primaries.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Voter registration: To vote in the primary, voters had to register by April 22, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 14, 2014.

See also: West Virginia elections, 2014

Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Nick Rahall (D), who was first elected in 1976.

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.

Candidates

General election candidates

• Nick Rahall - Incumbent
• Evan Jenkins - State Senatora

May 13, 2014, primary results

Democratic Primary

• Nick Rahall - Incumbent a
• Richard Ojeda

Republican Primary

• Evan Jenkins - State Senatora

Election results

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	Evan Jenkins	55.4%	77,713
Total Votes				140,401
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

Democratic primary results

Nick Rahall, who was seeking his 20th term, had this to say after winning the Democratic primary: “I am honored to receive this nomination, the lines in this campaign are now clearly drawn: it's West Virginia working families against out-of-state billionaires and their puppet, Evan Jenkins. Billionaires from New York City will do everything they can to try and tear us down, because they know that no one stands stronger in Washington against their reckless agenda that threatens our workers, our seniors, our coal miners and our economy. But I have news for them -- the voices of West Virginia working families are infinitely stronger than their shadowy money, and we welcome this fight to protect our West Virginia way of life.”

U.S. House, West Virginia District 3 Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Nick Rahall Incumbent	66.5%	37,176
Richard Ojeda	33.5%	18,767
Total Votes		55,943
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

Race background

Party switch

Jenkins switched his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican on July 31, 2013, and he announced his run for West Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District on the same day. “I am leaving Barack Obama’s party to become a Republican and run for Congress against Nick Rahall. West Virginia is under attack from President Obama and a Democratic Party that our parents and grandparents would not recognize,” Jenkins explained.

The party switch was anticipated by state Democrats, who stripped Jenkins of his leadership posts in the West Virginia State Senate and found a replacement for him prior to the announcement. Nick Rahall told Politico prior to Jenkins' announcement that he expected Jenkins to switch parties and run against him. When asked about the switch Rahall said, "Flip-flop. How many times is Evan Jenkins going to switch parties?" Jenkins had switched from Republican to Democratic party affiliation in February 1993, before winning a seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1994. Referring to his 2010 opponent, Rick Snuffer, who also switched parties prior to the election, Rahall said, "I’ve dealt with traitors before and I’ll deal with traitors again."

The switch generated different reactions from Democrats and Republicans. The West Virginia Republican Party Chair Conrad Lucas said that "Senator Jenkins is the finest example of an elected official who sees that West Virginia's future must take precedence over the parties of the past." Jenkins also received a warm welcome from prominent Republican Party leaders Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy. In contrast, the Democratic party chair Larry Puccio said, "When Washington Republican money came a knockin', Jenkins went a walkin'." He also said that Jenkins was "only loyal to the dollar" and "Washington Republican money."

Contributions

Jenkins and Rahall had donated to each other's campaigns in previous election cycles. According to FEC reports, Rahall made a non-federal contribution of $2,000 to the "Friends to Re-Elect Senator Evan Jenkins" in December 2009. "In April 2010, Jenkins' committee returned $1,000 of the contribution to Rahall's committee, records show. Jenkins pointed to a state law allowing a maximum of $1,000 contribution for the primary election and a $1,000 contribution for the general election," according to The Charleston Daily Mail. Jenkins also donated $500 to the "Keep Nick Rahall in Congress Committee" in October 2010.

NRCC early target

Incumbent Nick Rahall (D) was one of seven early targets listed by the National Republican Congressional Committee in the 2014 congressional elections. The seven targets aligned with the seven most Republican districts held by Democrats, according to FairVote's partisanship index. Rahall's district was ranked as the third most Republican (40% D).

Power plant regulations

As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepared to release new power plant carbon regulations in September 2013, Rahall faced pressure from Jenkins. In July 2013, Rahall appeared at an EPA ceremony to rename the organization's headquarters. He said that his appearance was to afford him time to speak with Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator, but Jenkins alleged that it was a "public show of meeting with the EPA."

