2018 West Virginia Senate election

The 2018 West Virginia Senate elections were held on November 6, 2018, as part of the biennial United States elections. Seventeen of West Virginia's 34 state senators were up for election. West Virginia Senate districts each have two elected representatives. State senators serve staggered four-year terms in West Virginia, with one senator from each district up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential election years (most recently held in 2016), and the other up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential midterm years.

2018 West Virginia Senate election
November 6, 2018
17 of the 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate
18 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Mitch Carmichael Roman Prezioso
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since January 11, 2017 January 11, 2017
Leader's seat 4th district 13th district
Seats before 22 12
Seats after 20 14
Seat change 2 2
Popular vote 306,182 252,564
Percentage 53.4% 44.1%
Swing 1.1% 3.6%
Seats up 11 6
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
Senate President before election

Mitch Carmichael
Republican

 Elected Senate President

Mitch Carmichael
Republican

Elections in West Virginia
Federal government
Presidential elections
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2008
2012
2016
2020
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2020
U.S. Senate elections
U.S. House elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Senate elections
House of Delegates elections
Wheeling
Municipal elections

Primary elections in the state were held on May 8. After the previous 2016 state elections, Republicans held a majority in the Senate, holding 22 seats to the Democrats' 12. The Republican Party had long been the minority party in the Mountain State, but the decline of the strength of coal worker unions, the Democratic Party's increasing focus on environmentalism, the unpopularity of President Barack Obama, and the increasing social conservatism of the Republican Party have helped the GOP solidify power in the state rapidly since 2000.

Despite the high popularity of President Donald Trump within the state and his 42-point margin of victory there in 2016, the Democrats gained two seats in the West Virginia Senate in 2018. This can be attributed to the competitive U.S. Senate race at the top of the ticket (which was won by incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin), the increasing insulation of the West Virginia Democratic Party from the national Democratic Party (particularly on social issues, such as abortion), and a strong year for the Democratic Party nationally, in which they gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Following the state's 2018 Senate elections, Republicans maintained control of the Senate with 20 seats to the Democrats' 14.

Retirements

No incumbents retired in 2018. All 17 incumbent Senators ran for re-election.

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

Three incumbents were defeated in the May primaries, one more than were defeated in the 2016 primaries.

Republicans
  1. District 4: Mark Drennan lost renomination to Eric Tarr.
  2. District 9: Lynne Arvon lost renomination to Rollan Roberts.
  3. District 11: Robert Karnes lost renomination to Bill Hamilton.

Republicans
  1. District 1: Ryan Ferns lost to William J. Ihlenfeld.
  2. District 8: Ed Gaunch lost to Richard Lindsay.

Results summary

Votes, of total, by party

  Republican (53.41%)
  Democratic (44.05%)
  Independents (2.54%)

All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia.

Results[1]
Party Votes Seats
Votes  % Total
before		 Up Won Total
after		 ±
Republican Party 306,182 53.41
22 11 9
20 / 34
 2
Democratic Party 267,073 44.05
12 6 8
14 / 34
 2
Independents 14,567 2.54
0 0 0
0 / 34
Popular vote
Republican
 
 53.41%
Democratic
 
 44.05%
Independents
 
 2.54%
Senate seats
Republican
 
 58.82%
Democratic
 
 41.18%

Close races
District Winner Margin
District 8 Democratic (flip) 0.5%
District 16 Democratic 4.3%
District 13 Democratic 4.4%
District 17 Republican 5.0%
District 1 Democratic (flip) 5.8%
District 10 Democratic 6.3%
District 9 Republican 8.1%
District 12 Democratic 9.0%

