West Virginia voters went to the polls Tuesday for primaries that will determine nominees for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and dozens of state legislative seats, in an election that serves as a key test of Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey's political influence over his party's direction.
Morrisey is not on the ballot but has invested significant political capital to reshape the GOP's supermajorities in the state legislature by targeting several Republican incumbents for defeat. The primaries also feature a contested U.S. Senate race where incumbent Sen. Shelley Moore Capito faces five challengers, and a Democratic mayoral primary in Charleston.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic voters in West Virginia are focused on the Charleston mayoral contest, where Mayor Amy Goodwin seeks a third term against challenger Martec Washington, a community advocate who finished distant second behind Goodwin in the 2022 mayoral primary. Republicans have nominated Brian Hunt unopposed for the general election.
On judicial races, two state Supreme Court justices appointed in 2025 to fill vacancies face challengers in special elections to continue serving on the high court. Tom Ewing and Gerald Titus are seeking to retain their seats, while Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge Dan Greear faces Jim Douglas for a 10-year term.
What the Right Is Saying
The Republican primary battlefield centers on state legislative races where Morrisey has endorsed challengers against incumbents who have drawn his displeasure. In at least one case, that puts him at odds with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. In Senate District 10, Capito has endorsed incumbent GOP state Sen. Vince Deeds, while Morrisey is backing challenger Jonathan Comer, a pastor.
The most high-profile Republican primary features Capito facing five challengers for the U.S. Senate seat she has held since 2015. State Sen. Tom Willis has secured endorsements from six fellow GOP state senators, including Senate President Randy Smith. Capito counters with support from 15 state senators and an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
What the Numbers Show
As of April 23, West Virginia had approximately 1.2 million registered voters: about 520,000 Republicans, 327,000 Democrats, and 302,000 unaffiliated with any party. In Tuesday's primaries, only voters registered with a political party may vote in their own party's primary; independents may participate in Democratic or Mountain Party races but not Republican contests.
Early voting data as of May 5 showed approximately 36,000 ballots already cast: more than 17,000 from Republicans, about 13,600 from Democrats, and roughly 3,600 from unaffiliated voters. Historical turnout for 2024 GOP primaries reached about 225,000 voters per contest, representing approximately 19% of registered voters at that time.
Polls closed at 7:30 p.m. ET. About 60% of West Virginia's 55 counties typically report early and absentee vote results in their first election-night update.
The Bottom Line
The primary results will reveal whether Morrisey has built the political machine he needs to advance his legislative agenda through a state legislature that already skews heavily Republican. His clashes with Capito over candidate endorsements highlight tensions within the GOP between the governor's office and the state's senior federal elected official.
For Democrats, the Charleston mayoral race represents their highest-profile local contest of the evening. The judicial elections will determine who serves on the state Supreme Court for the next decade.
Vote counting is expected to proceed quickly; in 2024, AP first reported results 11 minutes after polls closed and had more than 99% of votes counted by 12:40 a.m. ET.