Senator Shelley Moore Capito won the Republican primary for US Senate in West Virginia and will face Democratic challenger Rachel Fetty Anderson.
The Associated Press, nationally, also called the race for Capito. Just over 6% of the vote was in when AP made the call, but Capito was leading by thousands of votes.
“I’ve got a big smile on my face,” Capito said on MetroNews election night coverage.
Capito’s Republican opponents were Tom Willis, the state Senate judiciary chairman, Alexander Gaaserud, Bryan McKinney, Janet McNulty and David Purkey.
Capito got early and influential endorsements from President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
“People know me. They trust me. I’m very positive about the work that I’ve done and the work I want to do, working with President Trump and Vice President Vance, and I just kept repeating the same — you know, you have to — repeat the same messages,” Capito said.
Democrats in the race included Thornton Cooper, Rachel Fetty Anderson, Jeff Kessler, Rio Phillips and Zach Shrewsbury.
Fetty Anderson, the Democratic winner, is an attorney and former Morgantown council member.
Capito has had about $4 million to spend this election cycle, according to federal filings. That was far more than anyone else in the race.
Thirty-three of the 100 U.S. Senate seats are up for election, and another two seats are up for special election. Democrats hold 13 of the seats up for election, and Republicans hold 22.
Currently, Republicans have a 53-45 majority in the chamber.
Capito is the 4th-ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate and has the position of chair of the Republican Policy Committee.
Capito first assumed office in the Senate on Jan. 3, 2015. Her current term ends on Jan. 3, 2027.
Prior to serving in the Senate, Capito was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2015 and a member of the West Virginia House of Representatives from 1997 to 2001.
“But we still have more things we have to do,” Capito said on election night.