Republicans expanded their majorities significantly in the West Virginia Legislature in last week’s General Election. Republicans will now occupy 88 of the 100 seats in the House of Delegates and 30 of the 34 seats in the Senate.
The wave that gave the GOP historic wins in the Legislature extended to county offices. Here are some unofficial statistics from the West Virginia Association of Counties:
–Out of 55 Circuit Clerk races, Republicans won 35, while Democrats won 20. That represents a gain of 14 for the Republicans.
–The numbers were the same for County Clerks. Fourteen GOP gains mean Republicans now hold 35 of the 55 positions.
–Republicans won 50 of the 61 County Commission races.
–There was one race each for prosecuting attorney and sheriff. Republicans won both. Republicans also won two assessor races.
–The unofficial tally shows that Republicans were victorious in 125 races, while the Democrats won just 50.
–In 24 of the 55 counties, Republicans won every county race on the ballot. All but one of those counties has a Republican majority in voter registration. Lincoln County still has more Democrats, but Republicans won every county race.
–Of the 20 counties where Democrats still outnumber Republicans, Democrats won all the local races in just four: Braxton, Clay, McDowell and Wetzel.
–In Cabell County, the most recent county where Republicans have overtaken Democrats in registration, the GOP won three of four races.
–Democrats still have a significant voter registration advantage in Kanawha—the state’s largest county (45,0332 to 40,912)—and unopposed Democrats held on to a county commission seat and the circuit clerk’s position, but long-time County Clerk, Republican Vera McCormick, won re-election easily.
–Logan County remains a Democratic stronghold with a two-to-one registration advantage, but even there a Republican won the race for an open seat on the county commission.
The legislative wins for the Republicans last week constituted a red wave in West Virginia. Add in the county races and the election turned into an absolute tsunami for the GOP.