West Virginia will have at least two new faces in Washington, D.C., come January 3
With Sen. Joe Manchin's decision to retire and Rep. Alex Mooney's (R-WV 2nd) failed Senate bid, the state will see half of its congressional representatives change hands in the new year.
West Virginia – With Sen. Joe Manchin’s decision not to run for re-election, and Rep. Alex Mooney’s fight–and loss–to become the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, West Virginia will see at least two of their four Congressional representatives change hands.
Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, carrying a majority of the state’s counties, including population centers of Kanawha, Monongalia, Berkeley, Wood, and Ohio Counties. His progressive challenger, Zach Shrewsbury, swept the southern coalfields and Cabell County signaling opposition to the status quo in the region’s Democratic base.
Disgraced coal baron and former federal prisoner Don Blankenship–who previously ran as a Republican in the 2018 U.S. Senate primary–carried just three counties: Gilmer, Logan, and Mingo.
Elliott has served as mayor of Wheeling since 2016. The role of mayor in the city is largely symbolic due to Wheeling’s city manager-council style government. The position is more accurately described as chair of the city council. Despite that, Elliott has helped court federal and state partners in funneling millions of dollars to revitalize the rust belt town.
Elliott garnered several major endorsements during his primary race–none more important, nor more controversial, than that of Manchin himself. He faces an uphill battle against Governor Jim Justice who polls point to as the likely winner in November.
Justice trounced Rep. Alex Mooney and five other challengers in the primary, garnering 61.8% of the vote. Mooney carried just four counties in the eastern panhandle–Berkeley, Hampshire, Jefferson, and Morgan–against the popular governor. Mooney’s support in this region is likely due to his deep roots in Maryland.
Mooney represented Maryland’s third district in that state’s Senate from 1999 to 2011. In 2010, he was defeated by Democratic nominee and then Freidricksburg, Md., mayor Ronald Young. Mooney then served as the chair of the Maryland GOP from 2010 to 2013. In 2014, he planned to run to represent Maryland in the U.S. House of Representatives, but instead chose to move to Charles Town, W.Va., where he declared his candidacy for West Virginia’s second Congressional district.
Mooney represented the second Congressional district until 2022 when the state lost a seat in Congress. Mooney’s district was mostly absorbed with the former first Congressional district, represented by Rep. David McKinley. Mooney challenged McKinley for the seat and defeated him, securing his victory in November 2022.
Justice was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2016, but in 2017 switched his party registration, garnering national media attention. He is known for using colorful, folksy language and the occasional use of props–like a plate of bullshit when referencing a 2017 budget proposal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Justice encouraged citizens to take precautions seriously, but had several moments make national headlines–like when he struggled to put a mask on during a press conference and when he told businesses to “fucking follow the guidelines” before reopening.
Justice’s time in office hasn’t always been positive, though. Justice faced a lawsuit over constitutional concerns for his failure to reside at the Governor’s Mansion in Charleston, W.Va. After COVID-19, Justice moved his briefings virtually and regularly showed up late. Members of the media have criticized Justice for his lack of transparency, and he often attacks reporters for being “unfair” or “nasty.”
Justice’s coal company, Bluestone Resources, has been mired in controversy for failure to pay taxes and debts. In 2023, a federal judge in Virginia ordered a $1.5 million helicopter be surrendered to cover a portion of the $10 million debt owed to a Caribbean investment company. In 2024, Bluestone Resources was held in contempt of court for failing to pay an insurance company as collateral for their financial obligations.
More recently, Justice’s administration has been plagued by concerns over the death of a 14-year-old girl found in an “emaciated, skeletal” state. Justice had told reporters no CPS referral had been made, but a whistleblower and State Police records showed several concerns voiced.
In West Virginia’s first Congressional district, Rep. Carol Miller defended her seat from rightwing convicted felon Derrick Evans. Evans pled guilty to federal charges of obstructing an official proceeding and aiding and abetting for his role in the January 6, 2021, capitol riots.
Miller was first elected in 2019 when she defeated longtime Congressman Evan Jenkins.
In 2020, Miller joined 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives in signing an amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court alleging the 2020 presidential results were false.
Miller’s family received over $3 million in PPP loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which were forgiven. Miller later voted against a bill that would have mandated the disclosure of companies who had their loans forgiven.
Miller will face Democratic nominee Chris Reed in November. Reed previously ran for the House of Delegates as a Mountain Party candidate. A teacher and self-described social activist, Reed says he’s running in large part to support public schools. He’ll face an uphill battle against Miller who, in an ever Republican state, appears to have the advantage.
Riley Moore, grandson of governor Arch Moore and nephew to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, won the Republican nomination for district two of the House of Representatives, which includes the city of Wheeling. Moore has served as State Treasurer since 2021, and previously served a term in the House of Delegates.
Moore will face retired naval officer Steve Wendelin in November. Wendelin ran unopposed during the primary, and campaigns on being an “independently-minded Blue Dog Democrat.” As with the first congressional district and the U.S. Senate, Wendelin is seen as a longshot candidate as most polls show the seats as safely Republican.