2016 West Virginia Senate election

The 2016 West Virginia Senate elections were held on November 8, 2016, as part of the biennial United States elections. Seventeen of West Virginia's 34 state senators were up for regular selection, along with an unexpired term for another seat. West Virginia Senate districts each have two elected representatives. State senators serve staggered four-year terms in West Virginia, with one senator from each district up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential election years (such as 2016), and the other up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential midterm years.

2016 West Virginia Senate election
November 8, 2016
18 of the 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate[lower-alpha 1]
18 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Bill Cole
(retired)		 Jeff Kessler
(retired)
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 6th district 2nd district
Seats before 18 16
Seats won 22 12
Seat change Increase 4 Decrease 4
Popular vote 379,414 345,598
Percentage 52.3% 47.7%
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Republican gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
Rectangular inset (District 3): both seats up for election
Senate President before election

Bill Cole
Republican

 Elected Senate President

Mitch Carmichael
Republican

Elections in West Virginia
Federal government
Presidential elections
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2008
2012
2016
2020
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
U.S. House of Representatives elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Secretary of State elections
Senate elections
House of Delegates elections
Wheeling
Municipal elections

Primary elections in the state were held on May 10. After the previous 2014 state elections, Republicans held a slim majority in the Senate, holding 18 seats to the Democrats' 16. The Republican Party had long been the minority party in the Mountain State, but the decline of the strength of coal worker unions, the Democratic Party's increasing focus on environmentalism, the unpopularity of President Barack Obama, and the increasing social conservatism of the Republican Party have helped the GOP solidify power in the state rapidly since 2000.

The high popularity of candidate Donald Trump within the state and his 42-point margin of victory, helped the Republicans gain four seats. This can be attributed to the increasing association of the West Virginia Democratic Party with the national Democratic Party, and a strong year for the Republican Party nationally, in which they gained control of the presidency, and kept control of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Donald Trump won West Virginia with 68.5% of the vote, his largest share of the vote in any state. Trump's performance helped Republican Senate candidates down-ballot, as he won every senate district in the state.[1]

Following the state's 2016 Senate elections, Republicans maintained and increased their control of the Senate with 22 seats to the Democrats' 12.

Retirements

Four incumbents did not run for re-election in 2016. Those incumbents are:

Republicans
  1. District 6: Bill Cole: Retired to run in the 2016 Gubernatorial Election.

Democrats
  1. District 2: Jeff Kessler: Retired to run in the 2016 Gubernatorial Election.
  2. District 10: William Laird: Retired
  3. District 16: Herb Snyder: Retired

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

Two incumbents were defeated in the May 10 primaries. Senator Bob Ashley was appointed to the 3rd Senate District and was the incumbent for the remainder of the unexpired term. However, Ashley chose to challenge fellow incumbent Senator Donna Boley for a full term.

Republican
  1. District 3: Bob Ashley lost nomination to fellow incumbent Donna Boley.

Democrat
  1. District 7: Art Kirkendoll lost renomination to Richard Ojeda.

Republican
  1. District 8: Chris Walters lost to Glenn Jeffries.

Democrats
  1. District 1: Jack Yost lost to Ryan Weld.
  2. District 14: Bob Williams lost to Randy Smith.

Results summary

Votes, of total, by party

  Republican (51.83%)
  Democratic (47.21%)
  Libertarian (0.77%)
  Mountain (0.19%)

All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia.

Results[2]
Party Votes Seats
Votes  % Total
before		 Up Won Total
after		 ±
Republican Party 379,414 51.83
18 8 12
22 / 34
 Increase 4
Democratic Party 345,598 47.21
16 10 6
12 / 34
 Decrease 4
Libertarian Party 5,619 0.77
0 0 0
0 / 34
 Steady
Mountain Party 1,404 0.19
0 0 0
0 / 34
 Steady
Popular vote
Republican
 
 51.83%
Democratic
 
 47.21%
Libertarian
 
 0.77%
Mountain
 
 0.19%
Senate seats
Republican
 
 64.71%
Democratic
 
 35.29%

Close races
District Winner Margin
District 12 Democratic 0.3%
District 4 Republican 2.1%
District 1 Republican (flip) 2.1%
District 11 Republican 2.1%
District 9 Republican 3.6%
District 16 Republican (flip) 5.6%
District 8 Democratic (flip) 6.2%
District 3

