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William Laird
William Laird (Democratic Party) was a member of the West Virginia State Senate, representing District 10. He assumed office in 2008. He left office in 2016.
Laird (Democratic Party) ran for election to the West Virginia State Senate to represent District 10. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Laird served as the State Senate Majority Whip from 2013 to 2016. He did not seek re-election to the West Virginia State Senate in 2016.
He previously served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1996 to 1998 and as Magistrate for Fayette County.
Biography
Laird earned his M.A. from Marshall University and his B.A. from Concord College. His professional experience includes working as Sheriff of Fayette County, a hospital administrator, president/CEO of Montgomery General Hospital, Deputy Director/Assistant Commissioner in Budget and Administration for the West Virginia Department of Corrections, and Director in Budget and Administration for the Office of Attorney General.[1]
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Laird served on the following committees:
| West Virginia committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Agriculture and Rural Development |
| • Education |
| • Finance |
| • Health and Human Resources |
| • Labor |
| • Military |
| • Natural Resources |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Laird served on the following committees:
| West Virginia committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Natural Resources, Chair |
| • Agriculture and Rural Development |
| • Education |
| • Military |
| • Health and Human Resources |
| • Finance |
| • Children and Poverty |
| • Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, Chair |
| • Agriculture and Agri-business |
| • Joint Education |
| • Employee Suggestion Award Board |
| • Joint Finance |
| • Health |
| • Health and Human Resources Accountability |
| • Outcomes-Based Funding Models in Higher Education |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Laird served on these committees:
| West Virginia committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Agriculture |
| • Agriculture and Agri-business |
| • Education |
| • Joint Education |
| • Employee Suggestion Award Board |
| • Finance |
| • Joint Finance |
| • Health and Human Resources |
| • Health Emergency Preparedness |
| • Joint Judiciary |
| • Military |
| • Natural Resources, Chair |
| • Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, Chair |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Laird served on these committees:
| West Virginia committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Agriculture |
| • Education |
| • Enrolled Bills |
| • Health and Human Resources |
| • Judiciary |
| • Military |
| • Natural Resources |
Issues
Scorecards
In 2012, Laird earned a 92% rating from the National Rifleman's Association for his positions on gun rights and a 100% rating from West Virginians for Life, Incorporated. The West Virginia Sierra Club gave him a rating of 63% in 2010, and the West Virginia AFL-CIO rated him 100% in 2009.[2]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2020
See also: West Virginia State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for West Virginia State Senate District 10
Jack Woodrum defeated William Laird in the general election for West Virginia State Senate District 10 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jack Woodrum (R) | 58.6 | 25,315 |
 | William Laird (D) | 41.4 | 17,895 | |
| Total votes: 43,210 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 10
William Laird advanced from the Democratic primary for West Virginia State Senate District 10 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | William Laird | 100.0 | 10,980 |
| Total votes: 10,980 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 10
Jack Woodrum defeated Dan Hill in the Republican primary for West Virginia State Senate District 10 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jack Woodrum | 62.3 | 6,832 |
 | Dan Hill | 37.7 | 4,127 | |
| Total votes: 10,959 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2016
Elections for the West Virginia State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 10, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was January 30, 2016. Incumbent William Laird (D) did not seek re-election.
Kenny Mann defeated Dave Perry in the West Virginia State Senate District 10 general election.[3][4]
| West Virginia State Senate District 10, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Kenny Mann |
54.73% | 21,148 | |
| Democratic | Dave Perry | 45.27% | 17,494 | |
| Total Votes | 38,642 | |||
| Source: West Virginia Secretary of State | ||||
Dave Perry ran unopposed in the West Virginia State Senate District 10 Democratic primary.[5][6]
| West Virginia State Senate District 10, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Dave Perry (unopposed) | |
Kenny Mann defeated Tom Ewing and Dan Hill in the West Virginia State Senate District 10 Republican primary.[5][6]
| West Virginia State Senate District 10, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Kenny Mann |
47.05% | 4,343 | |
| Republican | Tom Ewing | 37.31% | 3,444 | |
| Republican | Dan Hill | 15.63% | 1,443 | |
| Total Votes | 9,230 | |||
2012
Laird ran in the 2012 election for West Virginia State Senate, District 10. Laird ran unopposed in the May 8 primary election and was unchallenged in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[7][8][9]
2008
On November 4, 2008, William Laird was elected to the West Virginia State Senate, District 11.[10]
Laird raised $59,461 for his campaign, while Aubry Wilson raised $5,344, and James Waddell raised $200.[11]
| West Virginia State Senate, District 11 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| William Laird (D)
|
21,619 | 59.58% | ||
| Aubry Wilson (R) | 11,984 | 33.03% | ||
| James Waddell (Mountain) | 2,682 | 7.39% | ||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
William Laird did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Laird and his wife Michelle Ford have six children; William, Paul, Amanda, Kathryn, Kara, and Robert. He has been a member of Fayette County Bridge Day Commission, Mount Hope Lions Club, Pi Sigma Alpha, Valley Health Center Incorporated, West Virginia Drunk Driving Commission, 9/11 Advisory Board+, Advisory Board - Fayette County E-922, Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, West Virginia Association of Counties, West Virginia Association of Counties, and West Virginia Sheriff's Association.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of West Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2016
In 2016, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 13 through March 12.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2015, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 14 through March 14.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the West Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 8 through March 10.
|
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "William + Laird + West + Virginia + Senate"
- All stories may not be relevant to this legislator due to the nature of the search engine.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2012, 2010, 2008, 1998
Footnotes
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Sen. Laird," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Senator William Ramsey Laird IV's Ratings and Endorsements," accessed July 9, 2013
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate search," accessed November 4, 2016
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "2016 official general election results," accessed May 3, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Listing by Office," accessed January 30, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - Primary Election - May 10, 2016," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ WBOY.com, "West Virginia General Election Results November 6, 2012" accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - General Election - November 6, 2012," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - Primary Election - May 8, 2012," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Election Results," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 contributions," accessed April 30, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mark Willis (D) |
West Virginia State Senate District 10 2012-2016 |
Succeeded by Kenny Mann (R) |
| Preceded by - |
West Virginia State Senate District 11 2008–2012 |
Succeeded by Clark Barnes (R) |
