| ||||
| Registered | 1,246,559 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnout | 685,099 55.0%[1] ( | |||
West Virginia's 2012 general elections were held on November 6, 2012. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2012.
Incumbent Democratic U.S. SenatorJoe Manchin, was re-elected, defeating token opposition in the primary, and then perennial candidateJohn Raese, a businessman and four-time Republican nominee for the Senate (including a challenge to Manchin in 2010), with 61% of the vote.[2]
Republican incumbentDavid McKinley, who has represented the 1st district since 2011, easily won re-election, defeating Sue Thorn, a "community organizer", receiving 62% of the vote.
Republican incumbentShelley Moore Capito, who has represented the 2nd district since 2001, easily won re-election.[3] She defeated Michael Davis and state DelegateJonathan Miller in the Republican primary.[4] and then Howard Swint, a union official, receiving 70% of the vote.[5]
Democratic incumbentNick Rahall, who has represented the 3rd district since 1993 (and previously represented the 4th district from 1977 to 1993) won reelection in a close race (by the standard of that district, where many counties have not elected a Republican to any office in over 80 years), defeating State DelegateRick Snuffer, who unsuccessfully challenged Rahall as the Republican nominee in 2004, with only 54% of the vote.[5]
Incumbent DemocraticGovernorEarl Ray Tomblin, who has held the position since 2010, won a full term in his own right, defeatingBill Maloney, a businessman who ran as the Republican nominee in the aforementioned 2011 special election. and two minor party candidates, winning 50% of the vote to 46%, with the minor party candidates receiving the remainder.
The results give automatic ballot access for the next four years to both the Mountain Party, (a "green" party); and theLibertarian Party, as ballot access is based on getting 1% of the vote for governor.
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Morrisey: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% McGraw: 50–60% 60–70% Tie: 50% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Democratic incumbentDarrell McGraw was defeated byPatrick Morrisey, a lawyer specializing in health care matters, 51% to 49%.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Patrick Morrisey | 82,747 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 82,747 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Darrell McGraw Jr. (incumbent) | 166,643 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 166,643 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Patrick Morrisey | 329,854 | 51.24% | |
| Democratic | Darrell McGraw Jr. (incumbent) | 313,830 | 48.76% | |
| Total votes | 643,684 | 100.00% | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
Democratic incumbentNatalie Tennant, was re-elected easily, receiving 62% of the vote overstate delegate Brian Savilla. She received by far the most votes of any statewide candidate.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Natalie Tennant (incumbent) | 171,471 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 171,471 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Savilla | 82,334 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 82,334 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Natalie Tennant (incumbent) | 398,463 | 62.40% | |
| Republican | Brian Savilla | 240,080 | 37.60% | |
| Total votes | 638,543 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Perdue: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hall: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Democratic incumbentJohn Perdue, won reelection overState Senate Minority LeaderMike Hall.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Perdue (incumbent) | 160,104 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 160,104 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Hall | 49,433 | 55.57% | |
| Republican | Stephen R. "Steve" Connolly | 39,512 | 44.43% | |
| Total votes | 88,945 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Perdue (incumbent) | 348,267 | 55.41% | |
| Republican | Mike Hall | 280,316 | 44.59% | |
| Total votes | 628,583 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Gainer: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Faircloth: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Democratic incumbentGlen Gainer III, won re-election for the last time over former state DelegateLarry Faircloth.[6]