(Special)

 Republican 9.3%
District 10 Republican (flip) 9.5%

Summary of results by State Senate District
State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
West Virginia 1 Jack Yost Dem Ryan Weld Rep
West Virginia 2 Jeff Kessler Dem Mike Maroney Rep
West Virginia 3 Donna Boley Rep Donna Boley Rep
West Virginia 3 (Special) Bob Ashley Rep Mike Azinger Rep
West Virginia 4 Mitch Carmichael Rep Mitch Carmichael Rep
West Virginia 5 Robert Plymale Dem Robert Plymale Dem
West Virginia 6 Bill Cole Rep Chandler Swope Rep
West Virginia 7 Art Kirkendoll* Dem Richard Ojeda Dem
West Virginia 8 Chris Walters* Rep Glenn Jeffries Dem
West Virginia 9 Sue Cline Rep Sue Cline Rep
West Virginia 10 William Laird Dem Kenny Mann Rep
West Virginia 11 Greg Boso Rep Greg Boso Rep
West Virginia 12 Doug Facemire Dem Doug Facemire Dem
West Virginia 13 Roman Prezioso Dem Roman Prezioso Dem
West Virginia 14 Bob Williams Dem Randy Smith Rep
West Virginia 15 Craig Blair Rep Craig Blair Rep
West Virginia 16 Herb Snyder Dem Patricia Rucker Rep
West Virginia 17 Corey Palumbo Dem Corey Palumbo Dem

Detailed results by State Senate District

District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17

All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia.[3]

District 1
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 1st Senate District[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan Weld 21,191 51.07%
Democratic Jack Yost (incumbent) 20,303 48.93%
Total votes 41,494 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 2
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 2nd Senate District[5]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Maroney 6,585 54.30%
Republican Ginger Nalley 5,541 45.70%
Total votes 12,126 100.00%
General election
Republican Mike Maroney 22,902 54.30%
Democratic Lisa Zukoff 15,754 37.35%
Libertarian H. John Rogers 3,521 8.35%
Total votes 42,177 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 3

In 2016, both seats were up for election due to an unusual series of events. Republican Bob Ashley, who had been appointed to the Senate following the departure of David Nohe in 2015, chose to run in a primary against his fellow senator Donna Boley, leaving his own seat open and triggering a special election.[6]

Regular
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 3rd Senate District[7]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Donna Boley (incumbent) 11,508 62.97%
Republican Bob Ashley 3,398 18.59%
Republican John Riggs 3,368 18.43%
Total votes 18,274 100.00%
General election
Republican Donna Boley (incumbent) 27,172 64.70%
Democratic Bradley Vanzile 14,826 35.30%
Total votes 41,998 100.00%
Republican hold

Special
2016 West Virginia Senate special election, 3rd Senate District[8]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Azinger 9,065 60.72%
Republican Sam Winans 5,865 39.28%
Total votes 14,930 100.00%
General election
Republican Mike Azinger 23,034 54.64%
Democratic Gregory K. Smith 19,125 45.36%
Total votes 42,159 100.00%
Republican hold

District 4
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 4th Senate District[9]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mitch Carmichael (incumbent) 8,442 59.49%
Republican Dustin Lewis 5,749 40.51%
Total votes 14,191 100.00%
Democratic Brian Prim 6,999 58.77%
Democratic Bruce Ashworth 4,910 41.23%
Total votes 11,909 100.00%
General election
Republican Mitch Carmichael (incumbent) 22,032 51.05%
Democratic Brian Prim 21,123 48.95%
Total votes 43,155 100.00%
Republican hold

District 5
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 5th Senate District[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Plymale (incumbent) 22,863 60.24%
Republican Tyson Smith 15,092 39.76%
Total votes 37,955 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 6
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 6th Senate District[11]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rocky Seay 8,618 64.64%
Democratic Brandon Barker 4,715 35.36%
Total votes 13,333 100.00%
General election
Republican Chandler Swope 20,776 57.11%
Democratic Rocky Seay 15,606 42.89%
Total votes 36,382 100.00%
Republican hold

