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Politics of West Virginia

From the time of the Great Depression through the 1990s, the politics of West Virginia were largely dominated by the Democratic Party. In the 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush claimed a surprise victory over Al Gore, with 52% of the vote; he won West Virginia again in 2004, with 56% of the vote. West Virginia is now a heavily Republican state, with John McCain winning the state in 2008,[1] Mitt Romney in 2012[2] and Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

The West Virginia State Capitol

Before 2000, West Virginia had voted almost exclusively Democratic in each presidential election starting in 1932, only voting Republican amidst national landslides in 1956, 1972, and 1984. However starting with the 2000 election, West Virginia began a sharp realignment from mostly supporting Democrats to mostly supporting Republicans. By the 2010s, the state had become at the presidential level one of the most Republican in the nation. By 2015, Republicans had gained one of the state's two Senate seats, all its U.S. House seats, and both chambers of the state legislature.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump took an overwhelming victory in West Virginia, garnering 68.5% of the state's vote, his best performance of any state. Despite this, Democratic candidate Jim Justice was elected governor on the same ballot, marking five consecutive Democratic gubernatorial victories in the state. However, seven months into his term, Justice switched affiliation to the Republican Party, leaving Joe Manchin and John Perdue as the only Democrats holding statewide office in West Virginia. In 2020, Trump again carried West Virginia in a landslide, taking 68.6% of the state's vote, only less than longstanding Republican stronghold Wyoming. Perdue lost reelection as State Treasurer after serving six terms, leaving Manchin as the only remaining statewide Democrat until his departure from the party in 2024. Manchin won his last U.S. Senate reelection campaign by 3% in 2018, a sharp decline from his 24% margin of victory in 2012. He has announced that he will not seek reelection in 2024.

In a 2020 study, West Virginia was ranked as the 16th hardest state for citizens to vote in.[3]

History

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United States presidential election results for West Virginia[4]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 545,382 68.62% 235,984 29.69% 13,365 1.68%
2016 489,371 67.85% 188,794 26.18% 43,096 5.98%
2012 417,655 62.14% 238,269 35.45% 16,195 2.41%
2008 397,466 55.58% 303,857 42.49% 13,800 1.93%
2004 423,778 56.06% 326,541 43.20% 5,568 0.74%
2000 336,475 51.92% 295,497 45.59% 16,152 2.49%
1996 233,946 36.76% 327,812 51.51% 74,701 11.74%
1992 241,974 35.39% 331,001 48.41% 110,736 16.20%
1988 310,065 47.46% 341,016 52.20% 2,230 0.34%
1984 405,483 55.11% 328,125 44.60% 2,134 0.29%
1980 334,206 45.30% 367,462 49.81% 36,047 4.89%
1976 314,760 41.93% 435,914 58.07% 0 0.00%
1972 484,964 63.61% 277,435 36.39% 0 0.00%
1968 307,555 40.78% 374,091 49.60% 72,560 9.62%
1964 253,953 32.06% 538,087 67.94% 0 0.00%
1960 395,995 47.27% 441,786 52.73% 0 0.00%
1956 449,297 54.08% 381,534 45.92% 0 0.00%
1952 419,970 48.08% 453,578 51.92% 0 0.00%
1948 316,251 42.24% 429,188 57.32% 3,311 0.44%
1944 322,819 45.11% 392,777 54.89% 0 0.00%
1940 372,414 42.90% 495,662 57.10% 0 0.00%
1936 325,358 39.20% 502,582 60.56% 2,005 0.24%
1932 330,731 44.47% 405,124 54.47% 7,919 1.06%
1928 375,551 58.43% 263,784 41.04% 3,417 0.53%
1924 288,635 49.45% 257,232 44.07% 37,795 6.48%
1920 282,007 55.30% 220,789 43.30% 7,146 1.40%
1916 143,124 49.38% 140,403 48.44% 6,325 2.18%
1912 56,754 21.11% 113,197 42.11% 98,877 36.78%
1908 137,869 53.42% 111,418 43.17% 8,818 3.42%
1904 132,620 55.26% 100,855 42.03% 6,511 2.71%
1900 119,829 54.27% 98,807 44.75% 2,160 0.98%
1896 105,379 52.23% 94,480 46.83% 1,898 0.94%
1892 80,292 46.93% 84,467 49.37% 6,320 3.69%
1888 78,171 49.03% 78,677 49.35% 2,592 1.63%
1884 63,096 47.75% 67,311 50.94% 1,738 1.32%
1880 46,243 41.05% 57,390 50.95% 9,008 8.00%
1876 41,997 42.15% 56,546 56.75% 1,104 1.11%
1872 32,320 51.74% 29,532 47.28% 615 0.98%
1868 29,015 58.83% 20,306 41.17% 0 0.00%
1864 23,799 68.24% 11,078 31.76% 0 0.00%

