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West Virginia's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Democratic primary)

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West Virginia's 1st Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: January 27, 2024
Primary: May 14, 2024
General: November 5, 2024
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Voting in West Virginia
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
DDHQ and The Hill: Safe Republican
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
See also
West Virginia's 1st Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd
West Virginia elections, 2024
U.S. Congress elections, 2024
U.S. Senate elections, 2024
U.S. House elections, 2024

A Democratic Party primary took place on May 14, 2024, in West Virginia's 1st Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate would run in the district's general election on November 5, 2024.

Chris Reed advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 1.

All 435 seats were up for election. At the time of the election, Republicans had a 220 to 212 majority with three vacancies.[1] As of June 2024, 45 members of the U.S. House had announced they were not running for re-election. To read more about the U.S. House elections taking place this year, click here.

In the 2022 election in this district, the Republican candidate won 66.7%-28.8%. Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Donald Trump (R) would have defeated Joe Biden (D) 69.7%-28.8%.[2]

Candidate filing deadline Primary election General election
January 27, 2024
May 14, 2024
November 5, 2024


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.[3][4]

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

This page focuses on West Virginia's 1st Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 1

Chris Reed defeated Jim Umberger in the Democratic primary for U.S. House West Virginia District 1 on May 14, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Chris Reed
 
56.4
 
27,509
Image of Jim Umberger
Jim Umberger Candidate Connection
 
43.6
 
21,253

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

Total votes: 48,762
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

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Jim Umberger

Image of Jim Umberger

WebsiteFacebook

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Hi, I’m Jim Umberger and I am running to represent West Virginia’s first Congressional District. Born and raised in Charleston, I’m a Combat Veteran, having served in the Army in Vietnam. I earned my undergraduate degree from West Virginia State University and a master’s degree in counseling from the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies. I have served on the boards of several organizations: Southeastern Regional Workshop (now Gateway Industries), Friends of the Greenbrier Center, Carnegie Hall Foundation, Carnegie Hall, Inc., and the American Red Cross (both county and state levels), and worked as a member of the Greenbrier County Planning Commission for six years. Currently, I am the treasurer of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of the 11th Judicial District of WV. It’s no secret that West Virginia has unique economic and social challenges. Our workers fueled the industrial revolution of the 20th century and America’s victory in World War II. Although the demand for coal will continue into the future, now is time to start diversifying economic opportunities in West Virginia. This region has grappled for years with the decline of the coal industry, and we need to address the problems created by unemployment and economic distress. I support innovative job creation for both small businesses and emerging industries, including both fossil fuel and renewable energy opportunities. We need to work together to define the future of our communities."

Key Messages

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

HEALTH CARE Health and safety standards should be enforced to reduce injury and illness in the workplace. Access to medical and dental care is a basic human right. Women must have agency over their own bodies. Drug abuse continues to devastate our communities. Programs to combat the root causes of addiction and to support the people affected will only succeed with sufficient resources at the community, state,and federal levels.

EDUCATION The global pandemic shifted the landscape of education, highlighting the need for innovative approaches that cater to the evolving needs of our learners. Though challenges remain, West Virginia is poised to reimagine education for a brighter future. By investing in and empowering educators, allowing them the autonomy to use their training and expertise, we can equip our youth with the academic, vocational, and life skills they need to thrive.

NATIONAL DEFENSE The United States is the most powerful nation in the history of the world. As such, we have a responsibility to ensure our friends and foes have no doubt of our strength nor our intentions. Our allies should not have to question our support. Military spending should not be disrupted, nor promotions held up because of posturing and theatrics in Washington. Our service personnel are the military’s most valuable asset and should be treated with a level of respect that rises above political gamesmanship.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House West Virginia District 1 in 2024.

Voting information

See also: Voting in West Virginia

Election information in West Virginia: May 14, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: April 23, 2024
  • By mail: Postmarked by April 23, 2024
  • Online: April 23, 2024

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: May 8, 2024
  • By mail: Received by May 8, 2024
  • Online: May 8, 2024

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: May 13, 2024
  • By mail: Postmarked by May 14, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

N/A

What were the early voting start and end dates?

May 1, 2024 to May 11, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (EST)


Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Chris Reed Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Jim Umberger Democratic Party $80,166 $72,348 $7,818 As of June 7, 2024

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. 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.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

  • District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
  • Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2024 U.S. House elections in the state.
  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
  • State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.


