2014 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia

The 2014 United States House of Representatives election in West Virginia was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the three U.S. Representatives from West Virginia, one from each of the state's three congressional districts.

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)
All 3 West Virginia seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 2 1
Seats won 3 0
Seat change 1 1
Popular vote 242,823 182,484
Percentage 55.26% 41.53%
Swing 4.65% 1.44%
Elections in West Virginia
Federal elections
Presidential Elections
Presidential Primaries
U.S. Senate Elections
U.S. House Elections
Special elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Secretary of State elections
Senate elections
House of Delegates elections

Republicans won control of every congressional district in West Virginia for the first time since 1924.[1]

Representatives are elected for two-year terms. Those elected served in the 114th Congress from January 2015 until January 2017.

Overview
United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia, 2014[2]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Republican 242,823 55.26% 3 +1
Democratic 182,484 41.53% 0 -1
Libertarian 7,682 1.75% 0 –
Independents 6,399 1.46% 0 –
Totals 439,388 100.00% 3 —

By district

Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia by district:[3]

District Republican Democratic Others Total Result
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
District 192,49163.90%52,10936.00%1370.10%144,737100%Republican Hold
District 272,61947.08%67,68743.88%13,9449.04%154,250100%Republican Hold
District 377,71355.35%62,68844.65%00.00%140,401100%Republican Gain
Total242,82355.26%182,48441.53%14,0813.21%439,388100%

District 1

Republican David McKinley, who had represented West Virginia's 1st congressional district since 2011, was re-elected in 2012. While McKinley had expressed some interest in running for Senate, he later declared he would not run.[4] He filed for re-election to his House seat on January 15, 2014.[5]

Glen Gainer III, the West Virginia State Auditor, sought the Democratic nomination unopposed.[6]

Republican primary
Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 27,589 100.0

Democratic primary
Democratic primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Glen Gainer III 34,764 100.0

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 David
McKinley (R)		 Glen
Gainer (D)		 Undecided
YouGov October 16–23, 2014 276 ± 10% 53% 25% 22%

Results
West Virginia's 1st congressional district, 2014[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 92,491 64.0
Democratic Glen Gainer III 52,109 36.0
Total votes 144,600 100.0
Republican hold

District 2

Republican Shelley Moore Capito, who had represented West Virginia's 2nd congressional district since 2001, won her seventh term in Congress with almost 70 percent of the vote in 2012. She announced that she would not run for re-election, so that she could run for the United States Senate seat held by retiring Democrat Jay Rockefeller.[9]

Candidates
Declared
Declined

Results
Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Alex Mooney 12,678 36.0
Republican Ken Reed 7,848 22.3
Republican Charlotte Lane 6,358 18.1
Republican Steve Harrison 3,885 11.0
Republican Ron Walters, Jr. 2,125 6.0
Republican Jim Moss 1,684 4.8
Republican Robert Fluharty 621 1.8
Total votes 35,199 100.0

Candidates
Declared
Declined

Results
Democratic primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nick Casey 21,646 60.6
Democratic Meshea Poore 14,061 39.4
Total votes 35,707 100.0

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Alex
Mooney (R)		 Nick
Casey (D)		 Other Undecided
YouGov October 16–23, 2014 348 ± 7% 45% 44% – 11%
Public Opinion Strategies* August 10–12, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 40% 28% 13%[28] 19%
Tarrance Group (R-Mooney) May 20–22, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 43% 31% 15%[29] 11%

Results
West Virginia's 2nd congressional district, 2014[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Alex X. Mooney 72,619 47.1
Democratic Nick Casey 67,687 43.9
Libertarian Davy Jones 7,682 5.0
Independent Ed Rabel 6,250 4.0
Total votes 154,238 100.0
Republican hold

District 3

Rahall was considered one of the most "endangered" House Democrats by the House Democratic campaign committee.[30][31] Rahall was endorsed by the National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund.[32]

The National Right to Life Committee, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and West Virginians for Life, all of which had previously supported Rahall, supported Jenkins in 2014, and the West Virginia Coal Association endorsed Jenkins in September 2014.[33][34] Jenkins supports the repeal of Obamacare, and states that he would replace the law.[35]