Robert C. Byrd, a Democrat, represented the state of West Virginia in Congress for over 57 years, as a Member of the House from the now-defunct 6th District from 1953 to 1959, and as a United States Senator from 1959 to 2010. He served as Democratic Senate Leader from 1977 to 1989. In 2006 he became the longest-serving Senator in history, and in 2009 the longest-serving member of Congress in history. Senator Byrd died of pneumonia on June 28, 2010, aged 92. Governor Joe Manchin appointed Carte Goodwin to fill the seat until a special election was held in November 2010. Manchin was elected to the seat to fulfill the remainder of Byrd's term.

In the Republican landslide of 1988, it was one of only ten states, and the only southern state (as defined by the United States Census), to support Michael Dukakis; it was one of only six states to support Jimmy Carter over Ronald Reagan in 1980; and it supported Bill Clinton by large margins in both 1992 and 1996. The state has trended increasingly Republican in presidential elections; despite the earlier Democratic wins in presidential match-ups, it narrowly elected George W. Bush over Al Gore in 2000, then re-elected Bush by a much larger margin in 2004 and voted for John McCain in 2008 by a slightly larger margin than 2004. West Virginia was one of only 5 states, the others being Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Tennessee, where McCain won by a larger margin in 2008 than George W. Bush in 2004. Mitt Romney won the state in the 2012 presidential election with 62% of the vote, a significant improvement over McCain's 56% vote share in 2008 and the first time in American history that a candidate for president won every county in the state.[5] Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won the state with a 42% margin, outdoing Romney's performance substantially.[6]

In the 2014 elections, the GOP took control of the state legislature for the first time in 80 years, and it took one of West Virginia's two U.S. Senate seats and all three U.S. House districts.[7] In the 2016 elections, the Republicans held on to their seats and made gains in the State Senate and gained three statewide offices.[8][9]

West Virginia's U.S. Senators are Joe Manchin, an independent, and Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican.[10] The two seats in the United States House of Representatives are occupied by Republicans Alex Mooney, and Carol Miller.[11] Republicans also maintain strong positions in statewide offices and the state legislature. Democrats continue to hold many local offices. West Virginia also has a very strong tradition of union membership.

Democratic politicians in the state are typically more conservative than the national party, especially on social issues. The late Senator Robert Byrd opposed affirmative action and same-sex marriage. Senior Senator and former Governor Joe Manchin and former Congressman Nick Rahall are anti-abortion. National Democrats such as Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are extremely unpopular in West Virginia. As of late 2011, President Obama had a 24% approval rating in the state, with 76% disapproving [12] During his 2010 Senate campaign, then-Governor Joe Manchin released an ad touting his endorsement from the Republican-leaning NRA and slamming Obama's then-proposed cap and trade legislation.[13]

Voter registration

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Voter registration as of November 8, 2022[14]
Party Total voters Percentage
Republican 452,902 39.27%
Democratic 379,058 32.87%
Unaffiliated 270,681 23.47%
Minor parties 38,165 3.31%
Libertarian 10,026 0.87%
Mountain 2,376 0.21%
Total 1,153,208 100%

Demographics

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Evangelical Christians comprised 52 percent of the state's voters in 2008.[15] A poll in 2005 showed that 53 percent of West Virginia voters are anti-abortion, the seventh highest in the country.[16] In 2018, West Virginia voters adopted a No Right to Abortion in Constitution Measure, which passed with 51.73% of the vote,[17] a contrast to other conservative-leaning states in Appalachia which have rejected similar amendments or passed referendums codifying abortion up to viability.[18][19]3 In 2006, only 16 percent favored gay marriage.[20] In 2008, 58 percent favored troop withdrawal from Iraq while just 32 percent wanted troops to remain.[21] On fiscal policy in 2008, 52 percent said raising taxes on the wealthier individuals would benefit the economy, while 45 percent disagreed.[22]