DCCC "Frontline Program"

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) added Rahall to its Frontline Program in March 2014. The Frontline Program was a partnership between the DCCC and members of Congress, designed to protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents. Members of the program were required to sign a memorandum that required them to meet aggressive fundraising goals, accelerate volunteer and recruitment efforts, and increase their online networking.

NRCC "On the Radar"

The National Republican Congressional Committee added Evan Jenkins to their "On the Radar" list in November 2013. According to the NRCC, candidates that made this list were set to receive "the tools they need to run successful, winning campaigns against their Democratic opponents."

Rahall retirement rumors

On April 6, 2014, on CNN's Inside Politics, host John King said that Rahall was "about to retire a couple of weeks ago. And the leadership convinced him not to do that." In an interview with LoganBanner.com, Rahall called King's comments "completely false." He added, “I gave absolutely no consideration to withdrawing from this race. The Democrat Party has always intended to support me and they and the voters will do just that. I would not give up this seat, which belongs to the people, without a fight.”

NRCC's "Young Guns"

Jenkins was added to the Republican Party’s 2014 "Young Guns" top 10 list of candidates for the House. According to the National Republican Congressional Committee, candidates were added to the list by demonstrating "their ability to build a formidable campaign structure and achieve important goals and benchmarks.”

Issues

See also: Energy and the 2014 election: the ballots and beyond

Campaign themes

Evan Jenkins

Jenkins' website highlighted the following campaign themes:

“	Coal: President Obama and his EPA are waging a War on Coal, and Evan will fight it tooth and nail. He’ll strongly oppose Obama’s cap-and-trade scheme, a carbon tax and job-killing EPA regulations. Evan understands that in West Virginia, coal is not just our economic lifeblood – it makes us who we are. In the state legislature, Jenkins has supported numerous measures to protect the health, safety and pensions of West Virginia coal miners, and he is firmly opposed to any cuts to the Federal Black Lung Benefit Program. Middle-class Jobs: Growing up in the shadow of Huntington’s once-proud manufacturing plants, Evan will help keep jobs here in America. He understands that stringent federal regulations on small businesses and a burdensome tax system are preventing West Virginia industry from expanding operations and creating new jobs. Obamacare: Evan knows that ObamaCare will cost trillions, raise premiums and kill jobs. As the disastrous implementation of Obama’s health law has proved, this is a classic boondoggle that will greatly damage our health care system. Evan will lead efforts to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with common sense health care reforms that will improve access to quality health care and preserve your doctor-patient relationship. Fiscal Conservative: Evan knows we most end the ‘tax and spend’ ways of Washington.  Our nation’s $17 Trillion deficit is mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren and must stop.  He believes we must live within our means and tax relief, not tax increases, is what we need to get our country moving in the right direction. Traditional Values: Evan knows that life begins at conception and is firm in his convictions. He supported West Virginia’s Defense of Marriage Act clearly recognizing  that marriage is between one man and woman, and will always defend your constitutionally guaranteed 2nd Amendment rights.	”
—Evan Jenkins, http://evanjenkins.com/evan-on-the-issues/

Nick Rahall

Rahall’s website highlighted the following campaign themes:

