Senator Shelley Moore Capito announced this morning that she plans to run for re-election, kicking her campaign off with a video announcement that links her political goals closely with President Donald Trump.
Capito, a 72-year-old Republican, holds the fourth-highest position in the Senate majority leadership as the chairwoman of the Republican Policy Committee. Capito has chaired the Environment and Public Works Committee since the start of this year.
President Donald Trump endorsed Capito’s re-election months ago, in May, saying she “is doing a tremendous job representing the Wonderful People of West Virginia, a State I love and WON BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024!”
“I’m asking for your vote so I can continue to work with President Trump to make our nation stronger, deliver for West Virginia and our people, and stand for our principles, our freedoms, and our way of life in the Mountain State,” Capito said in an announcement today.
Capito was first elected to the Senate in 2014, becoming the first female U.S. senator in West Virginia’s history.
She was first seated in the Senate on Jan. 3, 2015. Her current term is set to end on Jan. 3, 2027.
Capito has more than $4 million cash on hand for a re-election run, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
A primary election rival, new state Senate Judiciary Chairman Tom Willis, reflects $156,361 cash on hand.
Other Republicans who are registered to run, including Alexander Gaaserud of Parkersburg and Janet McNulty of Martinsburg, show no cash on hand at all.
The last time Capito was up for election in the Senate, 2020, she defeated the Democratic nominee, Paula Jean Swearingen, with 547,454 votes to 210,309 votes.
In the Republican primary that year, Capito defeated her next closest challenger, Allen Whitt, by 173,331 votes to 19,972.
Capito served from 2001 to 2015 as the U.S. representative from West Virginia’s 2nd congressional district, and before that she served two terms in the state House of Delegates.
Capito was born in Glen Dale and keeps a home in Charleston. She is the daughter of three-term West Virginia governor and six-term U.S. representative Arch Moore.
The most recent MetroNews West Virginia Poll from August showed that among likely voters Capito received a favorable view by 46% of participants. Capito was viewed unfavorably by 29% of respondents. Twenty five percent said they are not sure.