2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election

The 2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2020, to elect the Governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor Jim Justice announced his 2020 campaign on January 7, 2019 at the Civic Center in White Sulphur Springs.[1] Justice was elected in 2016 as a Democrat, but later switched back to the Republican Party.[2]

See also: 2020 United States gubernatorial elections
2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election
November 3, 2020
 
Nominee Jim Justice Ben Salango Daniel Lutz
Party Republican Democratic Mountain
Incumbent Governor

Jim Justice
Republican
Elections in West Virginia

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary
  • Shelly Jean Fitzhugh, retiree[4]
  • Michael Folk, former state delegate[5]
  • Brooke Lunsford, insurance agent[6]
  • Chuck Sheedy, U.S. Army veteran[7]
  • Doug Six, surveyor[6]
  • Woody Thrasher, former West Virginia Secretary of Commerce (2017–2018)[8]

Declined

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 1]		 Margin
of error		 Jim
Justice		 Mike
Folk		 Woody
Thrasher		 Other /
Undecided
Triton Polling & Research/WMOV May 18–26, 2020 719 (LV) ± 3.7% 53% 15% 14% 18%[lower-alpha 2]
WPA Intelligence (R)[upper-alpha 1] December 16–18, 2019 502 (LV) ± 4.4% 38% 6% 30% 26%'
Research America Inc. December 4–9, 2019 229 (LV) – 56% 11% 21% 12%
Public Opinion Strategies (R) August 24-25, 2019 –[lower-alpha 3] – 56% – 26% 18%
Research America Inc. August 14–22, 2019 216 (LV) – 53% 12% 19% 17%'
WPA Intelligence[upper-alpha 2] August 13–14, 2019 509 (V) – 38% 11% 23% 28%
WPA Intelligence[upper-alpha 3] March 7–10, 2019 509 (V) – 58% 5% 5% 32%

Results
Results by county:
Republican primary results [11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Justice (incumbent) 133,586 62.60%
Republican Woody Thrasher 38,891 18.20%
Republican Michael Folk 27,255 12.80%
Republican Doug Six 4,413 2.13%
Republican Brooke Lunsford 3,837 1.82%
Republican Shelly Jean Fitzhugh 2,815 1.29%
Republican Chuck Sheedy 2,539 1.16%
Total votes 213,336 100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Ben Salango, Kanawha County commissioner[12]

Eliminated in primary

Declined

Endorsements
Ben Salango
Federal politicians
Statewide politicians
Individuals
Organizations
Newspapers
Stephen Smith
Federal politicians
Statewide politicians
  • Danielle Walker, state delegate for District 51[23]
Organizations
Labor unions
Individuals
  • Douglas Hughes, Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2020[32]
  • Gordon Simmons, West Virginia Public Workers Union founding member and ex-president
Ron Stollings
State legislators
Organizations
  • West Virginia Education Association[34]

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 1]		 Margin
of error		 Ben
Salango		 Stephen
Smith		 Ron
Stollings		 Other /
Undecided
Triton Polling & Research/WMOV May 18-26, 2020 231 (LV) ± 6.4% 30% 27% 10% 33%[lower-alpha 4]
Research America/MetroNews December 4–10, 2019 220 (LV) ± 4.4% 18% 21% 19% 46%[lower-alpha 5]

Results
Results by county:
Democratic primary results[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Salango 73,099 38.78%
Democratic Stephen Smith 63,281 33.57%
Democratic Ron Stollings 25,322 13.43%
Democratic Jody Murphy 17,692 9.39%
Democratic Douglas Hughes 9,100 4.83%
Total votes 188,494 100.0%

Other candidates

Mountain Party

The Mountain Party received over 5% of the vote in 2016 with former State Senator and Delegate Charlotte Pritt as the party's gubernatorial nominee. The party nominates its candidate for governor by convention per its bylaws.[36]

Nominee
  • Daniel Lutz, Eastern Panhandle Conservation District Supervisor representing Jefferson County, and Commissioned U.S. Air Force Veteran[37]

