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The2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic SenatorRobert Byrd died in office on June 28, 2010. Democratic GovernorJoe Manchin appointedCarte Goodwin to temporarily fill the vacancy. Goodwin pledged to not run for election to the seat in exchange for the appointment. This was the first open U.S. Senate seat in West Virginia since1984 and the first in this seat since1956. Manchin won the open seat and served out the remainder of Byrd's elected term, which ended on January 3, 2013.[1]
This was 1 of 3 Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state thatJohn McCain won in the2008 presidential election; the others were in Arkansas and North Dakota.
Byrd had held his seat in the U.S. Senate since 1959, after having served in the House of Representatives since 1953, making him the then-longest-serving person in Congress. Byrdled his party in the Senate from 1977 to 1989, as Majority Leader or Minority Leader. Afterwards, as the most senior Democrat in the Senate, he served asPresident pro tempore of the Senate whenever his party was in the majority, including at the time of his death. The Democrats held a 59–41-seat majority in the Senate at the time of Byrd's death.
West Virginia had not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 1956,[2] and voted Democratic in each presidential election from 1932 to 1996 (except for 1956, 1972 & 1984). 77% of voters in the state approved of Democratic governor Joe Manchin, but only 35% approved of Democratic PresidentBarack Obama.[3] Additionally, the Mountain (Green), Libertarian, and Constitution Parties had been slowly growing forces in the state, hoping to capitalize on discontent from both political parties. All three minor parties fielded ballot-qualified candidates in the2014 Senate election to fill the open seat of retiring longtime SenatorJay Rockefeller.[4]
State law allowed GovernorJoe Manchin to make a temporary appointment to the vacant seat. Manchin named a former aide, 36-year-oldCarte Goodwin, an attorney and fellow Democrat. Goodwin was sworn in on July 20, 2010, and chose not to run in the special election.[5] Hours later, Manchin announced his intention to seek Byrd's seat.[6]
Manchin urged theWest Virginia Legislature to pass legislation scheduling the special election for 2010.[6] Without a revision, state law would not allow an election to be held until 2012.[7] On July 19, legislators hammered out a compromise bill setting an Aug 28 special primary and Nov 2 special election to elect a senator for the roughly two years and five months remaining in Byrd's term. The bill only changed election law for 2010 and will not apply to other future elections. It also allowed a West Virginian who was on the November general election ballot for some other office to also run in the special election.[8]
Despite Manchin's very high popularity in the state, he received two politically experienced challengers. Hechler was a former Secretary of State and U.S. Representative, who at the age of 95 campaigned across the state on an anti-mountaintop removal platform.[12] Fletcher was a former Republican member of theHouse of Delegates.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Manchin | 67,498 | 72.9 | |
| Democratic | Ken Hechler | 16,039 | 17.3 | |
| Democratic | Sheirl Fletcher | 9,035 | 9.8 | |
| Total votes | 92,572 | 100 | ||
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During the Republican primary campaign, only Raese and Warner released television advertisements.[24]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Raese | 38,152 | 71.4 | |
| Republican | Mac Warner | 7,892 | 14.8 | |
| Republican | Scott H. Williams | 1,530 | 2.9 | |
| Republican | Kenneth Culp | 1,364 | 2.6 | |
| Republican | Harry C. Bruner Jr. | 1,283 | 2.4 | |
| Republican | Thomas Ressler | 1,184 | 2.2 | |
| Republican | Lynette Kennedy McQuain | 907 | 1.7 | |
| Republican | Frank Kubic | 462 | 0.9 | |
| Republican | Daniel Scott Rebich | 450 | 0.8 | |
| Republican | Albert Howard | 176 | 0.3 | |
| Total votes | 53,400 | 100 | ||
Manchin's campaign ads emphasized his support from labor unions andCecil Roberts (President ofUnited Mine Workers of America), while criticizing Raese for "putting profits before people",[27] supporting the elimination of the minimum wage, and supporting theFairTax.[28] Manchin was endorsed by both theAFL–CIO and theU.S. Chamber of Commerce.[29] Raese was endorsed from numerousanti-abortion PACs[30] andFreedomWorks.[31] Raese criticized Manchin for supporting House Bill 103, which is similar tocap and trade.[32]
The first and only debate was held October 18. It featured all four Senate candidates.[33] Raese wanted at least three debates.[34]
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[35] | Tossup | October 31, 2010 |
| The Rothenberg Political Report[36] | Tilt D | October 28, 2010 |
| Rasmussen Reports[37] | Tossup | October 30, 2010 |
| RealClearPolitics[38] | Tossup | October 31, 2010 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[39] | Lean D | October 28, 2010 |
| CQ Politics[40] | Tossup | October 31, 2010 |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Joe Manchin (D) | John Raese (R) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | July 22, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 51% | 35% | 5% | 9% |
| MindField Poll (report) | August 6, 2010 | 413 | ± 6.0% | 54% | 32% | — | 14% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | August 29, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 48% | 42% | 4% | 7% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | September 8, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 50% | 45% | 2% | 3% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | September 19, 2010 | 750 | ± 4.0% | 50% | 43% | 1% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | September 19, 2010 | 1,397 | ± 2.6% | 43% | 46% | — | 10% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | September 27, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 46% | 48% | 2% | 4% |
| Fox News/Pulse Opinion Research (report) | October 2, 2010 | 1,000 | ± 3.0% | 43% | 48% | 3% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | October 6, 2010 | 750 | ± 4.0% | 44% | 50% | 2% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | October 9–10, 2010 | 1,247 | ± 2.8% | 48% | 45% | — | 7% |
| CNN/Time/Opinion Research (report) | October 8–12, 2010 | 1,507 | ± 2.5% | 44% | 44% | 4% | — |
| Marshall University Poll conducted byOrion Strategies (report) | October 11–12, 2010 | 450 | ± 4.6% | 48% | 38% | — | 12% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | October 12, 2010 | 750 | ± 4.0% | 46% | 49% | 2% | 3% |
| Fox News/Pulse Opinion Research (report) | October 16, 2010 | 1,000 | ± 3.0% | 45% | 48% | 2% | 4% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | October 19, 2010 | 750 | ± 4.0% | 43% | 50% | 2% | 5% |
| Fox News/Pulse Opinion Research (report) | October 23, 2010 | 1,000 | ± 3.0% | 46% | 48% | 3% | 3% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | October 23–24, 2010 | 1,246 | ± 2.8% | 50% | 44% | — | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | October 26, 2010 | 750 | ± 4.0% | 49% | 46% | 2% | 4% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | October 30–31, 2010 | 1,676 | ± 2.4% | 51% | 46% | — | 3% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | October 31, 2010 | 750 | ± 4.0% | 50% | 46% | 1% | 3% |
| Candidate (Party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on Hand | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Raese (R) | $3,071,909 | $2,728,034 | $343,876 | $3,273,959 |
| Joe Manchin (D) | $3,351,829 | $2,746,439 | $605,390 | $3,568 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[41] | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Manchin | 283,358 | 53.47% | −10.96% | |
| Republican | John Raese | 230,013 | 43.40% | +9.69% | |
| Mountain | Jesse Johnson | 10,152 | 1.92% | +0.06% | |
| Constitution | Jeff Becker | 6,425 | 1.21% | N/A | |
| Majority | 53,345 | 10.07% | |||
| Total votes | 529,948 | 100 | |||
| Democratichold | Swing | ||||
Official candidate sites
