West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2024 (May 14 Republican primary)
|
← 2020
|
| Governor of West Virginia |
|---|
| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: January 27, 2024 |
| Primary: May 14, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent(s): Jim Justice (R) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voting in West Virginia |
| Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican Inside Elections: Solid Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2024 Impact of term limits in 2024 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024 |
| West Virginia executive elections |
| Governor Attorney General |
Patrick Morrisey (R) won the Republican primary for governor of West Virginia on May 14, 2024. Morrisey received 33.2% of the vote. Moore Capito (R) finished in second place with 27.7%. Chris Miller (R), Mac Warner (R), Mitch Roberts (R), and Kevin Christian (R) also ran in the primary.
Capito, Miller, and Morrisey each said they were the race's most conservative candidate, while Warner said the race is not about being the most conservative.[1]
All four candidates aligned their campaign platforms with former president Donald Trump (R). Morrisey and Warner said they support America First policies, a term often associated with Trump and candidates who say they support Trump’s agenda.[2][3] Miller described himself as a Trump conservative and the most successful fundraiser for Trump in West Virginia.[4] Capito said he would work with Trump on energy independence and wanted Trump to receive the most votes of any presidential candidate in West Virginia's history.[3][5]
During a debate in February, all four candidates said they supported reducing the state's income tax, increasing teachers' salaries, implementing the death penalty for fentanyl traffickers, and restricting abortions.[6]
Capito said he helped write one of the most conservative abortion laws in the country, referring to the state's 2022 statewide abortion ban law. Capito said his work in the West Virginia House of Delegates proved he was the "get-it-done candidate" and that it is important for West Virginia to achieve energy independence.[3][7]
Morrisey said he had a record of achieving conservative policies as West Virginia's attorney general. Morrisey said he supported growing West Virginia's economy, creating a broad school choice policy, and increasing workforce participation.[3]
Miller said, "We have to run state government more like a business, and we have to audit every single dime the government spends." He said the governor's office should not be connected to lobbyists or special interest groups, and "woke-ism is a mind virus that needs to be removed from West Virginia's school system."[3]
Warner said his experience serving in the military and as West Virginia's secretary of state would help him lead as governor.[3] Warner said he would work to grow the economy, lower regulations on coal and energy production, support law enforcement, fight the opioid addiction crisis, and defend gun ownership.
This was one of 11 gubernatorial elections that took place in 2024. The governor serves as a state's top executive official and is the only executive office elected in all 50 states. At the time of the 2024 elections, there were 27 Republican governors and 23 Democratic governors. Click here for an overview of all 11 gubernatorial elections that took place in 2024.
Heading into the 2024 elections, there were 23 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 10 divided governments where neither party held trifecta control. There were 25 Republican triplexes, 20 Democratic triplexes, and five divided governments where neither party held triplex control.
A state government trifecta refers to a situation where one party controls a state's governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. A state government triplex refers to a situation where the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are all members of the same political party.
Kevin Christian (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
This page focuses on West Virginia's gubernatorial Republican primary election. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic gubernatorial primary and general election, see the following pages:
- West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2024 (May 14 Democratic primary)
- West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2024
Candidates and election results
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of West Virginia
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of West Virginia on May 14, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Patrick Morrisey | 33.3 | 75,146 | |
| Moore Capito | 27.5 | 62,224 | ||
| Chris Miller | 20.4 | 46,062 | ||
| Mac Warner | 16.0 | 36,199 | ||
| Mitch Roberts | 1.4 | 3,142 | ||
Kevin Christian ![]() | 1.4 | 3,093 | ||
| Total votes: 225,866 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John B. McCuskey (R)
- Rashida Yost (R)
Voting information
- See also: Voting in West Virginia
Candidate Comparison
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.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: West Virginia House of Delegates (2016-2023)
Biography: Capito received a B.A. from Duke University in 2005 and a J.D. from Washington and lee University in 2011. His professional experience included working in the office of the U.S. secretary of defense and as an attorney at the Energy Corporation of America, Greylock Energy, and Babst Calland.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of West Virginia in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Hello, KC here. I am a native born, third generation West Virginian. Most of my family is from and still lives in McDowell County. I was born in Bluefield, WV and grew up in Mercer County. Due to the collapsing coal economy in the 80's, my family had to leave West Virginia so my father could support a family. We moved down the road to Richlands Virginia where he took a job as a coal miner in Buchanon County Virginia. I attended Richlands High School and during that time, I served my community as a volunteer EMT. After graduation, I joined the U.S. Army and served as an Airborne Infantryman. I put myself through college working as a black hat coal miner and graduated with degrees in electrical engineering. I looked for a job in West Virginia, and when there was none to be found, I had to do like countless mountaineers before me and move away to have the opportunity to raise a family. From there, I have worked all over the world for some of the largest international corporations in many roles including executive leadership. I currently live a self-sustaining lifestyle in Chloe WV on an acreage paradise with my wife and daughter. I am running for office because all the other candidates are taking corporate money and therefore will not be able to serve the people of West Virginia in the way they deserve. I have no allegiance to anyone nor anything else except the people of WV. I am an independent centrist republican that will serve you instead of myself. Vote KC in May"