“	COAL Protecting coal miners, their jobs, their families and their safety has always been a top priority for me and will continue to be. I will continue to oppose the President and EPA when they propose laws and regulations that will hurt West Virginia and cost us coal industry jobs. And, I will continue my longtime fight to promote mine safety and ensure that retired miners receive the full pension and benefits they were promised. JOBS I will continue my fight to create new, high-paying jobs and preserve the ones we have. As the ranking Member on the Transportation Committee, I will keep pushing to bring needed highway and interstate improvements, along with the jobs they create, to our state. We will keep working to improve the job creation environment for small businesses and help industry and our universities work together to bring hi-tech jobs to West Virginia, as well as doing all we can to continue to build West Virginia’s reputation as one of America’s top destinations for outdoor recreation and tourism. BUY AMERICAN My efforts to promote products “Made in America” and “Made in West Virginia” will continue. I support tax incentives for companies that create American jobs and oppose tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas. HEALTHCARE I have always believed that quality healthcare must be accessible, affordable, and available for every West Virginian. Let's fix portions of the new healthcare law that need to be corrected while ensuring that Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions or place arbitrary financial caps on the amount of coverage patients can receive. And, as I voted to do, let's allow patients to be able to keep their existing plans. SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE Nothing is more important than our nation’s commitment to seniors. Social Security and Medicare benefits have been earned. They are not give-away programs. I will continue to steadfastly oppose anyone in Congress who tries to raise the retirement age, slash Social Security benefits, phase out Medicare or turn it into a voucher program that will mean higher out-of-pocket costs for seniors. MILITARY AND VETERANS I believe in maintaining a strong military. I also believe that we must provide proper training, pay and benefits to members of the military. In addition, it is critical that we honor our long-standing commitment to our veterans.	”
—Nick Rahall, http://web.archive.org/web/20140415210847/http://www.nickrahall.com/issues

Richard Ojeda

Ojeda's website highlighted the following campaign themes:

“	Jobs and Industry: “I am well aware that we must continue to seek to new ways to power our growing nation and mine coal in a safe, yet cost effective way, that protects not only the environment, but places the safety of the miner as priority one...I propose a long term approach to regulating the industry to ensure that if any job is lost during the process of improving mining regulations than the same number of jobs have to be created within the economy in another industry to offset the loss...Effective leaders must work to attract new and prosperous industry to our lacking economy. I will also work to support small business owners and protect them from overreaching government policies that create barriers to succeed.” Education: “I will make high school completion a priority during my time in Washington. I will work with the state to ensure that every county has the resources needed for every child to be able to reach for the stars and have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. I will support programs like the Hubcap initiative that strives toward 100% completion rates among our high school students. These programs that show success must be supported so that they remain viable in our schools and it’s time to get rid of programs that are not showing results. Students must be able ready to face the world when they graduate from high school and I will protect our education pathways from Headstart all the way to supporting Federal financial aid for college. Education will NOT fly under the radar on my watch.” Social Issues: “We have a great need for increased substance abuse prevention programs, homelessness and transitional housing services, and family support programs that will not only help these folks recover, but stop this vicious cycle of families having to depend on social welfare to meet their daily living needs and never being able to adequately provide for their families. I will stand toe to toe with any leader and argue that we must have a living wage not just a minimum wage and allow those who put in a hard day at work the ability to provide for their families. I will also work with fellow leaders to make sure that every dime that we pay in to Social Security will be available when we need it. Regardless of whether you are 22 or 82, I want to make sure that those funds are preserved and protected so that we have the ability to provide a stable life after retirement or disability.” Healthcare: “Every citizen deserves an affordable patient centered healthcare option to promote a healthy lifestyle and remain available when life takes a turn for the worse. Though the Affordable Care Act may not be the answer to our problems, we cannot turn our head, and act like its business as usual, when there are too many problems facing our healthcare industry. Insurance companies have been riding the wave for a long time and now it is time to make them accountable for their service to the people. They must be able to provide an option that is both affordable and of ample quality to meet our basic healthcare needs. We must support the programs that offer preventative services to reduce the overall cost of healthcare. We have to identify the areas where healthcare is failing and work to see improvements. Our healthcare professionals dedicate their careers to helping others and as Congressman, I will dedicate my career to making sure affordable healthcare is available to those who need it.” Military & Veterans: “PTSD is REAL! It has caused many Soldiers severe issues with life after combat and I will dedicate myself to making sure those that seek assistance get the very best in care. The homeless issue for veterans in this country is unacceptable. If a person dedicates years of their life to serve this nation, it is our responsibility to ensure that we do everything in our power to return the favor and serve them in their time of need. I will place a high priority on supporting homeless, medical, and elderly centers dedicated towards veterans in our district. As a retired Veteran who has spent time as both an Enlisted man and Officer, I can assure you that I will protect all benefits promised to us all and I will never be afraid to ask a person in Washington if they would be willing to “send their child first” before they make a decision to commit our forces to war.”	”
—Richard Ojeda, https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://www.richardojeda.com/where_i_stand

