West Virginia Gubernatorial Special Election, 2011

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. Lieutenant Governor and Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, first in the line of succession, became acting governor in 2010 after Manchin took up the Senate seat. 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. The primary election was held on May 14. Tomblin and Republican Bill Maloney won their respective primaries.

Tomblin won narrowly with a plurality of the vote, defeating Bill Maloney. He notably carried over 90% of the vote in his home county of Logan County. Tomblin was declared the winner of the election by the Associated Press on October 4, 2011 and was inaugurated on November 13, 2011. With a margin of 2.5%, the special election was the closest race of the 2011 gubernatorial election cycle.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

* Jeff Kessler, Acting President of the West Virginia Senate
* Arne Moltis
* John Perdue, West Virginia State Treasurer
* Natalie Tennant, West Virginia Secretary of State
* Rick Thompson, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates
* Earl Ray Tomblin, Acting Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate

Declined

* Brooks McCabe, state senator
* Charlotte Pritt, former state senator, nominee for Governor in 1996 and write-in candidate for Governor in 1992

Polling

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

* Clark Barnes, state senator
* Mitch Carmichael, state delegate
* Ralph William Clark, professor
* Cliff Ellis
* Larry Faircloth, former State Delegate and candidate for Governor in 2004
* Betty Ireland, former West Virginia Secretary of State
* Bill Maloney, businessman
*Mark Sorsaia, Putnam County District Attorney

Declined

* Shelley Moore Capito, U.S. Representative
* Patrick Lane, state delegate
* Jon McBride, retired United States naval officer; former NASA astronaut
* John Raese, businessman and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1984, 2006, and 2010
* Mike Stuart, West Virginia Republican Party chairman

Polling

Primary results

General election

Candidates

*Bob Henry Baber (Mountain), writer and former Mayor of Richwood
* Rick Bartlett (write-in)
* Harry Bertram ( American Third Position Party)
* Phil Hudok (write-in), teacher and registered Constitution Party member
* Marla Dee Ingels (Independent)
* Bill Maloney (Republican), Monongalia County businessman
* Earl Ray Tomblin (Democratic), Acting Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate
* Donald Lee Underwood (write-in)

Predictions

Polling

Results

References

External links

;Campaign websites (Archived)

Earl Ray Tomblin

Bill Maloney

Bob Henry Baber

Phil Hudok

Marla Ingels

Jeff Kessler

;Information
Elections Division
at the Secretary of State

2011 Gubernatorial Election

West Virginia Governor Candidates
at Project Vote Smart
Campaign contributions for 2011 West Virginia Governor
from ''Follow the Money''

from OurCampaigns.com

from ''Real Clear Politics''

{{United States elections, 2011

West Virginia
2011
Gubernatorial
Gubernatorial 2011
West Virginia 2011