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of West Virginia in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Chris Miller's professional experience included working as the owner of a car dealership group in West Virginia.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of West Virginia in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: Attorney General of West Virginia (2013-present)
Biography: Morrisey earned a B.A. from Rutgers College-New Brunswick and a J.D. from Rutgers University-Newark. His professional experience includes working in healthcare and regulatory policy. He was a deputy staff director and chief healthcare counsel for the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee. He was the principal liaison for the committee on healthcare issues to the White House, the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of West Virginia in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
West Virginia Secretary of State (2017-present)
Biography: Warner graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He received a J.D. from West Virginia University, a master's degree in military law from the Army Judge Advocate General's school, and a master's degree in international law from the University of Virginia. His professional experience included serving in the Army for 23 years as a JAG Corps officer. In Afghanistan, Warner ran an office in charge of mentoring senior government officials in rule of law.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of West Virginia in 2024.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Kevin Christian (R)
The representative legislature is an antiquated and easily corruptable means for the people to express their will into the law that constrains them. It was basically the best we could do in the late 1700's. Now, given our communication technology, there is no reason why we could not securely allow the citizens an individual voice in that process. One person, one vote, directly. It is what the legislature is supposed to constitutionally achieve and now we have the technology to practise legisation the way it was always intended. We are spending tons of money and achieveing nothing given the thorough corruption of our legisalture. This is unsustainable. We need Citizen initiative and referendum and I plan to instal both for starters.
We need a local, robust, small business, capitalist economy owned by the citizens of WV. You folks are common sense businesspeople, it’s an easy equation. We have cut tax revenue. Cash flow. So, how can we restore that revenue, without raising taxes? To raise revenue, we need to capitalize resources, but most private capital shifted global and pulled out. So, without competing with existing domestic extraction private businesses, I want to establish a State Bank, raise capital through the Fed’s policy of quantitative easing, which does not add to the deficit, and invest that money into extraction. We use that revenue to seed West Virginia private business. We build a robust local future ready economy, and we all win and our kids can stay.
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Additionally, every individual in society must practice self-control. An individual cannot do anything that causes suffering to themselves or anybody else, including future beings. If that happens, we must create law. Therefore, the very existence of law means we as a society have lost the knowledge to control ourselves. In a world where everyone follows the teachings of Jesus or Buddha, where is the need for laws? For police? Everyone would not take more than they need and would voluntarily share. This is how we survive as a species. I think religious tradition and science agree concerning this fundamental truth; Cooperation produces success, competition produces collapse.It is with this understanding that I will conduct myself as the governor. Every policy or law must incentivize cooperation and discourage selfishness. To decide on policy, one must simply ask which policy idea produces more equality, unification, peace, and love. That’s always the correct policy to enact. We have complicated morality with a boatload of rationalizations for our selfishness. Strip that nonsense away and morality becomes so simple one does not even require a book to discern it. I practice a simple principle the Vedanta tradition refers to as ahimsa. It means that one must cause no harm, and if you must, cause the least amount of harm as possible to other beings. Humans, or otherwise.
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Kevin Christian (R)
Campaign ads
Moore Capito
| February 27, 2024 |
| February 26, 2024 |
| January 16, 2024 |
View more ads here:
Chris Miller
| February 27, 2024 |
| February 21, 2024 |
| February 12, 2024 |
View more ads here:
Patrick Morrisey
View more ads here:
Mac Warner
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Mac Warner while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Satellite ads
This section includes a selection of campaign advertisements released by satellite groups. If you are aware of other satellite ads that should be included, please email us.
Black Bear PAC
As of April 5, 2024, the Black Bear PAC spent $1,343,747on 2024 West Virginia elections, including digital and cable ads supporting Morrisey.[8][9] One of those ads is included below.
#WVGov: Black Bear PAC is up on TV this a.m. with this spot hitting R candidate Chris Miller for mocking Trump -- pic.twitter.com/IuDZZlY7cn
— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) April 3, 2024
Debates and forums
This section includes links to debates, forums, and other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated. If you are aware of any debates or forums that should be included, please email us.