In April of 2016, Gainer announced he would resign[7] before the end of his term to accept a job as President and CEO of theNational White Collar Crime Center, beginning May 15.[8] Lisa Hopkins, who had served as general counsel and deputy commissioner of securities since 2001, was appointed by GovernorEarl Ray Tomblin as Gainer's replacement on May 13 and she took office 2 days later.[9]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Glen Gainer III (incumbent) | 158,163 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 158,163 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Larry V. Faircloth | 81,917 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 81,917 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Glen Gainer III (incumbent) | 355,610 | 57.40% | |
| Republican | Larry V. Faircloth | 263,959 | 42.60% | |
| Total votes | 619,569 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Helmick: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Leonhardt: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Democratic incumbentGus Douglass, who has held the position of state Agriculture Commissioner since 1993 (and previously held the position from 1965 to 1989), decided to retire.[10]
State SenatorWalt Helmick sought and received the Democratic nomination to succeed Douglass. He defeated Joe Messineo, a former agricultural field supervisor for the state Department of Agriculture and theUSDA; Steve Miller, an assistant state Agriculture Commissioner; Sally Shepherd, a farmer; and, Bob Tabb, the deputy state Agriculture Commissioner and former state Delegate.[11]
Kent Leonhardt, a farmer and retiredMarinelieutenant colonel, received the Republican nomination.[12] Mike Teets, a cattleman who unsuccessfully challenged Douglass in 2008, has planned to run but dropped out of the race in February 2012.[13]
Helmick defeated Leonhardt with 52% of the vote.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Walt Helmick | 59,376 | 32.88% | |
| Democratic | Sally Shephard | 44,454 | 24.62% | |
| Democratic | Steve Miller | 39,130 | 21.68% | |
| Democratic | Joe Messineo | 24,613 | 13.63% | |
| Democratic | Bob Tabb | 12,976 | 7.19% | |
| Total votes | 180,549 | 100.00% | ||
17 of the 34 members of theWest Virginia Senate were up for election. The state Senate consisted of 28 Democrats and 6 Republicans. This was the first election after the redistricting following the 2010 Census.
Democrats won 11 of the 17 races. With the carryover seats the Democrats retained control of the State Senate 23 to 11.
All 100 members of theWest Virginia House of Delegates were up for election. The state House previously consisted of 65 Democrats and 35 Republicans. This likewise was the first election following the redistricting, with the House districts changed more than those of the Senate. Democrats won only 55 of the 100 races, making the new balance of power 55–45, the best showing for Republicans since the party shift of 1932.[15]
Two seats were up for election on thestate Supreme Court of Appeals. The electoral system requires voters to "vote for no more than two" in a single election, rather than electing each seat separately. Both seats were held by Democrats.
JusticeRobin Jean Davis, who was first elected in 2000, ran for re-election, while JusticeThomas McHugh, kept his pledge to not seek a full term. McHugh had previously served on the court from 1980 to 1997, and was appointed and then elected to an unexpired term in 2008.
Davis facedWood County Circuit Judge J.D. Beane; Letitia Neese Chafin, a lawyer and wife of state SenatorH. Truman Chafin; Louis Palmer, a Supreme Court clerk; H. John "Buck" Rogers, a lawyer; and,Greenbrier County Circuit Judge Jim Rowe, in the Democratic primary. Chafin and Davis received the Democratic nomination.[16]
Allen Loughry, a law clerk for Democrat Supreme Court JusticeMargaret Workman, andJefferson County Circuit Judge John Yoder sought and received the Republican nomination as they were the only two Republican candidates in the primary.
Davis was re-elected, while Allen Loughry was elected to his first term in office. With the election of Loughry, the court has two elected Republicans sitting on the bench for the first time since 1940.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robin Davis (incumbent) | 83,071 | 27.90% | |
| Democratic | Letitia Chafin | 80,393 | 27.00% | |
| Democratic | Jim Rowe | 59,185 | 19.88% | |
| Democratic | J.D. Beane | 30,543 | 10.26% | |
| Democratic | H. John "Buck" Rogers | 27,374 | 9.20% | |
| Democratic | Louis Palmer | 17,149 | 5.76% | |
| Total votes | 297,715 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John C. Yoder | 62,796 | 54.48% | |
| Republican | Allen Loughry | 52,472 | 45.52% | |
| Total votes | 115,268 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robin Davis (incumbent) | 294,882 | 27.16% | |
| Republican | Allen Loughry | 284,299 | 26.19% | |
| Republican | John C. Yoder | 258,213 | 23.78% | |
| Democratic | Letitia Chafin | 248,284 | 22.87% | |
| Total votes | 1,085,678 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||