Summary of results by State Senate District
State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
West Virginia 1 Ryan Ferns Rep William Ihlenfeld Dem
West Virginia 2 Charles Clements Rep Charles Clements Rep
West Virginia 3 Mike Azinger Rep Mike Azinger Rep
West Virginia 4 Mark Drennan* Rep Eric Tarr Rep
West Virginia 5 Mike Woelfel Dem Mike Woelfel Dem
West Virginia 6 Mark Maynard Rep Mark Maynard Rep
West Virginia 7 Ron Stollings Dem Ron Stollings Dem
West Virginia 8 Ed Gaunch Rep Richard Lindsay Dem
West Virginia 9 Lynne Arvon* Rep Rollan Roberts Rep
West Virginia 10 Stephen Baldwin Dem Stephen Baldwin Dem
West Virginia 11 Robert L. Karnes* Rep Bill Hamilton Rep
West Virginia 12 Mike Romano Dem Mike Romano Dem
West Virginia 13 Bob Beach Dem Bob Beach Dem
West Virginia 14 David Sypolt Rep David Sypolt Rep
West Virginia 15 Charles Trump Rep Charles Trump Rep
West Virginia 16 John Unger Dem John Unger Dem
West Virginia 17 Tom Takubo Rep Tom Takubo Rep

Detailed results by State Senate District

District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17

All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia.[2]

Republican primary
Republican primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan Ferns (incumbent) 5,233 100.0%
Total votes 5,233 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William J. Ihlenfeld II 8,500 100.0%
Total votes 8,500 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 1st Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William J. Ihlenfeld II 18,450 52.88%
Republican Ryan Ferns (incumbent) 16,438 47.12%
Total votes 34,888 100%
Democratic gain from Republican

Republican primary
Republican primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles Clements (incumbent) 6,809 100.0%
Total votes 6,809 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denny Longwell 5,388 58.94%
Democratic Carla Jones 3,753 41.06%
Total votes 9,141 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 2nd Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles H. Clements (incumbent) 19,895 58.79%
Democratic Denny Longwell 13,944 41.21%
Total votes 33,839 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Azinger (incumbent) 6,404 100.0%
Total votes 6,404 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Leach 3,695 58.94%
Democratic Simon Hargus 3,009 44.88%
Total votes 6,704 100.0%

General Election
2018 West Virginia's 3rd Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Azinger (incumbent) 19,964 57.40%
Democratic Jim Leach 14,818 42.60%
Total votes 34,782 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Tarr 4,994 54.76%
Republican Mark Drennan (incumbent) 4,126 45.24%
Total votes 9,120 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brian Prim 6,819 100.0%
Total votes 6,819 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 4th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Tarr 18,885 51.78%
Democratic Brian Prim 13,583 37.24%
Independent Amy Nichole Grady 4,005 10.98%
Total votes 36,473 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Brooke Lunsford 4,819 100.0%
Total votes 4,819 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Woelfel (incumbent) 7,753 100.0%
Total votes 7,753 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 5th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Woelfel (incumbent) 20,305 59.66%
Republican Larry Brooke Lunsford 13,732 40.34%
Total votes 34,037 100%
Democratic hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Maynard (incumbent) 3,209 61.04%
Republican Wesley Blankenship 2,048 38.96%
Total votes 5,257 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles E. Sammons 6,305 100.0%
Total votes 6,305 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 6th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark R. Maynard (incumbent) 17,536 61.51%
Democratic Charles E. Sammons 10,972 38.49%
Total votes 28,508 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Stephens 1,851 51.81%
Republican Gary L. Johngrass 1,722 48.19%
Total votes 3,573 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ron Stollings (incumbent) 9,276 100.0%
Total votes 9,276 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 7th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ron Stollings (incumbent) 15,181 56.70%
Republican Jason Stephens 11,594 43.30%
Total votes 26,775 100%
Democratic hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ed Gaunch (incumbent) 5,475 100.0%
Total votes 5,475 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Lindsay 4,721 51.72%
Democratic Mark Hunt 4,407 48.28%
Total votes 9,128 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 8th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Lindsay 16,537 50.25%
Republican Ed Gaunch (incumbent) 16,372 49.75%
Total votes 32,909 100%
Democratic gain from Republican

