Robert Lee Karnes is an American politician born in and representing West Virginia. He is known for controversial, conservative rhetoric. He is a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
West Virginia Senate
The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature.
There are seventeen senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who serve staggered four-year terms. Although the Democratic Party held a supermajority in the ...
,
representing the
11th district
11 (eleven) is the natural number following 10 and preceding 12. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer whose name has three syllables.
Name
"Eleven" derives from the Old English ', which is first attested i ...
from January 14, 2015 until 2019 and from November 30, 2020 to current date.
Karnes initially took office after defeating Incumbent Democrat Senator Greg Tucker in 2014. This was the first election cycle in which West Virginian Republicans gained control in either the state House or Senate in over 80 years. Karnes then won re-election in the 2020 General Election after defeating Incumbent Republican Senator
John Pitsenbarger
John R. Pitsenbarger is an American politician and farmer from West Virginia. A Republican, Pitsenbarger represented the 11th district of the West Virginia Senate from 2019 to 2020.
Pitsenbarger operates a farm in Nicholas County, where he li ...
in the 2020 Republican primary and Democrat
Denise Campbell in the general election.
Election results
Controversies
During
the 2018-19 teacher strikes, Karnes stated he believed that the strikes "won't have any significant effect."
During the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021, Senator Robert Karnes wore a mesh mask in protest of the state mask mandates and CDC guidelines by wearing masks without face-coverings while conducting official duties.
Senator Robert Karnes was recently the only senator to vote against the Film Tax Credit, noting it would benefit Bette Midler more than West Virginia residents. It afforded him headlines via National news media.
References
8.
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/west-virginia-lawmakers-photographed-wearing-improper-masks-while-conducting-official-duties
10. https://theintercept.com/2018/05/11/west-virginia-primary-teacher-strikes/11. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/west-virginia-film-tax-credit-bette-midler-robert-karnes_n_62292682e4b029615836148c
1969 births
Living people
People from South Charleston, West Virginia
People from Upshur County, West Virginia
People from Randolph County, West Virginia
Republican Party West Virginia state senators
21st-century American legislators
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