Seventeen of the West Virginia State Senate’s 34 seats are up for election in 2020, with 46 candidates filing to run for those seats. The primary is scheduled for May 12, and the general election is on November 3. The filing deadline was January 25, and candidates have until February 11 to withdraw from the race.
Of the 46 candidates who filed to run for election, 30 are Republicans and 16 are Democrats. In the following 13 districts, the incumbent filed for re-election:
• District 1: Ryan Weld (R)
• District 2: Mike Maroney (R)
• District 3: Donna Boley (R)
• District 4: Mitch Carmichael (R)
• District 5: Robert Plymale (D)
• District 6: Chandler Swope (R)
• District 8: Glenn Jeffries (D)
• District 9: Sue Cline (R)
• District 11: John Pitsenbarger (R)
• District 12: Douglas Facemire (D)
• District 14: Randy Smith (R)
• District 15: Craig Blair (R)
• District 16: Patricia Rucker (R)
In four districts, the incumbent did not file for re-election. These districts include:
• District 7: Paul Hardesty (D)
• District 10: Kenny Mann (R)
• District 13: Roman Prezioso (D)
• District 17: Corey Palumbo (D)
As of January 2020, Republicans held a majority of the chamber with 20 members to Democrats’ 14 members. No seats were vacant.
The West Virginia State Senate is one of 86 state legislative chambers holding elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
West Virginia has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers. As of January 31, 2020, there were 21 Republican trifectas, 15 Democratic trifectas, and 14 divided governments where neither party held trifecta control.
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