FROM THE WELL | MORNING BRIEF
West Virginia’s early-morning briefing for people who need to know what matters in government before the day begins.
The Well is where conversations happen at the Capitol — where legislators, lobbyists, and staff compare notes, test the mood, and figure out what matters. This briefing is built the same way: a fast, disciplined read on what is moving in West Virginia government before the day begins.
West Virginia Primary Election Summary
Most Incumbents Survive, But Judiciary, House of Delegates See Changes
West Virginia Republican voters tended to support incumbent candidates during the 2026 primary election on Tuesday, awarding victories to U.S. Senator Shelley Moore and 13 of 14 state senators who faced opponents.
Statewide voter turnout — 20.91% — was down slightly for the non-presidential primary election, according to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office early Wednesday. In 2022, the last non-presidential primary, 22.9% of voters cast ballots.
The election followed a whirlwind of campaign spending from political action committees (PACs) and high-profile endorsements for legislative candidates. In addition, the Republican Party closed its primary to unaffiliated voters for the first time in many years, reducing the number voters who could participate in the GOP election.
On the federal level, Capito, a Charleston resident, easily beat five candidates in her primary, gaining 66.5% of the vote, according to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s results. The Republican field included state Senator Tom Willis of Berkeley County, who received less than 19% of the vote. Willis will retain his state Senate seat and will have an opportunity to seek re-election in 2028.
Capito will face Democrat Rachel Fetty Anderson of Morgantown in the fall. Anderson prevailed in a five-candidate field with 33% of the vote.
In congressional voting, Republican incumbent Carol Miller of Cabell County (First Congressional District) easily defeated Larry Jackson. She will face Democrat Vince George of Kanawha County in the fall general election. He defeated Britta Aguirre 52.9% to 47%.
Republican incumbent Riley Moore (Second Congressional District) ran unopposed. Democrat Ace Parsi of Morgantown narrowly won a three-candidate race and is scheduled to face Moore in the fall.
While West Virginia Republican voters supported incumbent state senators in all but one contested election, they were less kind to incumbent Republican members of the House of Delegates. Voters chose challengers over as many as 14 incumbents, including Delegate Vernon Criss of Wood County, chair of the critical House Finance Committee.
Regardless, Republicans in the House of Delegates and state Senate appear certain to retain their super majorities.
State Senate
With PACs spending generously in several races, all but one incumbent Republican state senator survived the primary. Senator T. Kevan Bartlett, appointed from the House of Delegates to fill the seat of Mark Hunt after Hunt’s 2024 election to be state auditor, lost a three-candidate race to Lance Wheeler, a Kanawha County commissioner.
In the face of opposition from Governor Patrick Morrisey, Republican senators Tom Takubo of Kanawha County and Vince Deeds of Greenbrier County won. Takubo has been a Senate leader in the past. Media reports have said Senate President Randy Smith of Preston County also took an active role before the Senate primary.
WV MetroNews reported: “Morrisey particularly went after incumbent senators Tom Takubo, a former majority leader, and Vince Deeds of Greenbrier County. Each won their primary races. But 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.”
Republicans came a step closer to picking up a Senate seat that has been held by a Democrat. Chris Miller, a Cabell County-based automobile dealer, and former gubernatorial candidate had no opposition in the GOP primary for the Fifth Senate District. Incumbent Senator Michael A. Woelfel, a Democrat, did not run for re-election. Miller is in line to face Democrat Duron Jackson in the fall. Jackson won the three-candidate primary with 44.57% of the vote.
In the Second Senatorial District, where two-term Senator Charles H. Clements did not seek re-election, Toby Heaney defeated Robert Dobkin 55% to 45%. Heaney will face Democrat Chris Claypole in the general election. Claypole was unopposed in the primary.
Incumbent Senator Laura Wakim Chapman of Wheeling easily won over Joe Eddy in the First Senatorial District and is in line to face Delegate Shawn Fluharty of Ohio County, who was unopposed in the Democrat primary.
House of Delegates
In House of Delegates voting Tuesday, Wood County Republicans were in a mood for change, voting out three incumbents, including Finance Committee Chair Criss (District 12) and Energy and Public Works Committee Chair William “Bill” Anderson (District 10). Wood County Delegate Scot Heckert (District 13) also lost his re-election bid.
First elected in 1992, Anderson is the longest serving current member of the House.
Republicans also voted out at least nine additional incumbent delegates:
- Mark Zatezlo (District 2) lost to Tony Viola, who will face Democrat Daniel Joseph Day;
- Jeff Stephens (District 6) lost to Don Dewitt, who will face Democrat Cody Cumpston;
- Bill Bell (District 8) lost to Steven L. Smith (no Democrat has filed);
- Betsy Kelly (District 9) lost to Kerry G. Murphy, (no Democrat has filed);
- Jordan Bridges (District 33) lost to Chris Tipton, who will face Democrat Michael B. “Mickey” Browning;
- Greg Watt (District 48) lost to Mackenzie Holdren, who will face Democrat Jourdan Deitz;
- Stanley S. Adkins (District 49) lost to Newt McCutcheon, who will face Democrat Byron Tucker Jr.;
- Marshall Clay (District 51) lost in a three-candidate race to Cy Persinger, who will face Democrat Colby A. Lopez; and
- Keith Marple (District 69) lost in a three-candidate race to Danny Hamrick, who will face Democrat Jocelyn Blackwell.
Two other challengers held slim leads. In voting that could change upon canvassing or recounts, incumbents Daniel Linville of Cabell County and Laura Kimble of Harrison County trail by single-digit margins. Linville (District 22) is behind Aaron Holley 648-646, and Kimble (District 71) trails Tim McNeeley 686-682.
No Democrats filed to run in the District 22 primary. Robert “Rob” Garcia was the lone candidate in the District 71 Democrat primary.
Judiciary
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals will have a fresh look with two new justices serving out unexpired terms on the five-member court. Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated voters participated in the nonpartisan judicial primaries.
Former Raleigh County Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick defeated incumbent Justice Gerald Titus in a five-candidate race, and Wheeling lawyer Bill Flanigan, a member of the House of Delegates, decisively beat Justice Tom Ewing in a head-to-head election. Both Titus and Ewing are appointees. Titus succeeded the late Justice Tim Armstead, while Ewing succeeded Beth Walker, who retired. Kirkpatrick and Flanigan earned the right to serve out the unexpired terms.
In the Intermediate Court of Appeals election, Kanawha County Family Judge Jim Douglas defeated incumbent Judge Dan Greear, a native of Kanawha County. Greear has been on the Intermediate Court since Gov. Jim Justice appointed him in 2021, when the court began operations.
Judicial elections are nonpartisan, and the winners are scheduled to assume their seats after the Secretary of State certifies the election results. |