Debate over coal production

On June 2, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Clean Power Plan, an initiative from the agency to curb carbon emissions. The goal was to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. The plan would set greenhouse gas emission limits for each state, and it would be up to states to create and implement plans that would meet these greenhouse gas reduction targets. Coal-fired power plants were the largest emitters of greenhouse gases and were expected to pay the majority of the cost for the plan.

West Virginia was the second-largest coal producer after Wyoming. Industry leaders worried that the Clean Power Plan would put coal industry employees out of work and raise energy prices in the state. The National Mining Association’s president and CEO Hal Quinn said, “By ushering in higher energy costs the rule will cost jobs, slow employment growth, raise utility bills for millions of households and weaken the reliability of the power grid already described by experts as being close to the edge.” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy challenged these predictions in a news release, saying, "We don't have to choose between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. ... Our action will sharpen America's competitive edge, spur innovation and create jobs."

Jenkins and Rahall both opposed the Clean Power Plan. Jenkins said that the "EPA’s policies are 'devastating' to West Virginians" and added that "the 19-term incumbent championed Obama’s election in 2008 and appears helpless to stop the White House now." Rahall "denounced Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency as 'callous,' attacked its biggest greenhouse gas rule as 'disastrous' and filed legislation to block the heart of the president’s climate agenda."

Rahall and Rep. David McKinley (R) introduced H.R. 4813, the Protection and Accountability Regulatory Act of 2014, on June 9, 2014, to fight what they viewed as the overreach of EPA regulations. The bill "would terminate the new rule for existing power plants, along with the proposed rule for future power plants. In addition, to prevent some sleight of hand maneuver by the EPA, the bill will aim to block the issuance of similar rules for at least the next five years without congressional approval, according to Rahall."

Bush-Rahall

Nick Rahall said he supported former President George W. Bush more than he supported President Obama. When asked if Obama has been good for West Virginia overall, Rahall replied, “Probably not. I will support him when he’s good for West Virginia, and I will oppose him when he’s bad for West Virginia...I probably have supported George Bush more than I have Barack Obama. Am I going to switch parties because of that? No. I’m a Democrat, born a Democrat, am a Democrat and will die a Democrat."

“There’s no question my critics try to blame Obama-Rahall for everything. I mean, the snow blitz that’s coming tonight is probably Obama-Rahall’s fault. And they won’t have that to do two years from now, so it’s obvious they’re leaving no stone unturned to defeat me this time. Because it’s the last time they’ll have Obama around! It’s that simple,” Rahall said.

Politifact fact check

Politifact rated Rahall's claim that he supported Bush more than Obama "false." According to Politifact, Rahall's "average voting support for Obama has been 74 percent, compared to just 31 percent for George W. Bush, and his weakest support for Obama exceeded his strongest support for Bush by double digits."

Key votes

Below are important votes that Rahall cast during the 113th Congress.

National security

NDAA

Rahall voted for HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.

DHS Appropriations

Rahall voted for HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 that was largely along party lines.

Keystone Pipeline Amendment

Rahall voted for House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.

CISPA (2013)

Rahall voted for HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans but divided the Democratic Party.

Economy

Farm Bill

See also: United States Farm Bill 2013

Rahall voted against the Farm Bill on July 11, 2013. The bill passed in a 216-208 vote. The bill passed included farm policy, but it did not include food stamps.

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Rahall voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.

The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Rahall voted for HR 2775.

Immigration

King Amendment

In June 2013, the House approved an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security spending bill that would end the department's discretion policies by cutting off funding for the proposed DREAM Act, which would have temporarily halted the deportations of young immigrants if they had served in the military or were attending college. This vote overturned an executive order signed by President Obama that formalized a process for the "Dreamers" to remain in the U.S.