The most consistent support for Democrats historically was found in the larger cities of state as well the coal fields of Southern West Virginia (McDowell, Mingo, Logan, Wyoming, and Boone Counties), but the coal-field counties have become some of the most Republican dominated areas in the nation at the presidential level.[23] Republicans are also the majority to the east of the Allegheny Mountains, including the state's eastern panhandle and Potomac Highlands, as well as in the Huntington and Charleston suburbs, most typified in Putnam County. The farming region of the Mid-Ohio Valley, particularly Wood, Jackson, and Mason Counties, also historically leaned Republican and continue to do so today. The northern panhandle and North-Central West Virginia regions once leaned Democratic, especially in local and state elections, but has become dominated by Republicans in recent elections. Nonetheless, Monongalia County, home to Morgantown, where West Virginia University is located, remains competitive at the federal and state level, and Jefferson County, in the eastern panhandle, although Republican-leaning remains somewhat competitive in state and federal elections due to its location near Washington D.C. Kanawha County, home to Charleston, also has remained somewhat competitive in state and local elections, but leans Republican at the federal level, although to a lesser degree than more rural counties nearby. Coal interests have contributed more than $4 million to candidates for governor, the state Supreme Court and the West Virginia Legislature. The 2004 election was a record-setter for the coal industry. Gov. Joe Manchin received $571,214 from coal interests for his campaign and $174,500 for his inaugural. West Virginians for Coal, the West Virginia Coal Association's political action committee, contributed more money than any other coal industry donor.[24]

Federal representation

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Senate

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House of Representatives

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Judicary

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West Virginia is part of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in the federal judiciary. The district's cases are appealed to the Richmond-based United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

See also

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Further reading

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  • Brisbin, Richard A.; Kilwein, John C.; Plein, L. Christopher (2024). West Virginia Politics and Government (3 ed.). University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-1-4962-2730-0.

References

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  1. ^ "President Map - Election Results 2008". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Elections - Election Results". West Virginia Secretary of State.
  3. ^ J. Pomante II, Michael; Li, Quan (December 15, 2020). "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020". Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy. 19 (4): 503–509. doi:10.1089/elj.2020.0666. S2CID 225139517.
  4. ^ Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – West Virginia". US Election Atlas. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  5. ^ "Presidential General Election Map Comparison: West Virginia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections.
  6. ^ "Presidential General Election Results Comparison - West Virginia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections.
  7. ^ Willis, Derek (November 24, 2014). "Election Was Rough for Democrats. It Was Worse for West Virginia Democrats". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  8. ^ "The Latest: GOP maintains majority in West Virginia Senate". Miami Herald. Associated Press. November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  9. ^ McElhinny, Brad (November 9, 2016). "W.Va. Republicans celebrate Trump win and GOP gains". West Virginia MetroNews. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c "WV Senate". U.S. Senate.
  11. ^ a b c "WV House Seats". House of Representatives.
  12. ^ Gutman, David (August 26, 2015). "Poll: Donald Trump tops Hillary Clinton in WV". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  13. ^ Joe Manchin (October 9, 2010). Dead Aim - Joe Manchin for West Virginia TV Ad. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved April 12, 2018 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "West Virginia Voter Registration Totals" (PDF).
  15. ^ "Local Exit Polls — Election Center 2008 - Elections & Politics". CNN.
  16. ^ "Pro-life vs pro-choice 09/12/05". SurveyUSA. Archived from the original on February 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  17. ^ "West Virginia Amendment 1, No Right to Abortion in Constitution Measure (2018)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  18. ^ "2022 Kentucky Amendment 2", Wikipedia, 2024-04-11, retrieved 2024-05-20
  19. ^ "November 2023 Ohio Issue 1", Wikipedia, 2024-05-18, retrieved 2024-05-20
  20. ^ "Views on Cultural Issues". Rasmussen Reports. 2006-08-15. Archived from the original on 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  21. ^ "West Virginia: McCain 45% Obama 38%". Rasmussen Reports. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  22. ^ "Election 2008: West Virginia Presidential Election". Rasmussen Reports. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  23. ^ "2020 United States presidential election in West Virginia", Wikipedia, 2024-05-09, retrieved 2024-05-20
  24. ^ Dave Peyton (January 9, 2006). "Coal companies are big political donors". The Daily Mail. Archived from the original on 2010-04-14. Retrieved 2010-07-31 – via Citizens for Clean Elections.
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