Republican primary
Republican primary[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rollan Roberts 3,384 52.87%
Republican Lynne Arvon (incumbent) 3,017 47.13%
Total votes 6,401 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William R. Wooton 3,649 43.44%
Democratic John Queensberry 2,171 25.84%
Democratic Steve Davis 1,731 20.60%
Democratic Wayne Williams 850 10.12%
Total votes 8,401 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 9th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rollan Roberts 16,111 54.07%
Democratic William R. Wooton 13,686 45.93%
Total votes 29,797 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Ambler 4,169 56.45%
Republican Dan Hill 3,216 43.55%
Total votes 7,385 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Baldwin (incumbent) 10,311 100.0%
Total votes 10,311 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 10th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Baldwin (incumbent) 17,495 53.15%
Republican George Ambler 15,421 46.85%
Total votes 32,916 100%
Democratic hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Hamilton 6,523 62.25%
Republican Robert Karnes (incumbent) 3,955 37.75%
Total votes 10,478 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Laura M. Finch 5,087 52.42%
Democratic Margaret Kerr Beckwith 4,617 47.58%
Total votes 9,704 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 11th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Hamilton 23,718 70.44%
Democratic Laura M. Finch 9,953 29.56%
Total votes 33,671 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Waymond Cork II 5,820 100.0%
Total votes 5,820 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Romano (incumbent) 9,814 100.0%
Total votes 9,814 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 12th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Romano (incumbent) 18,919 54.51%
Republican Waymond Cork II 15,791 45.49%
Total votes 34,710 100%
Democratic hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Oliverio 4,763 100.0%
Total votes 4,763 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Beach (incumbent) 9,383 100.0%
Total votes 9,383 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 13th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Beach (incumbent) 18,692 52.18%
Republican Mike Oliverio 17,129 47.82%
Total votes 35,821 100%
Democratic hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Sypolt (incumbent) 8,997 100.0%
Total votes 8,997 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephanie Zucker 7,813 100.0%
Total votes 7,813 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 14th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Sypolt (incumbent) 21,936 60.22%
Democratic Stephanie Zucker 14,492 39.78%
Total votes 36,428 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles S. Trump (incumbent) 7,965 100.0%
Total votes 7,965 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 15th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles S. Trump (incumbent) 25,937 71.06%
Independent Jason A. Armentrout 10,562 28.94%
Total votes 36,499 100%
Republican hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Michael Craig Folk 5,729 100.0%
Total votes 5,729 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Unger (incumbent) 6,309 100.0%
Total votes 6,309 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 16th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Unger (incumbent) 18,802 52.14%
Republican Michael Craig Folk 17,257 47.86%
Total votes 36,059 100%
Democratic hold

Republican primary
Republican primary[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Takubo (incumbent) 5,873 100.0%
Total votes 5,873 100.0%

Democratic primary
Democratic primary[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Terrell Ellis 5,317 52.01%
Democratic Mary Ann Claytor 3,746 36.64%
Democratic Justin 'Dick' Salsbury 1,161 11.36%
Total votes 10,224 100.0%

General election
2018 West Virginia's 17th Senate district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Takubo (incumbent) 18,466 52.46%
Democratic Terrell Ellis 16,735 47.54%
Total votes 35,201 100%
Republican hold

References
  1. "Election Night Reporting".
  2. "Election Night Reporting".
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  4. "STATE SENATOR, 1ST - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
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  11. "STATE SENATOR, 5TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  12. "STATE SENATOR, 5TH - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
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  15. "STATE SENATOR, 7TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  16. "STATE SENATOR, 7TH - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  17. "STATE SENATOR, 8TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  18. "STATE SENATOR, 8TH - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  19. "STATE SENATOR, 9TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  20. "STATE SENATOR, 9TH - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  21. "STATE SENATOR, 10TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  22. "STATE SENATOR, 10TH - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  23. "STATE SENATOR, 11TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  24. "STATE SENATOR, 11TH - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  25. "STATE SENATOR, 12TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  26. "STATE SENATOR, 12TH - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
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  32. "STATE SENATOR, 16TH - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
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