The 2014 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 4, 2014 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of West Virginia, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller decided to retire rather than run for re-election for a sixth term. The Democrats nominated Secretary of State of West Virginia Natalie Tennant and the Republicans nominated U.S. Representative Shelley Moore Capito. Consequently, this was only the thirteenth U.S. Senate election that involved two major party female nominees in U.S. history.
Capito defeated Tennant and became the first female Senator elected in West Virginia's history as well as the first Republican elected to the Senate from West Virginia in 58 years. Not only was the 27.4 percent margin the largest for a Republican in a statewide race in West Virginia history, but Tennant's 34.5 percent was the lowest ever recorded for a Democrat in a Senate race in West Virginia. The results of this election were a near complete flip from 2008, in which Democrat Jay Rockefeller received 64% of the vote.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Dennis Melton
- Natalie Tennant, Secretary of State of West Virginia and candidate for Governor in 2011
- David Wamsley, developer
Withdrew
- Sheirl Fletcher, former Republican State Delegate and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2008, 2010 and 2012
Declined
- Ralph Baxter, attorney and CEO of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Gaston Caperton, former Governor
- Mike Callaghan, former Assistant United States Attorney and former Chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party
- Nick Casey, former Chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party (running for the U.S. House)
- Robin Davis, Justice for the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- Glen Gainer III, West Virginia State Auditor (running for WV-01)
- Booth Goodwin, United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia
- Carte Goodwin, former U.S. Senator
- Walt Helmick, West Virginia Agriculture Commissioner
- Jim Humphreys, former State Senator and nominee for West Virginia's 2nd congressional district in 2000 and 2002
- Jeff Kessler, President of the West Virginia Senate and candidate for governor in 2011
- Corey Palumbo, State Senator
- Nick Preservati, attorney
- John Perdue, West Virginia State Treasurer and candidate for governor in 2011
- Nick Rahall, U.S. Representative
- Jay Rockefeller, incumbent U.S. Senator
- Allen Tackett, former Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard
- Rick Thompson, West Virginia Secretary of Veterans Affairs, former Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates and candidate for Governor in 2011
- Earl Ray Tomblin, Governor of West Virginia
- Erik Wells, State Senator
- Bob Wise, former Governor
Endorsements
Polling
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Larry Butcher
- Shelley Moore Capito, U.S. Representative
- Matthew Dodrill
Withdrew
- Rick LeMasters, retired Marine officer and state employee
- Pat McGeehan, former State Delegate and former Air Force Intelligence Officer and Captain (running for House of Delegates)
- Scott Regan, Democratic candidate for the State Senate in 2010
- Edwin Vanover, former Bramwell Police Chief and Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates in 2012
Declined
- Bill Maloney, businessman and nominee for Governor in 2011 and 2012
- David McKinley, U.S. Representative
- Patrick Morrisey, Attorney General of West Virginia
- John Raese, businessman, nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1984, 2006, 2010 and 2012 and candidate for Governor in 1988
Endorsements
Polling
Results
Independents and Third Parties
Candidates
Declared
- Bob Henry Baber (Mountain Party), writer, former Mayor of Richwood, nominee for Governor of West Virginia in 2011 and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012
- John Buckley (Libertarian Party), attorney, retired law clerk and cousin of William F. Buckley, Jr.
- Phil Hudok (Constitution Party), nominee for West Virginia's 2nd congressional district in 2010
Withdrawn
- Martin Staunton (Independent), former TV anchor (moved to Georgia)
General election
Debates
A televised debate between Tennant and Capito was held on October 7 in Charleston.
Polling
Results
See also
- United States Senate elections, 2014
- United States elections, 2014
References
External links
- U.S. Senate elections in West Virginia, 2014 at Ballotpedia
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Official campaign websites
- Shelley Moore Capito for U.S. Senate -Republican
- Natalie Tennant for U.S. Senate - Democrat
- Phil Hudok for U.S. Senate - Constitution
