The shape of the state Senate will go through changes after tonight’s primary elections.
Half of the seats in West Virginia’s 34-member state Senate are on the ballot in this year’s elections. Republicans currently hold a 23-11 supermajority in the Senate.
The boundaries of those districts changed through the redistricting process this year because of population shifts in the state.
A couple of matchups matched incumbent senators against challenging delegates.
One of those was Senator Mike Azinger, R-Wood, who won by 390 votes over his challenger, Delegate John Kelly, also of Wood County. Azinger will face Democrat Jody Murphy next fall.
Similarly, incumbent Senator Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh, faced a challenge from Mick Bates, a delegate from Raleigh County who recently switched from Democrat to Republican. With 96 percent of precincts reporting, Roberts was leading by 292 votes. There is no Democratic challenger in that race.
“I’m very thankful, honored and humbled and ready to roll up my sleeves and get busy for another four years,” Roberts said on MetroNews’ election coverage.
Jason Barrett, a former Democratic delegate who switched his party to Republican and ran for Senate, has won a primary race in Jefferson and Berkeley counties. No Democrat filed to run for that seat, but incumbent Senator Hannah Geffert was appointed to run by the local senatorial district.
In another Senate race, longtime Delegate Barbara Fleischauer, a Democrat from Monongalia, will face another former lawmaker Mike Oliverio, a Republican from Monongalia, in the General Election. Each defeated primary challengers.
Former Delegate Randy Swartzmiller defeated incumbent Senator Owens Brown, D-Ohio, in a 1st Senate District race. He’ll face Republican Laura Wakim Chapman, who dominated her primary matchup.
Former Delegate Mark Hunt, a longtime Democrat who switched to Republican, defeated a field that included another former delegate, Josh Higginbotham in a district that covers Clay, Roane and parts of Kanawha, Putnam and Jackson counties. The incumbent senator in that district, District 8, is Democrat Richard Lindsay of Charleston, who is unopposed.
That race was the subject of drama in the court system when Republican candidate Andrea Garrett Kiessling was ruled ineligible because she did not meet a constitutional standard of five years of state citizenship leading up to the election.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, dominated his primary race and will face Democrat Sam Wood next fall.
Another incumbent senator, Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, won his Republican primary handily over two opponents. He’ll face Tiffany Clemins in the General Election.
Former U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart, a Republican, narrowly defeated Chad McCormick in a district that includes Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln and Logan counties. He’ll face incumbent Senator Ron Stollings, D-Boone, who was unopposed in the primary.
Jay Taylor dominated a five-candidate Republican primary and will face Democrat Amanda Jo Pitzer in the General Election. That district covers Grant, Hardy, Mineral, Preston, Taylor and Tucker counties.
Vince Deeds, a former State Police officer, won over two Republican candidates including businessman Mike Steadham, who ran a vigorous campaign. Deeds will challenge Senate Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier, who was not challenged in the primary.
Some Republican candidates were unopposed in both the Primary Election and in the General Election so they were already counting on victory.
One was Senate Finance Chairman Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, who put his efforts into promoting other Republican Senate and House candidates. Another was Judiciary Chairman Charles Trump, R-Morgan. Yet another unopposed candidate was Senator Bill Hamilton, R-Randolph, who was elected to the chamber four years ago following many years in the House of Delegates.
And another was Ben Queen, R-Harrison, a current delegate who is aiming for a Senate seat representing Harrison, Lewis, Gilmer, and Calhoun Counties and part of Taylor County.
Because Queen, 27, had no competition on ballots in the primary or general elections, he went ahead and thanked supporters in a statement issued earlier today.
“I couldn’t be more excited to begin my journey in becoming the youngest state Senator in West Virginia,” he said. “I am very proud of the hard work we continue to put forth with a teamwork approach to addressing the challenges we face here North Central West Virginia. I look forward to giving a full-time effort in continuing the success over the last 6 years.”
Incumbent Senator Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, was unopposed in the primary and moves on to face Democrat Eric Hayhurst, who was also unopposed.
Similarly, incumbent Senator Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, was unopposed in the primary and now takes on Republican Melissa Clark, also unopposed.