February 6, 2024 Republican primary debate
On February 6, 2024 Chris Miller, Mac Warner, Moore Capito, and Patrick Morrisey participated in a debate hosted by Hobby Kercheval.[10]
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
December 7, 2023 Republican primary debate
On December 7, 2023, Chris Miller, Mac Warner, and Moore Captio participated in a debate hosted by Hobby Kercheval.[11]
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[12] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[13] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.
Below we provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. Click here to read about FiveThirtyEight's criteria for including polls in its aggregation. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval.
| West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2024: Republican primary election polls | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Date | Capito | Miller | Morrisey | Warner | Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size[14] | Sponsor[15] |
| WPA Intelligence | March 19-21, 2024 | 20% | 19% | 37% | 14% | 9% | ± 4.4 | 501 | Black Bear PAC |
| Emerson College | April 1-3, 2024 | 14% | 16% | 33% | 6% | 29% | ± 3.6 | 735 | The Hill, Nexstar, WOWK-TV (Huntington, W. Va.) |
| WPA Intelligence | Nov. 23, 2023 | 23% | 10% | 39% | 14% | 14% | ± 4.4 | 501 | Black Bear PAC |
| American Pulse Research & Polling | Nov. 13-14, 2023 | 23% | 10% | 31% | 14% | 23% | ± 4.8% | 414 | WMOV Radio |
| i360 | Oct. 13-14, 2023 | 18% | 6% | 29% | 8% | 38%[16] | ± 3.4% | 811 | Americans for Prosperity |
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.[17]
- 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.[18][19][20]
| Race ratings: West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2024 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| November 5, 2024 | October 29, 2024 | October 22, 2024 | October 15, 2024 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. | |||||||||
Election spending
Campaign finance
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite 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.[21][22]
If available, satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. FEC links include totals from monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports. OpenSecrets.org compiles data from those reports as well as 24- and 48-hour reports from the FEC.[23]
Details about satellite spending of significant amounts and/or reported by media are included below those links. The amounts listed may not represent the total satellite spending in the election. To notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.
Noteworthy 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.
Past elections
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2012.
2020
General election
General election for Governor of West Virginia
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of West Virginia on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jim Justice (R) | 63.5 | 497,944 | |
| Ben Salango (D) | 30.2 | 237,024 | ||
Erika Kolenich (L) ![]() | 2.9 | 22,527 | ||
| S. Marshall Wilson (Independent) (Write-in) | 1.9 | 15,120 | ||
| Daniel Lutz Jr. (Mountain Party) | 1.4 | 11,309 | ||
| Michael Folk (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 199 | ||
| Mitch Roberts (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 152 | ||
| Quintin Gerard Caldwell (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 6 | ||
| Kimberly Gross (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 6 | ||
| Total votes: 784,287 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- David Sartin (Independent)
- Larry Trent (Constitution Party)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of West Virginia
Ben Salango defeated Stephen Smith, Ron Stollings, Jody Murphy, and Douglas Hughes in the Democratic primary for Governor of West Virginia on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ben Salango | 38.7 | 74,554 | |
Stephen Smith ![]() | 33.8 | 65,056 | ||
| Ron Stollings | 13.3 | 25,686 | ||
| Jody Murphy | 9.3 | 17,968 | ||
| Douglas Hughes | 4.8 | 9,201 | ||
| Total votes: 192,465 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Cecil Silva (D)
- Edwin Ray Vanover (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of West Virginia
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of West Virginia on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jim Justice | 62.8 | 133,026 | |
| H. Woody Thrasher | 18.3 | 38,796 | ||
| Michael Folk | 12.5 | 26,461 | ||
Doug Six ![]() | 2.1 | 4,419 | ||
| Larry Brooke Lunsford | 1.8 | 3,844 | ||
| Shelby Fitzhugh | 1.3 | 2,762 | ||
Charles Sheedy ![]() | 1.2 | 2,535 | ||
| Total votes: 211,843 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for Governor of West Virginia
Erika Kolenich advanced from the Libertarian convention for Governor of West Virginia on April 8, 2020.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Erika Kolenich (L) ![]() | |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Mountain Party convention
Mountain Party convention for Governor of West Virginia
Daniel Lutz Jr. advanced from the Mountain Party convention for Governor of West Virginia on June 20, 2020.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Daniel Lutz Jr. (Mountain Party) | |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
The general election for governor was held on November 8, 2016.