Below was the map in use at the time of the election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

2023_01_03_wv_congressional_district_01.jpg
See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2024

This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in West Virginia.

West Virginia U.S. House competitiveness, 2014-2024
Office Districts/
offices 		Seats Open seats Candidates Possible primaries Contested Democratic primaries Contested Republican primaries % of contested primaries Incumbents in contested primaries % of incumbents in contested primaries
2024 2 2 1 10 4 1 2 75.0% 1 100.0%
2022 2 2 0 13 4 1 2 75.0% 3 100.0%
2020 3 3 0 12 6 2 2 66.7% 2 66.7%
2018 3 3 1 18 6 3 1 66.7% 0 0.0%
2016 3 3 0 11 6 1 1 33.3% 1 33.3%
2014 3 3 1 14 6 2 1 50.0% 1 50.0%

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in West Virginia in 2024. Information below was calculated on March 5, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Ten candidates filed to run for West Virginia’s two U.S. House districts, including three Democrats and seven Republicans. That’s five candidates per district, lower than the 6.5 candidates who ran in 2022 but higher than the 4.7 candidates who ran in 2020.

One seat was open in 2024, meaning an incumbent was not running for re-election. The other two election cycles this decade in which a House seat was open were 2018 and 2014.

Alexander Mooney (R), the incumbent in the 2nd district, did not file to run for re-election. Instead he ran to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate.

Six candidates—one Democrat and five Republicans—ran to replace Mooney in the 2nd district, the most candidates who ran for a district in 2024.

Three primaries—one Democratic and two Republican—were contested. Between 2014 and 2022, an average of 3.2 primaries were contested.

One incumbent—Carol Miller (R)—faced a primary challenger. That’s fewer than in 2022 when three incumbents faced challengers.

Republican and Democratic candidates filed to run in all districts, meaning none were guaranteed to either party.

Partisan Voter Index

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

Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+23. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 23 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made West Virginia's 1st the 21st most Republican district nationally.[5]

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2020 presidential election would have been in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

2020 presidential results in West Virginia's 1st based on 2024 district lines
Joe Biden Democratic Party Donald Trump Republican Party
28.8% 69.7%

Inside Elections Baselines

See also: Inside Elections

Inside Elections' Baseline is a figure that analyzes all federal and statewide election results from the district over the past four election cycles. The results are combined in an index estimating the strength of a typical Democratic or Republican candidate in the congressional district.[6] The table below displays the Baseline data for this district.

Inside Elections Baseline for 2024
Democratic Baseline Democratic Party Republican Baseline Republican Party Difference
39.8 57.3 R+17.5

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in West Virginia, 2020

West Virginia presidential election results (1900-2020)

  • 15 Democratic wins
  • 16 Republican wins
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winning Party R R R D R R R R D D D D D D R D D D R D D R D D D R R R R R R
See also: Party control of West Virginia state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of West Virginia's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from West Virginia
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 0 0
Republican 2 2 4
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 2 4

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in West Virginia's top three state executive offices as of May 2024.

State executive officials in West Virginia, May 2024
Office Officeholder
Governor Republican Party Jim Justice
Secretary of State Republican Party Mac Warner
Attorney General Republican Party Patrick Morrisey

State legislature

West Virginia State Senate

Party As of February 2024
     Democratic Party 3
     Republican Party 31
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 34

West Virginia House of Delegates

Party As of February 2024
     Democratic Party 11
     Republican Party 89
     Independent 0
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 100

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

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[7] 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

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in West Virginia in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in West Virginia, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
West Virginia U.S. House Ballot-qualified party N/A $1,740.00 1/27/2024 Source
West Virginia U.S. House Unaffiliated 1% of votes cast for this office in the last election, but no fewer than 25 $1,740.00 8/1/2024 Source

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ A majority in the U.S. House when there are no vacancies is 218 seats.
  2. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
  3. ↑ West Virginia State Legislature, "WV Code § 3-4A-20," accessed June 30, 2025
  4. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed June 30, 2025
  5. ↑ Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed January 10, 2024
  6. ↑ Inside Elections, "Methodology: Inside Elections’ Baseline by Congressional District," December 8, 2023
  7. ↑ Gov. Jim Justice switched his registration to Republican on August 4, 2017.


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


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