The amendment, offered by Rep. Steve King (R) of Iowa, passed the House by a vote of 224-201 and was approved mostly along party lines. However, three Democrats supported the amendment and six Republicans opposed it, while nine members did not vote.Rahall was one of the three Democratic members who voted in favor of the amendment.

The amendment would effectively demand the government force out "Dreamers" who came to the U.S. as children. It contrasted with comprehensive immigration reform efforts, including proposed DREAM Act style legislation, and would resume the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children. The amendment was the first immigration-related vote in either chamber of Congress in 2013, and it blocked many of the provisions that were mirrored in the Senate’s Gang of Eight bill.

Healthcare

Healthcare Reform Rules

Rahall voted against House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires that all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.

Polls

Rahall v. Jenkins
Poll	Nick Rahall	Evan Jenkins	Not Sure	Margin of Error	Sample Size
Harper Polling October 7-8, 2014	44%	50%	6%	+/-3.82	657
Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group May 26-28, 2014	52%	39%	9%	+/-5	403
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

Potential general election match-up
Poll	Nick Rahall (D)	Evan Jenkins (R)	Undecided	Margin of Error	Sample Size
DMF Research April 22-27, 2014	48%	39%	13%	+/-5.2	400
Garin-Hart-Yang Research April 15-16, 2014	52%	40%	8%	+/-5.0	400
Tarrance Group March 3-5, 2014	40%	54%	6%	+/-4.9	405
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

Sabato's Crystal Ball

Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball, changed West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District from “Toss-Up” to “Leans Republican” in April 2014. Kondik listed the following reasons for the change: the Tarrance Group poll above, the false rumor that Rahall considered retiring, "the overwhelming support voters gave to Mitt Romney in 2012" in the third district, and Rahall's inability to separate himself from Obama, who was unpopular in the district.

Media

"Worry," an ad released by House Majority PAC on March 11, 2014, featured a West Virginian coal-mining family warning "we both could get hurt" if Evan Jenkins won the race. The ad claimed that Jenkins “vowed to repeal black lung benefits” and “support[ed] letting insurance companies charge women more for healthcare.”

According to FactCheck.org, though Jenkins promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act, doing so would not repeal the Federal Black Lung Benefits Program. According to Jenkins’ website, he was "opposed to any cuts to the Federal Black Lung Benefit Program."Jenkins also supported repealing and replacing the ACA, but he did not explain how he would replace it. Jenkins’ campaign said that he supported "a replacement bill that prohibits gender-based ratings when setting premiums."

In response, Jenkins released his first ad, "Backbone," in which the narrator highlights FactCheck.org's rebuttal of the "Worry" ad and calls Rahall "a lying politician, just like Obama."

Rahall and House Majority PAC also released ads defending Rahall's record on coal and portraying Jenkins as an outsider, tied to New York money, in comparison with Rahall, a native West Virginian. The pro-Jenkins ads argued that Jenkins would protect the coal industry and that Obamacare, which Jenkins opposed, hurt West Virginians. The organizations Americans for Prosperity, the American Energy Alliance, and the National Republican Congressional Committee released pro-Jenkins ads.

"Worry” & "Backbone"

House Majority PAC's March 2014 ad, "Evan Jenkins - Worry."

"Evan Jenkins: Backbone."

Pro-Rahall

Rahall's April 2014 ad, "Cecil 30."

Rahall's May 2014 ad, "My Home."

Rahall's June 2014 ad, "Bipartisan."

• In April 2014, Rahall launched an ad featuring Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers Association. In the ad, Roberts accused "billionaires of telling lies about Rahall.”

• In May and June 2014, Rahall released the ads, "My Home" and "Bipartisan." Each ad chastised "New York billionaires" for telling lies about Rahall's voting record.

Rahall's July 2014 ad, "West Virginians."

Rahall's September 2014 ad, "Ron and Libby."

Rahall's September 2014 ad, "Jackie."

