Incumbent Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, Secretary of State Mac Warner, Auditor J.B. McCuskey and Treasurer John Perdue have all already gotten through the West Virginia primary without opposition.
But each of those members of the Board of Public Works will face opposition in the General Election in the fall.
Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt had a primary opponent but was victorious on Election Night.
Those positions, along with governor and Secretary of Education, constitute the Board of Public Works representing the leaders of West Virginia’s executive branch.
West Virginia’s Primary Election was delayed until June 9 because of precautions for the coronavirus.
Warner, speaking on MetroNews’ statewide election coverage, said voting seemed to go smoothly today.
“We didn’t have any major issues that I’m aware of,” Warner said.
He noted that people were able to vote via expanded absentee voting, early voting or in-person on Election Day.
“We provided people options,” he said. “I don’t anticipate an overwhelming or underwhelming number. I think we’ll have about what we did previously.”
Attorney General – Incumbent Attorney General Patrick Morrisey was unopposed on the Republican side.
Morrisey assumed office in 2013 after defeating then-incumbent Darrell McGraw. Morrisey won re-election in 2016.
The Democratic nomination pit Delegate Isaac Sponaugle, a lawyer in Pendleton County, versus Sam Petsonk, a Beckley lawyer who has focused on issues such as workplace safety and black lung benefits.
The race between Sponaugle and Petsonk was very close, separated by only about a thousand votes after midnight.
By this morning, Sponaugle was significantly ahead.
“There are ballots left to be counted, including absentee ballots from across the state. What is crystal clear is the momentum behind this campaign and the support for our vision for West Virginia,” Sponaugle stated this morning.
Agriculture Commissioner – Incumbent Kent Leonhardt, a Republican, had one GOP primary opponent, Roy Ramey, who was a 2014 American Freedom Party candidate for state Senate in the Cabell County area.
Leonhardt sailed to victory as the votes were counted.
There were three Democrats in the race, including incumbent state Senator Bob Beach of Morgantown, William Keplinger of Moorefield and David Miller of Preston County.
Beach took a commanding lead over the other Democrats.
Secretary of State – Incumbent Mac Warner, a Republican, was unopposed because his only opponent dropped out before the primary.
Democrat Natalie Tennant, Warner’s predecessor in the office, was also unopposed.
So this sets up a rematch of the 2016 Secretary of State race.
“You have to be a forward-thinking Secretary of State,” Tennant said on MetroNews’ Primary Election coverage. “That’s what I was. I was an innovator.”
Treasurer – Incumbent John Perdue, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Riley Moore had no primary opponents.
Perdue assumed the office in 1997 and is the only Democrat remaining among West Virginia’s Board of Public Works.
Moore, a grandson of former Gov. Arch Moore, served in the House of Delegates in 2017 and 2018. He was defeated for re-election in the Jefferson County district he served.
Auditor – This will be another rematch.
Incumbent J.B. McCuskey, a Republican, did not have a primary challenger.
Democratic challenger Mary Ann Claytor also faced no primary opposition.
McCuskey defeated Claytor, along with Libertarian Brenton Ricketts, in the 2016 General Election.
“We’ve run against each other before. We both have a great deal of respect for each other,” McCuskey said tonight on MetroNews’ Primary Election coverage.
“I think what you’ll see is a race that sets the standard for positivity.”