Government

Race for West Virginia governor crowded

11 have announced their intentions to run

By: Lori Kersey - July 25, 2023 6:00 am

The Lincoln Walks at Midnight Statue sits in front of the gold West Virginia State Capitol dome, with a blue sky with white fluffy clouds in the background.

With more than a year until Election Day, many have entered the race for governor. (Lexi Browning | West Virginia Watch)

Even with an announcement Monday from state auditor J.B. McCuskey that he will not run for governor, the race to be the state’s next top executive is crowded, a little less than a year out from the primary election.

McCuskey, who had previously announced a bid for governor, announced Monday he will instead run for state attorney general.

As of Monday, Delegate Moore Capito (R-Kanawha), car dealership owner Chris Miller and Secretary of State Andrew “Mac” Warner have all filed as Republican pre-candidates for governor in the 2024 race. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has filed a pre-candidate for an undeclared office and announced that he’ll run for governor.

The official candidate filing period for the 2024 election is Jan. 8 through 27.

A recent poll of Republican and non-affiliated voters by the state Chamber of Commerce found that the governor’s race is so far tied, with Morrisey receiving support from 31% of respondents and Capito receiving 30%. The poll surveyed 651 respondents and had a 6% margin of error.

“This race is tied at this point,” Chamber president Steve Roberts said in a news release earlier this month. “Both Attorney General Morrisey and Chairman Capito have strong name recognition in the state, but there is a lot of time remaining before Election Day. We are obviously paying attention to the campaign finance reports that are due tomorrow, as it appears other candidates also have the resources to change the dynamic of the race.”

Other candidates who have filed precandidacy forms to run for governor are: Republicans Terri Bradshaw, former Bramwell police chief Edwin Vanover and Berkeley County day care owner Rashida Yost; Libertarian Erika Klie Kolenich, a Buckhannon attorney; Mountain Party candidate Chase G. Linko-Looper, a disabled combat veteran and human rights advocate; independent Quintin “Browwn Clowwn” Caldwell and ACT (America Coming Together) party candidate S. Marshall Wilson, a former member of the state House of Delegates. No Democrats have filed to run for governor.

West Virginia’s primary election day is May 14, 2024. The general election is Nov. 5.

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