• Rahall's July 2014 ad once again tied Evan Jenkins to "New York billionaires" and highlighted Jenkins' vote against raising the minimum wage in West Virginia. The narrator said, "Nick Rahall believes that anyone willing to work hard should be paid a decent wage, and that Medicare should never be privatized." The ad failed to acknowledge that Jenkins initially voted for raising the minimum wage on March 7, 2014. Jenkins then voted against a revised version of the bill. On May 21, 2014, Jenkins voted for the final revision of the bill to raise the minimum wage, which Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) signed into law.

• Rahall's September 2014 ad, "Ron and Libby," featured coal miner Ron Pauley. Pauley said, "We have a saying in the mines, whose side are you on? We know Nick Joe Rahall is on our side. But Evan Jenkins can’t be trusted. He’s not on the side of the coal miners. He’s on the side of the billionaires.”

• Rahall's September 2014 ad, "Jackie," accused Evan Jenkins of vowing to take away federal black lung benefits from coal miners. FactCheck.org wrote that the ad "distorts the facts and misrepresents Jenkins’ position on black lung benefits."

Rahall's September 2014 ad, "Our Way."

Rahall's September 2014 ad, "Preserve."

Rahall's September 2014 ad, "Straightshooter."

• In "Our Way," Rahall promised to protect coal and once again tied Jenkins to "billionaires."

• In "Preserve," Rahall highlighted his support for the 2nd Amendment.

• In "Straightshooter," Sen. Joe Manchin argued that Rahall should be re-elected to Congress.

"Listens" ad

Rahall's June 2014 ad "Listens" criticized Evan Jenkins' stance on Medicare. The ad received “Four Pinocchios” from the Washington Post. Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post wrote:

“

It’s really time for Democrats to drop these repeated 'Mediscare' references to a supposed $6,000 increase in premiums. It is so out of date as to be laughable. But even without that claim, the use of Jenkins’ quote about Medicaid to make broad charges about Medicare is a ridiculous and misleading mix-up of policies. The Rahall campaign should be ashamed of this ad.

”

"Listens"

Rahall's June 2014 ad, "Listens."

House Majority PAC

See also: House Majority PAC

House Majority PAC's December 2013 ad, "Cannot Change."

House Majority PAC's March 2014 ad, "Nick Rahall - Stick."

House Majority PAC's April 2014 ad, "WV-03: Evan Jenkins - Spill."

• House Majority PAC as of July 2014 has spent more in West Virginia's 3rd congressional district election than in any other 2014 race.

• House Majority PAC launched an ad buy on December 10, 2013, for Nick Rahall (D). The ad ran throughout southern West Virginia for ten days and cost approximately $150,000. “Right-wing, Koch Brothers-funded groups are spending big to prop up a two-time party-switcher, but Mountaineers know Nick Rahall is a fighter for southern West Virginia,” said Andy Stone, communications director for House Majority PAC.

• House Majority PAC released another $65,000 ad buy in March 2014, defending Rahall's record on coal. In the ad, a man identified as retired coal miner Rick Ryan criticized “New York billionaires” for paying for ads opposing Rahall. “Nick Rahall isn’t against coal. He saved my job and 500 others when he stopped Washington from closing the Hobet Mine...Those billionaires want you to vote for Evan Jenkins, a man the Gazette called a ‘shill’ for insurance companies,” Ryan said in the ad.

• House Majority PAC released a $65,000 ad buy in April 2014. "Spill" accused Jenkins of delaying a water safety bill. The ad also tied Jenkins to the Koch brothers.

House Majority PAC's April 2014 ad, "WV-03: Evan Jenkins - 'Counting'."

House Majority PAC, "WV-03: Evan Jenkins - 'Crystal Ball'."

• House Majority PAC's ads "Counting" and "Crystal Ball" both tied Jenkins to "New York billionaires" once again. Each ad noted that outside groups donated more than $1 million dollars to Jenkins' campaign.

