| Election Name: | 2008 West Virginia Republican presidential caucuses and primary |
| Country: | West Virginia |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | West Virginia Republican primary, 2004 |
| Previous Year: | 2004 |
| Next Election: | West Virginia Republican primary, 2012 |
| Next Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | February 5 (caucuses); May 13, 2008 (primary) |
| Candidate1: | Mike Huckabee |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home State1: | Arkansas |
| Delegate Count1: | 18 (15) / 0 |
| Popular Vote1: | 567/12,175 |
| Percentage1: | 51.55%/10.3% |
| Outgoing Members: | NE |
| Elected Members: | OR |
| Candidate2: | Mitt Romney |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home State2: | Massachusetts |
| Delegate Count2: | 0/0 |
| Popular Vote2: | 52.1%/5,188 |
| Percentage2: | 47.36%/4.4% |
| Candidate4: | John McCain |
| Party4: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home State4: | Arizona |
| Delegate Count4: | 0/9 |
| Popular Vote4: | 12%/89,683 |
| Percentage4: | 1.09%/76.0% |
| Candidate5: | Ron Paul |
| Party5: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home State5: | Texas |
| Delegate Count5: | 0 (3) / 0 |
| Popular Vote5: | 0/5,914 |
| Percentage5: | 0%/5.0% |
The 2008 West Virginia Republican presidential caucuses took place on February 5, 2008, to select 18 delegates to the 2008 Republican National Convention.[1] An additional nine delegates were selected in a primary election on May 13, 2008, for a total of 27 delegates to the national convention.[1] Mike Huckabee won the caucuses, and John McCain later won the primary.
Romney entered the caucus with the most pledged convention-goers, but delegates for McCain defected to Huckabee.[2] In the first round of caucusing, the results were Romney 464, Huckabee 375, McCain 176, Paul 118, Giuliani 0. Since no candidate had a majority, Giuliani dropped out and the delegates took a second vote. At this second vote, most Paul and McCain supporters, reportedly acting on commands from their coordinators, shifted to Huckabee, ensuring him the majority.[3] As a result of a deal with Huckabee's camp, Paul's delegates swung to Huckabee in exchange for 3 of the State's 18 national delegates.[4]
The West Virginia caucus was the first of the 21 "Super Tuesday" contests to be counted, with the results being reported in the mid-afternoon.[5] Huckabee's win over the favored Romney was considered a major loss of momentum for Romney's campaign, while it revitalized Mike Huckabee's hopes for the nomination.[6]
In the primary election, three delegates were awarded for each of West Virginia's three congressional districts. The winner in each district was awarded all three of that district's delegates.[7] McCain, the presumptive nominee, easily won all three districts.
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Huckabee | 567 | 51.55% | 18(15) | |
| 521 | 47.36% | 0 | ||
| 12 | 1.09% | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0% | 0(3) | ||
| Total | 1,100 | 100% | 18 |
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John McCain | 89,683 | 76.0% | 9 | |
| Mike Huckabee | 12,175 | 10.3% | 0 | |
| 5,914 | 5.0% | 0 | ||
| Mitt Romney | 5,188 | 4.4% | 0 | |
| Rudolph Giuliani | 2,831 | 2.4% | 0 | |
| 1,427 | 1.2% | 0 | ||
| Others | 727 | 0.6% | 0 | |
| Total | 117,945 | 100% | 9 |