2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Country:West Virginia
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Previous Year:2020
Next Election:2028 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Next Year:2028
Election Date:November 5, 2024
Image1:Patrick Morrisey by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Nominee1:Patrick Morrisey
Party1:West Virginia Republican Party
Popular Vote1:454,021
Percentage1:62.1%
Nominee2:Steve Williams
Party2:West Virginia Democratic Party
Popular Vote2:230,238
Percentage2:31.5%
Reporting:96
Last Update:11:33 AM
Time Zone:EST
Map Size:250px
Governor
Before Election:Jim Justice
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Patrick Morrisey
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Republican state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey was elected to his first term in office after defeating Democratic Huntington mayor Steve Williams in the general election.[1] Incumbent Republican Jim Justice was term-limited and was unable to seek re-election to a third consecutive term in office; he instead ran for the U.S. Senate.[2]

First elected in 2016 as a Democrat by 6.8 percentage points, Justice switched parties in August 2017 and won re-election in 2020 as a Republican by 33.3 percentage points. Primary elections took place on May 14, 2024.[3] This is the first time since 1972 that Republicans won consecutive gubernatorial elections in the state.

Background

A conservative rural southeastern state, West Virginia is considered extremely Republican at the federal and state levels; Republicans hold all statewide executive offices and supermajorities in both state legislative houses, and from 2015 until he became an Independent in 2024, Senator Joe Manchin had been the state's only congressional Democrat. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump carried West Virginia by 38.93 percentage points.

With Jim Justice term-limited and unable to run for a third consecutive term as Governor, the Republican primary was expected to be competitive and crowded. Most analysts consider Republicans to be a heavy favorite, given the state's partisan lean and the margin from the previous election.[4]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Withdrew

Declined

Debates

2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election Republican primary debates
DateHostModeratorLinkRepublicanRepublicanRepublicanRepublican
<----> Participant   Absent   Non-invitee  <----> Invitee Withdrawn
MorriseyCapitoMillerWarner
1Dec. 8, 2023MetroNewsHoppy KerchevalYouTubeA
2Feb. 29, 2024Hoppy KerchevalYouTube
3Apr. 30, 2024WSAZ-3WSAZ-3

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of April 28, 2024
CandidateRaisedSpentCash on hand
Patrick Morrisey (R)$3,624,343$3,078,086$695,276
Moore Capito (R)$2,131,285$1,519,377$599,354
Chris Miller (R)$1,615,788$6,175,751$519,538
Mac Warner (R)$559,038$372,948$172,787
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State[13]

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Moore
Capito		Chris
Miller		Patrick
Morrisey		Mac
Warner		OtherUndecided
Emerson CollegeMay 2–5, 2024558 (LV)± 4.1%29%21%33%15%3%–
Research AmericaApril 24 – May 1, 2024407 (LV)± 4.9%24%25%32%10%3%6%
NMB ResearchApril 20–22, 2024500 (LV)± 4.4%31%14%23%13%–18%
Research AmericaApril 3–9, 2024400 (LV)± 4.9%29%16%31%12%3%10%
WPA IntelligenceApril 1–3, 2024501 (LV)± 4.4%20%19%37%14%–9%
Emerson CollegeMarch 19–21, 2024735 (LV)± 3.6%14%16%33%6%–29%
WPA IntelligenceNovember 27–29, 2023507 (LV)± 4.4%23%10%39%14%–14%
American Pulse Research
& Polling (R)		November 13–14, 2023414 (LV)± 4.8%23%10%31%14%–23%
CAMPNovember 10–12, 2023863 (LV)± 3.26%18%11%24%21%5%21%
Orion StrategiesJune 17–20, 2023651 (LV)± 6.0%30%5%31%9%8%17%
National Research Inc.February 23–28, 2023600 (LV)± 4.0%15%6%28%11%6%29%

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Declined

Results

Other candidates

Mountain Party

Nominee

Libertarian Party

Nominee

Constitution Party

Nominee

Independents

Declined

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
align=left The Cook Political Report[21] June 13, 2024
align=left Inside Elections[22] July 14, 2023
align=left Sabato's Crystal Ball[23] June 4, 2024
align=left RCP[24] July 13, 2024
align=left Elections Daily[25] July 12, 2023
align=left CNalysis[26] August 17, 2024

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of October 25, 2024
CandidateRaisedSpentCash on hand
Patrick Morrisey (R)$6,824,464$6,183,264$1,351,895
Steve Williams (D)$250,255$92,274$156,426
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State[28]