As of September 18, 2014, the race was rated a "toss up" by both University of Virginia political professor Larry Sabato, of Sabato's Crystal Ball, and Stu Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report.[36] As of October 2, managing editor Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball said the race was still a toss-up, calling it "Super close, super expensive and super nasty."[37][38]

A Fox News op-ed opined in October that Jenkins "offers Republicans the most credible nominee the party has had since the mid-'90s. In a race that will see as much advertising by third-party organizations as any House race in the country, the winner will be the candidate who voters believe will do the most to take on President Obama's War on Coal and the EPA."[39]

Through October 6, 2014, 16,340 ads had appeared on broadcast television, the second-highest number of ads of any district in the U.S.[40] By mid-October 2014, it was anticipated that $12.8 million could be spent on ads in the race by Election Day.[41] Rahall outspent Jenkins in the election by a two-to-one ratio.[42]

Time listed a Rahall ad in its article: "Here Are 5 of The Most Dishonest Political Ads of 2014," and The Washington Post ran an article regarding the same Rahall ad entitled: "A sleazy attack puts words in the other candidate's mouth".[43][44]

Jenkins won the election, defeating incumbent Rahall in November 2014 with 55.3% of the vote to Rahall's 44.7%.[45][46]

Democratic primary

In 2014, Democrat Nick Rahall, who had represented West Virginia in Congress since 1977, ran for re-election to the 3rd District seat, after having considered running for the Senate but instead deciding to run for re-election. Veteran Richard Ojeda ran against Rahall for the Democratic nomination, but lost.[47]

Results
Democratic primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nick Rahall (incumbent) 37,176 66.4
Democratic Richard Ojeda 18,767 33.6
Total votes 55,943 100.0

Republican primary

For the Republicans, State Senator Evan Jenkins, who switched parties in July 2013, ran for the seat against Rahall.[48] Jenkins ran unopposed in the Republican primary.[49] State Senator Bill Cole, who had considered a run for the seat himself, was Jenkins' campaign chairman.[50] Snuffer considered running again, but did not file.[48][51]

In July 2013, Jenkins switched to the Republican Party in preparation for his run at the seat. On switching parties, Jenkins stated that: "West Virginia is under attack from Barack Obama and a Democratic Party that our parents and grandparents would not recognize."[48] In 2012, West Virginia's 3rd district went for Mitt Romney 66-32 percent.[52]

Results
Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Evan Jenkins 14,374 100.0

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Nick
Rahall (D)		 Evan
Jenkins (R)		 Undecided
YouGov October 16–23, 2014 253 ± 10% 45% 50% 5%
Harper Polling October 7–8, 2014 657 ± 3.82% 44% 50% 6%
Garin-Hart-Yang Research May 26–28, 2014 403 ± 5% 52% 39% 9%
Anzalone Liszt Grove Research (D-Rahall) May 12–14, 2014 502 ± 4.4% 52% 39% 9%
DFM Research April 22–27, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 48% 39% 13%
Garin-Hart-Yang Research April 15–16, 2014 400 ± 5% 52% 40% 8%
Tarrance Group (R-Jenkins) March 3–5, 2014 405 ± 4.9% 40% 54% 6%
Harper Polling (R-Jenkins) October 7–8, 2013 649 ± 3.84% 46% 42% 12%

Results
West Virginia's 3rd congressional district, 2014[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Evan Jenkins 77,713 55.3
Democratic Nick Rahall (incumbent) 62,688 44.7
Total votes 140,401 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