Declined
  • Charlotte Pritt, former state senator and state Delegate, write-in candidate for governor in 1992, Democratic nominee for governor in 1996, and Mountain nominee for governor in 2016

Libertarian Party

Nominee
  • Erika Kolenich, trial attorney[7]

Independents

Declared
  • Quintin Gerard Caldwell, Independent candidate for governor in 2016 [38][7]
  • David Sartin, former Army paramedic[39][7]

General election

Predictions
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[40] Safe R April 3, 2020
Inside Elections[41] Safe R June 19, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[42] Likely R July 14, 2020
Politico[43] Likely R July 6, 2020
Daily Kos[44] Likely R July 22, 2020
RCP[45] Safe R June 13, 2020

Endorsements
Ben Salango (D)
Federal politicians
Statewide politicians
Individuals
Organizations
Newspapers

Polling
Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 1]		 Margin
of error		 Jim
Justice (R)		 Joe
Manchin (D)		 Other /
Undecided
Research America/MetroNews August 14–22, 2019 501 (RV) ± 4.4% 39% 49% 12%

Results
West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2020
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Jim Justice (incumbent)
Democratic Ben Salango
Mountain Daniel Lutz
Libertarian Erika Kolenich
Write-in
Total votes 100.0%

Notes
  1. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. Undecided with 12%, Doug Six with 2.0%; Shelby Fitzhugh with 1.8%; Brooke Lunsford with 1.2%; Chuck Sheedy with 0.6%
  3. Not available
  4. Undecided with 29%, Jody Murphy with 2.9%; Douglas Hughes with 1.3%
  5. Undecided with 42%, Cecil Silva with 1.8%; Jody Murphy with 1.4%; Edwin Vanover with 0.5%
Partisan clients
  1. Poll conducted for Woody Thrasher
  2. Poll sponsored by Woody Thrasher's campaign
  3. Poll sponsored by Woody Thrasher's campaign

