West Virginia

Primary Election Post Mortem – WV MetroNews

Published

2 months ago

May 14, 2026

Primary Election Post Mortem – WV MetroNews

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.

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West Virginia

Save Women’s Sports Act now the law of the land – WV MetroNews

Published

3 hours ago

July 1, 2026

Press Room

The United States Supreme Court issued its long-awaited opinion in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox on Tuesday, ruling that states may exclude transgender athletes from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams.

The justices were unanimous in their analysis that the laws do not violate civil rights laws. However, the court was split on whether West Virginia’s law stood up to constitutional muster.

The ruling concludes this chapter in the ongoing cultural debate. The Save Women’s Sports Act was overwhelmingly approved by the legislature and signed by then-Gov. Jim Justice in 2021, and was almost immediately challenged in court. The legal battle trudged on for the next five years on its way to becoming a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Tuesday’s ruling settled the legal debate, but the court of public opinion weighed in on the issues long before the justice issued their legal opinions. According to Pew Research, 66 percent of U.S. adults support laws requiring athletes to compete on teams that match their biological sex. A Gallup poll found similar results, with 69 percent of adults supporting such laws.

West Virginia is not alone in passing a law to protect women’s and girls’ sports. Twenty-six other states have recognized the basic fact that there are differences between males and females and have chosen to pass legislation acknowledging those distinctions in athletic competition.

Lawmakers, who campaigned on protecting women’s and girls’ sports, can now tell constituents that they have fulfilled their campaign promise. The Save Women’s Sports Act is now the law of the land in West Virginia.

“I would say that for the foreseeable future, we have a very certain future for women’s sports. And here in West Virginia, we know what the rules are, we know what the law is, we know that it’s constitutional,” said West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey on Talkline.

Tuesday’s ruling also presents an opportunity for legislators to move on from the issue. Discussions surrounding the topic during the legislative session have been known to grind momentum to a halt, and Republicans running for office over the last five years have made it a centerpiece of their campaigns.

The issue is now settled, at least for now.

As J.B McCuskey cautioned,

“In the world of constitutional litigation, Dave, there’s never an end to any chapter.”

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West Virginia

Transmission line proposals raise ratepayer cost concerns in West Virginia

Published

13 hours ago

July 1, 2026

Press Room

Transmission line proposals raise ratepayer cost concerns in West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va (WCHS) — As the conversation around two large transmission lines being built through parts West Virginia continues, the biggest question remaining is, will ratepayers be impacted?

The Valley North project is on the table and it would span from Putnam County to Frederick County, Maryland, totaling to 260 miles. Two new substations would also be built, one in Hardy County and the other in Frederick County Maryland.

According to the project website, these lines would strengthen the grid to deliver more reliable and affordable electricity to homes, hospitals, schools and businesses.

Energy Efficent West Virginia policy director, Emmett Pepper said, building these lines will not strengthen the power that we get at home.

“We have some of the least reliable electricity in the country here in West Virginia. That’s not because of the large transmission lines that we see their tower above us. It’s because of the local distribution lines, the ones that come close to our homes. While there can be some small amount of benefit potentially from the big transmission lines going in, it is the local lines that are the problem and that is not being addressed by this,” he said.

Lawmakers we spoke with earlier this month said between both transmission line projects, West Virginia could have to front the bill for anywhere between $440 million to $900 million.

“This is going to be more cost for rate payers and will not fix our problems here. There are other places in the region that have issues with transmission, but that’s not our issue,” Pepper said.

He said he’d like to see state leaders take action to ensure these costs don’t fall back on ratepayers.

“I think we need to have a rate payers’ bill of rights that would actually protect people and have a plan for how we’re going to deal with this so that it has less of an impact on rate payers,” he said.

Multiple open houses are scheduled for this project in West Virginia:

-Berkeley County, WV: July 7, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Holiday Inn Martinsburg Foxcroft Ballroom

– Hampshire County, WV: July 8, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m Bottling Works Event Center

– Tucker County, WV:July 8, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m.Tucker County High School

– Hardy County, WV: July 9, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Misty Mountain Event Barn

– Barbour County, WV: July 15, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Philippi Middle School

– Lewis County, WV: July 16, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Robert L. Bland Middle School

– Upshur County, WV: July 16, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. The Event Center at Brushy Fork

– Harrison County, WV: July 21, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. South Harrison High School

– Preston County, WV: July 21, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Craig Civic Center

– Calhoun County, WV: July 22, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Calhoun County Middle-High School

– Gilmer County, WV: July 22, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Glenville State University Waco Center

– Braxton County, WV: July 23, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Days Inn Flatwood Conference Center

– Grant County, WV: July 23, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Landes Arts Center

– Kanawha County, WV: July 28, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Sissonville Middle School

– Roane County, WV: July 28, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Spencer Armory

– Jackson County, WV: July 29, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Greene Center

– Putnam County, WV: July 29, 2026 | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Poca High School

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West Virginia

Putnam County man identified as victim in homicide investigation – WV MetroNews

Published

23 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Press Room

Putnam County man identified as victim in homicide investigation – WV MetroNews

The grim discovery was made on the morning of June 14 on Cabin Creek Road in Kanawha County. PHOTO: WCHS TV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Putnam County man has been identified as the victim in a homicide from two weeks ago.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday afternoon that the victim was Joseph Lovett, 28, of Hurricane. Human remains were discovered near a burning vehicle in the 300 block of Cabin Creek Road on June 14. Those remains were sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to be identified.

A man was already in custody in connection to Lovett’s death. A coordinated law enforcement effort from Kanawha and Putnam counties, in addition to North Carolina authorities, led to the arrest of Harold Patterson, 27, of Laurinburg, North Carolina, on June 16.

Patterson was charged with first-degree murder.

He’s being held in the Scotland County Detention Center in North Carolina, pending extradition back to West Virginia.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing.

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