A few post-election observations:
–This election saw an historic divide within the state’s Republican Party, with candidates endorsed and funded by Governor Morrisey and related PACS vs. Senator Tom Takubo’s slate. In Kanawha County, Takubo survived withering and well-financed attacks to win re-nomination, as did Senator Vince Deeds in Greenbrier County. However, as our Brad McElhinny reported, “Morrisey’s endorsements and associated spending touched enough winners that the governor still could have significant influence on the chamber going into the next regular session.”
–The Morrisey vs. Takubo state senate slates ended up being a push. Morrisey is claiming victory, but at what cost? The Morrisey side outspent Takubo’s fundraisers four to one but ended up with status quo in the Senate. That means the internal dealing begins now to determine who will lead the Senate in the next session.
–West Virginians living in competitive districts were deluged with negative ads. Many crossed the line from being mean-spirited to simply inaccurate. There is always debate about the effectiveness of negative ads, but we don’t see any letup. More recent research suggests the conventional wisdom that negative ads depress turnout may not be accurate, but they certainly did not help turnout in this election.
–Most West Virginia voters stayed home. The Secretary of State’s office reports turnout at 21 percent (20.91 to be exact). That is slightly less than the last off-year primary in 2022, when the turnout was 23 percent, and well below the 2018 turnout of 26 percent.
–The statewide court races, which were open to Democrats, Republicans and Independents, turned into a brutal night for incumbents. Two Supreme Court office holders and the Intermediate Court of Appeals incumbent all lost. MetroNews Talkline co-host T.J. Meadows speculates that independent voters, who were blocked from voting in the GOP primary, joined Democrats in throwing out the judicial office holders.
–It was also a rough night for a handful of Republican House of Delegates members. At least 14 lost their re-nomination races.
–Yes, every vote does count, especially in the small single-member House districts, when there is a light voter turnout. Unofficial results on the Republican side show that in the 74th district, incumbent Guy Ward won by 17 votes. Paul Howe finished with a 15 vote advantage in the 70th. Justin Beanard won by five votes in the 10th, Tim McNeely won by four votes in the 71st, and Aaron Holley finished two votes ahead in the 22nd.
–Getting out the vote in your home county makes a difference in a statewide race with low turnout. Rachel Fetty Anderson won the race for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate over four other candidates, including former state Senate President and one-time gubernatorial candidate Jeff Kessler. Anderson received 3,900 more votes than Kessler in her home county of Monongalia, while Kessler received fewer than 1,400 more votes than Anderson in his home Ohio County. Anderson’s win may also signal Democrats are more interested in new faces than giving another shot to a veteran pol.
–And finally, another West Virginia county has gone Republican. The Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee says GOP registration has now surpassed the Democratic Party 22,670 to 22,468. Democrats have the advantage in registration in just four counties—Boone, Logan, McDowell, Mingo—and Boone is just 41 registrations away from flipping.
