West Virginia gubernatorial special election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial election was a special election held on October 4, 2011 to fill the office of the West Virginia Governor. The office became vacant upon the resignation of Governor Joe Manchin
, who was elected to fill the seat of Robert Byrd
in the United States Senate
in 2010 following Byrd's death. State Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin
, first in the line of succession, ascended to the governor's position in 2010. On January 18, 2011, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election for the office of Governor must be held so a new Governor can be in place by November 15, 2011, exactly one year after Manchin resigned and Tomblin took the oath of office. The primary election was held on May 14. Tomblin and Republician Bill Maloney
won their respective primaries.
Tomblin was declared the winner of the election by the Associated Press
on October 4, 2011 and was inagurated on November 13, 2011.
Information
Joe Manchin
Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010...
, who was elected to fill the seat of Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 2010 following Byrd's death. State Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin
Earl Ray Tomblin
Earl Ray Tomblin is an American politician who serves as the 35th and current Governor of West Virginia. Tomblin is a member of the Democratic Party. Tomblin has served as President of the West Virginia State Senate for over 16 years. He became Acting Governor in 2010 following Joe Manchin's...
, first in the line of succession, ascended to the governor's position in 2010. On January 18, 2011, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election for the office of Governor must be held so a new Governor can be in place by November 15, 2011, exactly one year after Manchin resigned and Tomblin took the oath of office. The primary election was held on May 14. Tomblin and Republician Bill Maloney
Bill Maloney
Bill Maloney is a businessman and was the candidate for the Republican Party in the 2011 special election for governor of West Virginia, in which he lost....
won their respective primaries.
Tomblin was declared the winner of the election by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
on October 4, 2011 and was inagurated on November 13, 2011.
Declared
- Jeff KesslerJeffrey V. KesslerJeffrey Vincent "Jeff" Kessler is a Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate in the United States, representing the 2nd District since his appointment in November 1997 and subsequent reelections. In addition, Kessler serves as the incumbent President of the West Virginia Senate...
, Acting Senate President - Arne Moltis, South CharlestonSouth Charleston, West VirginiaSouth Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature...
resident - John PerdueJohn PerdueJohn Perdue has been the 24th State Treasurer of West Virginia, United States since his election in 1996. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2011. Perdue is a member of the Democratic Party....
, state treasurer - Natalie TennantNatalie TennantNatalie E. Tennant is the Secretary of State of West Virginia. She was elected in 2008 and officially took office as the 29th Secretary of State on January 19, 2009...
, West Virginia Secretary of State - Rick ThompsonRichard Thompson (West Virginia politician)Richard "Rick" Thompson is a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 17th District since 2000. He is currently Speaker of the House, elected in January 2007. He earlier served as a Delegate from 1981 through 1983...
, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates - Earl Ray TomblinEarl Ray TomblinEarl Ray Tomblin is an American politician who serves as the 35th and current Governor of West Virginia. Tomblin is a member of the Democratic Party. Tomblin has served as President of the West Virginia State Senate for over 16 years. He became Acting Governor in 2010 following Joe Manchin's...
, current Acting Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Jeff Kessler |
Arne Moltis |
John Perdue |
Natalie Tennant |
Rick Thompson |
Earl Ray Tomblin |
Other/ Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | May 11-12, 2011 | 742 | ± 3.6% | 4% | 1% | 11% | 17% | 20% | 33% | 12% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 21–24, 2011 | 590 | ± 4.0% | 5% | 1% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 32% | 14% |
Primary results
Declared
- Clark BarnesClark BarnesClark Barnes is currently a member of The West Virginia Senate, representing District 15 as a Republican, additionally Senator Barnes serves as the Minority Whip. On November 4, 2008, Barnes was reelected to the Senate’s District 15 winning by a comfortable margin...
, state senator - Mitch Carmichael, State Delegate
- Ralph W. Clark, Monongalia CountyMonongalia County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 81,866 people, 33,446 households, and 18,495 families residing in the county. The population density was 227 people per square mile . There were 36,695 housing units at an average density of 102 per square mile...
resident - Cliff Ellis, Monongalia County resident
- Larry Faircloth, former State Delegate
- Betty IrelandBetty IrelandBetty Ireland was the 28th Secretary of State of West Virginia from 2005-2009, serving as the first woman elected to the executive branch of West Virginia state government. She was also the first Republican elected to that position since 1972. Ireland did not seek a second term in 2008 due to her...
, former West Virginia secretary of state - Bill MaloneyBill MaloneyBill Maloney is a businessman and was the candidate for the Republican Party in the 2011 special election for governor of West Virginia, in which he lost....