District 7
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 7th Senate District[12]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Ojeda 11,154 55.17%
Democratic Art Kirkendoll (incumbent) 9,065 44.83%
Total votes 20,219 100.00%
Republican Jordan Bridges 2,807 57.04%
Republican Gary Johngrass 2,114 42.96%
Total votes 4,921 100.00%
General election
Democratic Richard Ojeda 19,978 58.82%
Republican Jordan Bridges 13,987 41.18%
Total votes 33,965 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 8
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 8th Senate District[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Glenn Jeffries 20,768 53.08%
Republican Chris Walters (incumbent) 18,357 46.92%
Total votes 39,125 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 9
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 9th Senate District[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sue Cline (incumbent) 18,861 51.81%
Democratic Mike Goode 17,545 48.19%
Total votes 36,406 100.00%
Republican hold

District 10
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 10th Senate District[15]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenny Mann 4,343 47.05%
Republican Tom Ewing 3,444 37.31%
Republican Dan Hill 1,443 15.64%
Total votes 9,230 100.00%
General election
Republican Kenny Mann 21,148 54.73%
Democratic Dave Perry 17,494 45.27%
Total votes 38,642 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 11
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 11th Senate District[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Greg Boso (incumbent) 20,610 49.39%
Democratic Denise Campbell 19,718 47.25%
Mountain Bruce Breuninger 1,404 3.36%
Total votes 41,732 100.00%
Republican hold

District 12
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 12th Senate District[17]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Franklin Cornette 5,442 54.23%
Republican Derrick W. Love 4,593 45.77%
Total votes 10,035 100.00%
General election
Democratic Doug Facemire (incumbent) 21,295 50.13%
Republican Franklin Cornette 21,188 49.87%
Total votes 42,483 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 13
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 13th Senate District[18]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Roman Prezioso (incumbent) 10,433 59.58%
Democratic Jack Oliver 7,078 40.42%
Total votes 17,511 100.00%
Republican Barry Bledsoe 4,615 58.17%
Republican James Clawson 3,318 41.83%
Total votes 7,933 100.00%
General election
Democratic Roman Prezioso (incumbent) 24,404 59.60%
Republican Barry Bledsoe 16,544 40.40%
Total votes 40,948 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 14
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 14th Senate District[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Randy Smith 23,201 53.26%
Democratic Bob Williams (incumbent) 18,264 41.93%
Libertarian Matthew Persinger 2,098 4.82%
Total votes 43,563 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 15
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 15th Senate District[20]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Craig Blair (incumbent) 9,702 67.82%
Republican Larry Kump 4,604 32.18%
Total votes 14,306 100.00%
General election
Republican Craig Blair (incumbent) 32,475 70.44%
Democratic Brad Noll 13,629 29.56%
Total votes 46,104 100.00%
Republican hold

District 16
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 16th Senate District[21]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Patricia Rucker 5,359 55.95%
Republican Joe Funkhouser 4,219 44.05%
Total votes 9,578 100.00%
Democratic Stephen Skinner 6,904 67.21%
Democratic David Manthos 3,368 32.79%
Total votes 10,272 100.00%
General election
Republican Patricia Rucker 22,499 52.79%
Democratic Stephen Skinner 20,122 47.21%
Total votes 42,621 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 17
2016 West Virginia Senate election, 17th Senate District[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Corey Palumbo (incumbent) 22,781 55.39%
Republican Chris Stansbury 18,345 44.61%
Total votes 41,126 100.00%
Democratic hold

Notes
  1. A special election was held in District 3, adding a race to the normal 17 seat election cycle.

References
  1. "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts". Daily Kos.
  2. "Election Night Reporting".
  3. "Election Night Reporting".
  4. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  5. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  6. Jeff Jenkins (February 1, 2016). "Ashley to take on Boley in Republican Senate primary". WV MetroNews. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  7. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  8. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  9. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  10. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  11. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  12. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  13. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  14. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  15. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  16. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  17. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  18. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  19. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  20. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  21. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  22. "Statewide Results General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.