Pro-Jenkins

Evan Jenkins' June 2014 ad, "Exist."

Evan Jenkins' August 2014 ad, "Parked."

Evan Jenkins' October 2014 ad, "Bribes."

• In the ad "Exist," Jenkins promised West Virginians that he would fight Obama's attacks on the coal industry if elected.

• In the ad, "Parked," Jenkins argued that Rahall has been "parked" in Congress and had not done much to help West Virginians.

• Jenkins' ad, "Bribes," accused Rahall of "killing coal" and "taking bribes."

Evan Jenkins' October 2014 ad, "Punishing."

• In the ad, "Punishing," Jenkins criticized Rahall's record on the carbon tax and medicare.

Americans for Prosperity

See also: Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Prosperity's February 2014 ad, "Tell Rep. Rahall to Stop Obamacare."

Americans for Prosperity's ad, "Your Plan Has Been Cancelled."

Americans for Prosperity's April 2014 ad, "Christina's Story: End Rahall's War on Coal."

• On February 10, 2014, Americans for Prosperity released a $30,000 radio ad that criticized incumbent Nick Rahall for supporting Obamacare.

• In the Americans for Prosperity ad, "Your Plan Has Been Cancelled," the group, once again, criticized Rahall for supporting Obamacare.

• Americans for Prosperity released an April 2014 ad titled, "Christina's Story: End Rahall's War on Coal." In the ad, Christina, the wife of a coal miner who lost his job, said, "Nick Rahall let coal mining families down."

American Energy Alliance

American Energy Alliance's April 2014 ad, "Killing Coal."

American Energy Alliance's June 2014 ad, "Rahall Not Doing Enough."

• The American Energy Alliance released the TV ad, "Killing Coal," which tied Nick Rahall to "anti-coal extremists." The ad was released on April 1, 2014, and the campaign was backed by a $113,000 buy.

• The American Energy Alliance released the ad, "Rahall Not Doing Enough," in July 2014. The ad tied Rahall to Obama's energy policies.

NRCC

NRCC's August 2013 ad, "Nick Rahall's Betrayal."

NRCC's September 2014 ad, "Rahall's Record (60)."

• The National Republican Congressional Committee released an ad in August 2013 that highlighted how Rahall betrayed West Virginians by becoming loyal to Washington D.C., voting for a carbon tax that hurt the coal industry and by attending an event where "environmentalists praised Obama's War on Coal." The ad concluded by directing viewers to the website Rahall for Congress. The site made the argument that Rahall had joined the "War on Coal."

• The National Republican Congressional Committee released an ad in September 2014 featuring coal miner Joe McCormick. McCormick said, "When Nick Rahall votes with Barack Obama, that tells me that Nick Rahall don’t really care about Southern West Virginia. He don’t care about us coal miners."

Freedom Partners

Freedom Partners Action Fund's September 2014 ad, "Lifeblood."

Freedom Partners Action Fund's October 2014 ad, "FPAF - Coal Miners."

Counter PAC

CounterPAC: "Who's Pulling Nick Rahall's Strings?"

Endorsements

Nick Rahall

Rahall was endorsed by the following:

• AFL-CIO
• American Federation of Teachers
• Alliance for Retired Americans
• Charleston Gazette
• National Education Association
• National Rifle Association
• United Mine Workers of America

Evan Jenkins

Jenkins was endorsed by the following:

• Former Governor Mike Huckabee
• West Virginia Coal Association
• National Right to Life
• American Medical Association
• West Virginia Hospital Association
• National Federation of Independent Business
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• West Virginia Farm Bureau
• West Virginians for Life
• Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Bluefield Daily Telegraph
• Charleston Daily Mail

Campaign contributions

Nick Rahall

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Rahall's reports.