, Monongalia County businessman - Mark Sorsaia, Putnam CountyPutnam County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 51,589 people, 20,028 households, and 15,281 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 21,621 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
district attorney
Declined
- Patrick Lane, state delegate
- Shelley Moore CapitoShelley Moore CapitoShelley Moore Capito is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Republican Party...
, U.S. Representative - Jon McBrideJon McBrideJon Andrew McBride is retired United States naval officer and a former NASA astronaut.-Biography:Jon McBride was born August 14, 1943, in Charleston, West Virginia, but considers Beckley, West Virginia, to be his hometown...
, retired United States naval officer and a former NASA astronaut - John RaeseJohn RaeseJohn R. Raese is an American business owner and politician. He has lost campaigns to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate in 1984, 2006 and 2010, and a campaign for Governor of West Virginia in 1988....
, businessman and 1984, 2006, and 2010United States Senate special election in West Virginia, 2010The 2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd died in office on June 28, 2010. Democrat Governor Joe Manchin appointed Carte Goodwin to temporarily fill the vacancy. Goodwin pledged to not run for...
Republican nominee for U.S. Senate - Mike Stuart, West Virginia Republican PartyWest Virginia Republican PartyThe West Virginia Republican Party is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in West Virginia. As of 2010, it is headed by Mike Stuart, State Chairman.-Current elected officials:...
chairman
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Clark Barnes |
Mitch Carmichael |
Ralph Clark |
Cliff Ellis |
Larry Faircloth |
Betty Ireland |
Bill Maloney |
Mark Sorsaia |
Other/ Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | May 11-12, 2011 | 314 | ± 5.5% | 8% | 4% | 1% | 0% | 6% | 31% | 32% | 4% | 14% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 21-24, 2011 | 274 | ± 5.9% | 8% | 8% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 31% | 17% | 4% | 28% |
Primary results
Candidates
- Bob Henry BaberBob Henry BaberBob Henry Baber is an American writer, politician and college employee. He is an Appalachian poet who was the first member of the West Virginia Mountain Party to be elected to office when he became mayor of Richwood, West Virginia in 2004...
(MountainMountain PartyThe Mountain Party is a political party in the state of West Virginia that on July 8, 2007, at its state convention, voted to become the West Virginia affiliate of the Green Party. At the 2007 Green Party National Meeting the party was admitted to the Green Party as a state affiliate. It is a...
), writer and former Mayor of RichwoodRichwood, West VirginiaRichwood is a city in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,477 at the 2000 census. A former coal and lumber boom town, the city's population once flirted with 10,000 but the closure of many underground coal mines caused many of Richwood's residents to leave the state... - Bill MaloneyBill MaloneyBill Maloney is a businessman and was the candidate for the Republican Party in the 2011 special election for governor of West Virginia, in which he lost....
(Republican), Monongalia County businessman - Earl Ray TomblinEarl Ray TomblinEarl Ray Tomblin is an American politician who serves as the 35th and current Governor of West Virginia. Tomblin is a member of the Democratic Party. Tomblin has served as President of the West Virginia State Senate for over 16 years. He became Acting Governor in 2010 following Joe Manchin's...
(Democratic), current Acting Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate - Harry Bertram (American Third Position PartyAmerican Third Position PartyThe American Third Position Party is an American political party of the far-right, which promotes white nationalism. It was founded in 2010, and defines its principal mission as representing the political interests of white Americans. The party takes a strong stand against immigration and...
) - Marla Dee Ingels (Independent)
- Rick Bartlett (write-in)
- Phil Hudok (write-in), teacher and registered Constitution PartyConstitution Party (United States)The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
member - Donald Lee Underwood (write-in)
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Earl Ray Tomblin (D) |
Bill Maloney (R) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | September 30-October 2, 2011 | 932 | ± 3.2% | 47% | 46% | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 1-4, 2011 | 708 | ± 3.7% | 46% | 40% | 14% |
| Public Policy Polling | May 11-12, 2011 | 723 | ± 3.6% | 45% | 30% | 25% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 21-24, 2011 | 850 | ± 3.4% | 56% | 23% | 21% |
Results
External links
Candidates- Bob Henry Baber for Governor
- Harry Bertram for Governor
- Phil Hudok for Governor
- Marla Ingels for Governor
- Bill Maloney for Governor
- Earl Ray Tomblin for Governor
Information
- Elections Division at the Secretary of State
- West Virginia Governor Candidates at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Campaign contributions for 2011 West Virginia Governor from Follow the Money
- West Virginia Governor 2011 from OurCampaigns.com
- 2011 West Virginia Governor - Maloney vs. Tomblin Polling Data from Real Clear Politics