Jim Justice defeated Bill Cole, Charlotte Jean Pritt, David Moran, and Phil Hudok in the West Virginia governor election.
| West Virginia Governor, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | 49.09% | 350,408 | ||
| Republican | Bill Cole | 42.30% | 301,987 | |
| Mountain Party | Charlotte Jean Pritt | 5.89% | 42,068 | |
| Libertarian | David Moran | 2.15% | 15,354 | |
| Constitution Party | Phil Hudok | 0.57% | 4,041 | |
| Total Votes | 713,858 | |||
| Source: West Virginia Secretary of State | ||||
2012
Incumbent Earl Ray Tomblin (D) defeated challengers Bill Maloney (R), Jesse Johnson (M), David Moran (L) and several write-in candidates in the November 6, 2012 general election.
| Governor of West Virginia General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | 50.4% | 284,758 | ||
| Republican | Bill Maloney | 45.7% | 258,376 | |
| Mountain | Jesse Johnson | 2.6% | 14,614 | |
| Libertarian | David Moran | 1.4% | 7,653 | |
| Total Votes | 565,401 | |||
| Election results via West Virginia Secretary of State Election Results Center | ||||
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Cook PVI by congressional district
| Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for West Virginia, 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | Party | PVI |
| West Virginia's 1st | Carol Miller | R+23 | |
| West Virginia's 2nd | Alexander Mooney | R+22 | |
2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines
| 2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, West Virginia[24] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Joe Biden |
Donald Trump | ||
| West Virginia's 1st | 28.8% | 69.7% | ||
| West Virginia's 2nd | 30.6% | 67.6% | ||
2012-2020
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Following the 2020 presidential election, 100.0% of West Virginians lived in one of the state's 55 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020. Overall, West Virginia was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in West Virginia following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
| West Virginia county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Republican | 55 | 100.0% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 0 | 0.0% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 55 | 100.0% | |||||
Historical voting trends
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 |
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in West Virginia.
| U.S. Senate election results in West Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2020 | 70.3% |
27.0% |
| 2018 | 49.6% |
46.3% |
| 2014 | 62.1% |
34.5% |
| 2012 | 60.8% |
36.5% |
| 2010 | 53.5% |
43.4% |
| Average | 59.3 | 37.5 |
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of West Virginia
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in West Virginia.
| Gubernatorial election results in West Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2020 | 63.5% |
30.2% |
| 2016 | 49.1% |
42.3% |
| 2012 | 50.5% |
45.7% |
| 2011 | 49.6% |
47.1% |
| 2008 | 69.8% |
25.7% |
| Average | 56.5 | 38.2 |
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 | |
| Secretary of State | |
| Attorney General | |
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[25] | 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 |
The table below details demographic data in West Virginia and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.
| Demographic Data for West Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | United States | |
| Population | 1,793,716 | 331,449,281 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 24,041 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 91.4% | 65.9% |
| Black/African American | 3.4% | 12.5% |
| Asian | 0.8% | 5.8% |
| Native American | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.2% |
| Other (single race) | 0.5% | 6% |
| Multiple | 3.7% | 8.8% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 1.8% | 18.7% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 88.4% | 89.1% |
| College graduation rate | 22.7% | 34.3% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $55,217 | $75,149 |
| Persons below poverty level | 11.9% | 8.8% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022). | ||
| **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. | ||
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- California's 20th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
- Nevada State Assembly elections, 2024
- New Hampshire State Senate elections, 2024
See also
| West Virginia | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Associated Press, "4 Republican rivals for West Virginia governor spar on issues at debate," accessed March 1, 2024
- ↑ Mac Warner for Governor, "Values," accessed March 20, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Youtube.com, "Election 2024: West Virginia Republican gubernatorial debate,"
- ↑ Youtube.com, "Customers," accessed March 20, 2024
- ↑ Moore Capito Governor, "Priorities," accessed March 20, 2024
- ↑ U.S. News, "4 Republican Rivals for West Virginia Governor Spar on Issues at Debate," accessed March 1, 2024
- ↑ Politico, "West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signs abortion ban into law," accessed March 1, 2024
- ↑ Open Secrets, "PAC Profile: Black Bear PAC," accessed April 5, 2024
- ↑ Black Bear PAC, "Club for Growth PAC and Black Bear PAC Endorse Patrick Morrisey for Governor," accessed April 5, 2024
- ↑ Youtube.com, "2024 West Virginia Gubernatorial Race: Full Debate," accessed March 1, 2024
- ↑ Youtube.com, West Virginia Republican gubernatorial debate," accessed March 1, 2024
- ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
- ↑ RV=Registered Voters
LV=Likely Voters - ↑ The sponsor is the person or group that funded all or part of the poll.
- ↑ Includes the response of Undecided/Not Sure (19%), Other Candidate (18%), and Refused to Answer (1%). The poll also had an option for then-candidate Rashida Yost (1%).
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ Amee LaTour, Email correspondence with the Center for Responsive Politics, August 5, 2022
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed December 15, 2023
- ↑ Gov. Jim Justice switched his registration to Republican on August 4, 2017.
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