All three incumbents from West Virginia won their re-elections for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tuesday’s general election.
Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito from Charleston was re-elected to her seventh term in West Virginia’s second district. The Republican beat out Democrat Howard Swint.
“We’re all very humbled by the victory I’ve been granted again,” Capito said. “Every campaign has a different feel and a different flow. This one has been a little quieter, but it’s just as important. The effort that we put forth makes it all worth it.”
Capito sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. She defeated Swint 69 percent to 31 percent.
“It’s time I believe to bring certainty, conviction and courage back to this country,” Capito said. “It’s time to make those tough decisions that everybody talked about during this campaign. It’s time to make certain that energy is a top priority for this country. And that means all energy.”
Capito also called for both Democrats and Republicans to work together moving forward.
“The national campaign was too much we and they,” Capito said. “It’s a country of us, it’s a country of Americans, it’s a state of West Virginians. So, we’re all Americans who will pull together to propel ourselves into the future.”
Out of the first district, Republican Congressman David McKinley from Wheeling won a second term in the U.S. House. He was first elected in 2010 after narrowly beating former Monongalia County State Senator Mike Oliverio. Oliverio had won nomination over longtime Congressman Alan Mollohan to advance to the 2010 General Election.
Sue Thorn from Wheeling was the Democrat nominee on the ballot. She has worked on past Democrat political campaigns. McKinley had 62 percent of the vote on Tuesday to Thorn’s 38 percent.
In the third district, Democrat Congressman Nick Rahall, won his 19th term in the U.S. House. He was was first elected in 1976.
The Congressman currently serves as the Ranking Member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and served the last four years as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.
He did not face a challenger in the Primary Election, but was challenged in Tuesday’s election by Republican Rick Snuffer from Beckley. Rahall finished with 54 percent of the vote Tuesday to Snuffer’s 46 percent.