Polling

Patrick Morrisey vs. Joe Manchin vs. Steve Williams

Results

Notes

Partisan clients

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. News: West Virginia Governor Election Results 2024: Williams vs. Morrisey . November 7, 2024 . The New York Times . November 5, 2024.
  2. Web site: Staff . WDTV News . 2023-04-27 . Gov. Justice announces run for U.S. Senate . 2023-04-27 . www.wdtv.com . en . April 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230427213851/https://www.wdtv.com/2023/04/27/gov-justice-announces-run-us-senate/ . live .
  3. Web site: 2024 State Primary Election Dates . 2023-08-06 . www.ncsl.org.
  4. Web site: 2023-02-28 . West Virginia GOP auditor announces 2024 run for governor . 2023-03-02 . AP NEWS . en.
  5. News: April 4, 2023 . AG Morrisey announces 2024 run for Governor . April 4, 2023 . . en.
  6. Web site: McElhinny . Brad . 2022-11-29 . Moore Capito, whose name likely rings a bell, says he's running for West Virginia governor . 2022-11-29 . WV MetroNews . en-US.
  7. Web site: Adams . Steven . Chris Miller, Son of Congresswoman Carol Miller, Announces 2024 Run for West Virginia Governor . www.theintelligencer.net . . 24 December 2021.
  8. Web site: WV SOS - Elections - Candidate - Online Data Services . 2024-01-10 . apps.sos.wv.gov.
  9. Web site: W.Va. Secretary of State Mac Warner announces he will run for governor. January 10, 2023. January 10, 2023. WCHS-TV.
  10. News: Two-term state Auditor J.B. McCuskey, who was competing in a crowded field for governor, has pivoted to the attorney general’s race instead. . 24 July 2023 . . McCuskey pivots to attorney general's race, and Weld and Stuart say they won't back down. 24 July 2023 . McElhinny . Brad .
  11. News: W.Va. Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt to seek third term . Kent Leonhardt announced Wednesday he will seek a third term and will not run for governor..
  12. Web site: 2022-11-21 . Treasurer Riley Moore jumps into congressional race, another early political announcement. 2022-11-21 . WV Metro News . en-US.
  13. Web site: Governor - 2024 Election . West Virginia Secretary of State Campaign Finance Reporting System.
  14. Web site: Staff . WSAZ News . 2023-09-04 . Huntington Mayor says he plans to file to run for Governor of W.Va. . 2023-09-04 . WSAZ . en.
  15. News: Doherty. Erin. Manchin on 2024 political ambitions: "Everything is on table". 22 January 2023. Axios. He did rule out running for West Virginia governor in 2024.. 22 January 2023.
  16. Web site: McElhinny . Brad . Salango says he won't repeat bid for governor; Huntington Mayor Williams says he's closer to launch . . 5 July 2023 . 5 July 2023.
  17. News: Chase Linko-Looper announces candidacy for Governor. . 22 June 2023 . Lawrence . Brandy . 20 June 2023 .
  18. Web site: 2023-12-01 . Libertarian Party selects candidate for West Virginia governor . 2024-06-18 . WBOY.com . en-US.
  19. News: . August 1, 2024 . Former Del. Wilson joins ballot for West Virginia governor's race as Constitution Party candidate. Patterson, Jessica . July 30, 2024 .
  20. Web site: McClung . Ty . 2024-05-29 . Manchin addresses rumors about run for WV governor . 2024-05-30 . . en.
  21. Web site: 2024 Governor Race ratings . 2023-07-24 . The Cook Political Report . en.
  22. Web site: Gubernatorial Ratings . July 24, 2023 . Inside Elections.
  23. Web site: 2024 Gubernatorial race ratings . July 24, 2023 . . en.
  24. Web site: 2024 Governor Races . 2024-07-16 . www.realclearpolling.com . en.
  25. Web site: 2023-07-22 . Election Ratings . 2023-07-24 . Elections Daily . en-US.
  26. Web site: Governor Forecasts . 2024-08-17 . CNalysis . en-US.
  27. Web site: Morrisey and Williams, candidates for governor, agree to MetroNews debate . McElhinny . Brad . October 1, 2024. October 1, 2024. West Virginia MetroNews.
  28. Web site: Governor - 2024 Election . West Virginia Secretary of State Campaign Finance Reporting System.

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