Nick Rahall (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 15, 2013	$109,681.30	$142,748.79	$(35,322.74)	$217,107.35
July Quarterly	July 15, 2013	$217,107.35	$182,325.11	$(45,026.77)	$354,405.69
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$354,405.69	$158,529.65	$(39,200.90)	$473,734.44
Year-end	January 31, 2014	$473,734	$428,313	$(62,168)	$839,880
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$839,880.26	$324,255.05	$(65,788.24)	$1,098,347.07
July Quarterly	July 15, 2014	$942,309.37	$410,466.44	$(224,113.73)	$1,128,662.08
October Quarterly	October 15, 2014	$1,128,662.08	$489,974.17	$(1,236,923.45)	$381,712.80
			Running totals
			$2,136,612.21	$(1,708,543.83)

Evan Jenkins

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Jenkins' reports.

Evan Jenkins (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$0	$207,285	$(10,342)	$196,941
Year End	January 31, 2014	$196,941	$202,189	$(32,012)	$367,118
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$367,118.19	$193,529.93	$(48,385.86)	$512,262.26
July Quarterly	July 15, 2014	$438,354.98	$485,175.38	$(234,705.05)	$688,825.31
October Quarterly	October 15, 2014	$688,825.31	$332,465.96	$(559,880.80)	$461,410.47
			Running totals
			$1,420,645.27	$(885,325.71)

Richard Ojeda

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Ojeda's reports.

Richard Ojeda (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$0.00	$15,790.08	$(9,260.49)	$6,529.59
			Running totals
			$15,790.08	$(9,260.49)

Voting

Voter trends

In 2014, voters in West Virginia were leaving the Democratic Party, but they were not registering as Republicans. “According to numbers from the Secretary of State’s Office, out of all of West Virginia’s 1,226,745 registered voters as of June 30, a total of 49.9 percent were registered as Democrats (612,228 people), 28.8 percent as Republicans (353,106) and 19 percent (233,075 people) have no party affiliation. Registrations for both the Mountain Party (1,502) and Libertarian Party (1665) are around .1 percent.” The Democratic Party of West Virginia saw a 15 percent decline in registration since 1994, while the Republican Party remained steady at around 30 percent during the same period.

West Virginians were increasingly registering as independents, which reflected a national trend. According to the Charleston Daily Mail, 26 percent of independents "said they take a somewhat or very conservative approach and 12 percent said they take a somewhat or very liberal approach."

Voter turnout

According to records from West Virginia’s Secretary of State’s office, voter turnout declined in West Virginia from 2006 to 2014. Turnout for the 2006 midterm primary was 26 percent and 44 percent in the general election. In 2010, turnout declined to 24 percent during the midterm primary and 42 percent in the general election.

“During the 2012 general election, a presidential election year, West Virginia had the lowest voter turnout in the nation with about 47 percent of voters casting ballots. The U.S. Census Bureau said West Virginia was the only state where less than half of eligible voters made it to the polls,” according to West Virginia Metro News.

District history

Candidate ballot access
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Democratic territory

Before Jenkins, the last Republican elected in the 3rd Congressional District was William Elmer Neal, who served from 1953 to 1955. When Jenkins took his oath in 2015, it was the first time since 1922 that West Virginia had an all-Republican House delegation.

2012

The 3rd Congressional District of West Virginia held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Nick Rahall won re-election in the district, defeating Rick Snuffer (R) in the general election.

U.S. House, West Virginia District 3 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Nick Rahall Incumbent	53.5%	102,519
	Republican	Rick Snuffer	46.5%	88,999
Total Votes				191,518
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

2010

On November 2, 2010, Nick Rahall won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Elliott E. "Spike" Maynard (R) in the general election.

U.S. House, West Virginia District 3 General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Nick Rahall incumbent	56%	83,636
	Republican	Elliott E. "Spike" Maynard"	44%	65,611
Total Votes				149,247

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia, 2014
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2014
• Battleground Friday: West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District
• United States Senate elections in West Virginia, 2014

External links

• West Virginia Elections Division

Footnotes

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West Virginia's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Shelley Capito (R)

Jim Justice (R)

Representatives

District 1

Carol Miller (R)

District 2

Riley Moore (R)

Republican Party (4)