References
  1. Brown, Haley (January 7, 2019). "Governor Justice announces 2020 campaign". WVVA. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  2. "West Virginia Undergoing Political, Generational Change". New York Times. August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  3. Zuckerman, Jake (January 7, 2019). "Gov. Jim Justice announces re-election bid". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  4. "Campaign Update: Shelby Jean Fitzhugh on West Virginia's needs". West Virginia Press. February 14, 2020.
  5. "Former Delegate Mike Folk announces run for W.Va. governor". Associated Press. February 5, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  6. Thomas, Alex (January 29, 2020). "Governor, US Senate seats up in this year's election".
  7. "Financial Disclosure - Governor 2020 Election". West Virginia Secretary of State.
  8. Young, Charles (April 16, 2019). "Woody Thrasher to run for governor, hopes to unseat Justice in WV's 2020 election". WV News. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  9. Kabler, Phil (October 4, 2018). "BRIM adopts statement of support for pending settlements of Mac Warner lawsuits". Charleston Gazette-Mail.
  10. Adams, Steven Allen (December 3, 2018). "Tis the election season again". The Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  11. "GOVERNOR - REP". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  12. Morris, Jeff (October 4, 2019). "Kanawha Commissioner Ben Salango to run for governor". WCHS.
  13. Mistich, David (November 27, 2018). "West Virginia Community Organizer Jumps in 2020 Gubernatorial Race". WV Public Broadcasting. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  14. Jenkins, Jeff. "Stollings to run for governor". WV MetroNews. WV MetroNews. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  15. "Douglas Hughes, Democratic candidate for W.Va. governor". WCHS - ABC 8. April 3, 2020.
  16. Levine, Marianne (September 3, 2019). "Joe Manchin won't run for governor of West Virginia". Politico. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  17. WVMetroNews (2020-03-18). "Manchin endorses Salango in gubernatorial contest". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  18. Adams, Steven Allen (December 18, 2019). "Another endorsement for @BenSalango". Twitter.
  19. https://www.bensalango.com/endorsements
  20. "2020 Primary Election Cope Endorsements". West Virginia AFL-CIO.
  21. https://www.bensalango.com/
  22. McElhinny, Brad (September 9, 2019). "Elizabeth Warren pitches an early endorsement for Stephen Smith's campaign for governor". WV MetroNews. “I’m proud to endorse Stephen's bid for governor, and his team’s efforts to run candidates up and down the ballot,” Warren stated.
  23. . Facebook. May 6, 2020 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=916346998814893&external_log_id=983af6619c01446215be008c110a62ec&q=stephen+smith+endorsements. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. "Next Up Endorses Young Progressive Candidates". People for the American Way. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  25. "Join the Bold Progressive Movement!". Progressive Change Campaign Committee (BoldProgressives.org).
  26. "2020 Endorsements". Rise Up West Virginia. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  27. "Join us Sunday for the next WFP Assembly". Working Families Party. January 24, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  28. "Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic Announces Election Endorsements, including Stephen Smith for Governor". Planned Parenthood Action Fund (PlannedParenthoodAction.org).
  29. https://www.facebook.com/mineralwv/photos/a.376577409489031/847857499027684/?type=3&eid=ARBu8rlzQy2HCZkKWx8Lhe4AB4-YIHOP5gdNJyK_p-j5o2pyQAbbZvE9h7jMVAzWNSbdmTSfi8mEuhqb&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCHqxSdZw0JjT6bnY3ne8rTE9GAmslkHJ4HwN1F7twlCcn166JrkDAEjRZrFDAxqcEeoj_koG8gGMbA_OqezNwYzBSzCT8esnUFTBfmtXk4YYE3PZGQy86gArvwYIgK8GZ09ULoR9aaBhMZOVHV6HtzBYrbmKscSFRzL9gKcaqG29vrP2Urj2pRfvYU2X810l5Yzrws8NJcqKJX3RoB9TfOKCutyqLSHSgzACRmyTwA0uY1zdJv6Gk8quhuLxxWBIeRHwHFYlRegMmOPBYZZEkV_Jlc2gIkEES3guMbslspxwsnaMOfVj2p4eXEr5w_TQPlUH4hKGk&__tn__=EEHH-R. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  30. https://www.facebook.com/WVCantWait/photos/a.901219400267884/1336730566716763/?type=3&eid=ARBtw2NC1eO1nE_DdVftGqgnvRBQBGqacarh1GXHZgJxz89sK1xHfEJtsQX7KCHSzf9cFy2c1SMD1Hzr&__tn__=EEHH-R. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. https://www.facebook.com/WVCantWait/photos/a.901219400267884/1298600940529726/?type=3&theater. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. Doug For WV Facebook. June 6, 2020 https://www.facebook.com/DougforWVGovernor/posts/152818799633874. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  33. Pace, Bailey (March 18, 2020). "Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Stollings, criticizes Manchin for endorsement of opponent during COVID-19 crisis". WVVA.
  34. "WVEA-PAC has made their recommendations for the May Primary Election". Twitter. March 30, 2020.
  35. "GOVERNOR - DEM". Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  36. "Constitution and Bylaws of the West Virginia Mountain Party". Mountain Party. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  37. "Mountain Party Nominates Danny Lutz For Governor". Mountain Party. June 20, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  38. "Quintin Gerard Caldwell". www.facebook.com.
  39. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-sartin-987330160
  40. "2020 Governor Race ratings". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  41. "Gubernatorial Ratings | Inside Elections". insideelections.com. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  42. "2020 Governor". Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball. 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  43. "We rated every gubernatorial race in 2020. Here's who we think will win". Poltico. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  44. "2020 Governor Race Ratings". Daily Kos. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  45. "2020 Govenor's Races". RealClearPolitics. June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  46. WVMetroNews (2020-03-18). "Manchin endorses Salango in gubernatorial contest". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  47. Adams, Steven Allen (December 18, 2019). "Another endorsement for @BenSalango". Twitter.
  48. https://twitter.com/PhilMurphyNJ/status/1270707041909248003
  49. https://www.bensalango.com/endorsements
  50. "2020 Primary Election Cope Endorsements". West Virginia AFL-CIO.
  51. https://www.bensalango.com/
Official campaign websites
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