References
  1. United States congressional delegations from West Virginia
  2. "Election Statistics, 1920 to Present | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". History.house.gov. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  3. Haas, Karen L. (March 9, 2015). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2014". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  4. "McKinley won't take on Capito in 2014 Senate race". The Charleston Gazette. February 22, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  5. "WV SOS – Elections – Candidate – Online Data Services". wv.gov.
  7. "Statewide Results Primary Election – May 13, 2014 ★★★ Official Results ★★★". West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  8. "West Virginia Statewide Results General Election – November 4, 2014 Official Results". West Virginia Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  9. Catanese, David (November 25, 2012). "Shelley Moore Capito makes Senate bid vs. Jay Rockefeller official". Politico. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  10. Messina, Lawrence (July 14, 2013). "2014 field growing in W.Va. federal races". Associated Press. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  11. "Skaff considers run for U.S. House". The Charleston Gazette. Associated Press. April 25, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  12. Boucher, Dave (August 12, 2013). "Charlotte Lane to run for Capito's Congressional seat". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  13. Molenda, Rachel (June 5, 2013). "Ex-chairman of Md. GOP poised to run for Congress". The Journal. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  14. Molenda, Rachel (July 29, 2013). "Moss announces bid for Congress". The Journal. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  15. McVey, John (September 14, 2013). "Candidates agree: No military action in Syria". The Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  16. Boucher, Dave (August 13, 2013). "Capitol Notebook: Young Republicans to run for Congress". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  17. McVey, John (January 18, 2014). "Larry V. Faircloth to run for the state Senate". The Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  18. Harold, Zack (May 7, 2013). "Bill Maloney doesn't want to run for U.S. Congress". Charleston Daily Mail. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  19. Rivard, Ry (January 3, 2013). "Democrat speculates attorney general-elect eyeing US House seat". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  20. Livingston, Abby (June 3, 2013). "Top Republican Won't Run for Capito Seat #WV02". thehill.com. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  21. Boucher, Dave (August 27, 2013). "Suzette Raines won't run for Congress". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  22. Boucher, Dave (April 3, 2013). "Former Kanawha lawmaker eyes congressional run". Charleston Daily Mail. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  23. Boucher, Dave (April 30, 2013). "Nick Casey launches 2014 US House run". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  24. Harold, Zack (July 9, 2013). "Kanawha delegate Poore says she'll run for Congress". Charleston Daily Mail. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  25. Molenda, Rachel (April 7, 2013). "Dunn to run for 2nd District seat". The Journal. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  26. Molenda, Rachel (November 27, 2012). "Snyder mulling run at Capito's seat". The Journal. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  27. McVey, John (June 4, 2013). "Rod Snyder won't run for Congress". The Journal. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  28. Davy Jones (L) with 5%, Ed Rabel (I) with 8%
  29. Davy Jones (L) with 4%, Ed Rabel (I) with 11%
  30. "Mooney wins crowded GOP House primary; Capito, Tennant to face off in W.Va. Senate race". Fox News. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  31. Kyle Balluck. "Report: Rep. Nick Rahall considered retirement". TheHill. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  32. "NRA endorses U.S. Rep Nick Rahall". The Herald-Dispatch. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  33. "West Virginia Coal Association Endorses Evan Jenkins". Huntington News. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  34. "Charleston Daily Mail – Jenkins receives national pro-life endorsement". Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  35. Sargent, Greg (March 27, 2014). "GOP repeal stance runs into complications, in deep red West Virginia". Washington Post. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  36. "NRA endorses Nick Rahall for Congress". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  37. "Looking into the Crystal Ball". West Virginia Metro News. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  38. "House Ratings". The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  39. "November midterms: Who will be the 245th House Republican?". Fox News. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  40. Greg Giroux. "Democrats on Defense: Barrow, Rahall, Barber See Most TV Ads". Bloomberg/politics. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  41. "Coal, Obama Weighing Heavy in Rahall's W.Va. Bid". ABC News. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  42. ABC News. "Republicans Projected To Seize Control Of The Senate: 2014 Midterm Elections Results Live". ABC News.
  43. "2014 Midterms: Here Are Five of The Most Dishonest 2014 Political Ads". TIME. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  44. "A sleazy attack puts words in the other candidate's mouth". Washington Post. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  45. "Dem Rahall loses House seat after 38 years". TheHill.
  46. Robert Pear (December 17, 2014). "West Virginia Election Results 2014 - NYTimes.com". Elections.nytimes.com. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  47. Justin Sink (January 18, 2014). "Manchin's State of Union guest to challenge Rep. Nick Rahall". The Hill. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  48. Livingston, Abby (July 31, 2013). "Democrat Switches Parties to Challenge Rahall #WV03". Roll Call. Archived from the original on August 2, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  49. "Beard, McLaughlin win primary election". Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  50. Porterfield, Mannix (July 31, 2013). "Jenkins departing Democratic party". The Register-Herald. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  51. Livingston, Abby (March 13, 2013). "West Virginia: Snuffer Mulls Another Campaign for Rahall Seat". Roll Call. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  52. Blake, Aaron (March 11, 2014). "GOP poll: Longtime Rep. Rahall (D-W.Va.) down double digits". Washington Post. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
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