2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2016 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2016, to elect the governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on May 10.

2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election

← 2012 November 8, 2016 2020 →

Nominee Jim Justice Bill Cole Charlotte Pritt Party Democratic Republican Mountain Popular vote 350,408 301,987 42,068 Percentage 49.09% 42.30% 5.89%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Justice:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Cole:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Tie:      40–50%

Governor before election Earl Ray Tomblin Democratic Elected Governor Jim Justice Democratic

Incumbent Democratic governor Earl Ray Tomblin was barred from running for a second full term. He had ascended to the governorship upon Joe Manchin's resignation in 2010, won a 2011 special election to complete the term, and won a full term in 2012. Under the West Virginia Constitution, a partial term counts toward the limit of two consecutive terms.

Democratic nominee Jim Justice, a hotelier and coal baron, won the open seat with a plurality of the vote, defeating Republican state senator Bill Cole and former state senator Charlotte Pritt, who ran as a member of the Mountain Party. As of 2024, this is the last time a Democrat was elected Governor of West Virginia. Having switched parties in August 2017, Justice was re-elected as a Republican in 2020; his party switch gave Republicans the governorship for the first time since 2001 and a trifecta in the state for the first time since 1931.^[1]

Background

In November 2010, Democratic governor Joe Manchin resigned after being elected to the U.S. Senate. Earl Ray Tomblin, the president of the West Virginia Senate (with the honorary title of lieutenant governor), became acting governor, won an October 2011 special election to complete the term, and won a full term in the regularly scheduled 2012 election. Tomblin was ineligible to run for re-election in 2016 as the Constitution of West Virginia limits governors to two consecutive terms regardless of whether they are full or partial terms. However, governors are re-eligible after four years out of office.^[2][3]

After publicly speculating he would run for his former office, Manchin was considered a heavy favorite in the 2016 race, but he announced on April 19, 2015, that he would remain in the Senate instead.^[4]

Democratic primary

2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election Democratic Primary

10 May 2016
Turnout	258,350 votes
Candidate Jim Justice Booth Goodwin Jeff Kessler Popular vote 132,704 65,416 60,230 Percentage 51.39% 25.32% 23.31%
Results by county. Blue indicates a win by Justice, green a win by Goodwin, and yellow a win by Kessler.

Candidates

Declared

• Booth Goodwin, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia^[5]
• Jim Justice, coal baron^[6]
• Jeff Kessler, Minority Leader of the West Virginia Senate, former president of the West Virginia Senate and candidate for governor in 2011^[7]

Declined

• Glen Gainer III, West Virginia state auditor and nominee for West Virginia's 1st congressional district in 2014^[8][9]
• Carte Goodwin, former U.S. senator^[10]
• Mike Green, former state senator^[10]
• Walt Helmick, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture^[8]
• Joe Manchin, U.S. senator and former governor^{[11][12][13][14]}
• John Perdue, West Virginia State Treasurer and candidate for governor in 2011^[15][16]
• Doug Reynolds, State Delegate^[10]
• Doug Skaff, former state delegate^[10]
• Natalie Tennant, West Virginia Secretary of State, candidate for governor in 2011 and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014 (running for re-election)^[2][17]
• Rick Thompson, West Virginia Secretary of Veterans Assistance, former Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates and candidate for governor in 2011^[2]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jim Justice	Booth Goodwin	Jeff Kessler	Undecided
MetroNews[18]	April 22–May 2, 2016	315	± 4.0%	32%	27%	23%	18%
Public Policy Polling[19]	April 29–May 1, 2016	637	± 3.9%	37%	23%	19%	21%
West Virginia Veterans[20]	March 2–6, 2016	600	± 3.9%	36%	20%	16%	28%
MetroNews[21]	February 11–16, 2016	208	± 4.9%	32%	25%	23%	21%
Global Strategy Group[22]^	December 1–3, 2015	350	± 5.2%	39%	13%	19%	21%

• ^ Indicates a poll taken for Jim Justice campaign.

Results

Democratic primary results^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Justice	132,704	51.39%
	Democratic	Booth Goodwin	65,416	25.32%
	Democratic	Jeff Kessler	60,230	23.31%
Total votes			258,350	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Bill Cole, President of the West Virginia Senate^[8][24]

Did not file

• Andrew Utterback, college student and candidate for Mayor of Pineville in 2014^[25]
• Edwin Vanover, former Bramwell Police Chief and Democratic candidate for House of Delegates in 2012^[25]

Declined

• Evan Jenkins, U.S. representative^[10][26]
• David McKinley, U.S. representative and candidate for governor in 1996 (running for re-election)^[27]
• Patrick Morrisey, Attorney General of West Virginia (running for re-election)^[28][29][30]
• Mary Lou Retton, Olympic gymnast^[10]
• Erikka Storch, State Delegate^[10]

Endorsements

Bill Cole

Individuals

• Tim Armstead, Speaker of the House of Delegates^[31]
• Shelley Moore Capito, U.S. senator^[32]
• David McKinley, U.S. representative^[31]
• Evan Jenkins, U.S. representative^[31]
• Danny Jones, Charleston Mayor^[33]
• Alex Mooney, U.S. representative^[31]
• Patrick Morrisey, Attorney General of West Virginia^[31]

Organizations

• National Federation of Independent Business^[34]
• National Right to Life^[35]
• West Virginia Coal Association^[36]

Newspapers

• Bluefield Daily Telegraph^[37]
• Charleston Gazette-Mail^[38]
• Daily Times^[39]
• The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register^[40]
• The Inter-Mountain^[41]
• The Journal^[42]
• The Parkersburg News and Sentinel^[43]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Cole	David McKinley	Patrick Morrisey	Undecided
Harper Polling[44]	April 9–11, 2015	242	± 6.3%	15%	31%	25%	29%

Hypothetical polling

Results

Republican primary results^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Cole	161,127	100.00%
Total votes			161,127	100.00%

Mountain Party

Candidates

Declared

• Charlotte Pritt, former Democratic state delegate, former Democratic state senator, write-in candidate for governor in 1992 and Democratic nominee for governor in 1996^[45]

Endorsements

Charlotte Pritt

Individuals

• Cleveland Benedict, former United States Representative from West Virginia's 2nd congressional district from 1981-1983, U.S. Senate nominee 1982, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture 1989-1993, Governor nominee 1992.^[46]
• Sue Thorn, former 2012 United States Representative nominee from West Virginia's 1st congressional district and former member of the Democratic National Committee representing West Virginia.^[47]

Organizations

• West Virginia Sierra Club, environmental organization^[48]

Libertarian Party

Candidates

Declared

• David Moran, retired engineer and farmer^[49]

General election

Debates

• Complete video of debate, October 11, 2016 - C-SPAN

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[50]	Tossup	August 12, 2016
Daily Kos[51]	Tossup	November 8, 2016
Rothenberg Political Report[52]	Tilt D	November 3, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball[53]	Lean D	November 7, 2016
Real Clear Politics[54]	Lean R (flip)	November 1, 2016
Governing[55]	Tossup	October 27, 2016

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jim Justice (D)	Bill Cole (R)	Charlotte Pritt (M)	David Moran (L)	Phil Hudok (C)	Undecided
SurveyMonkey[56]	November 1–7, 2016	472	± 4.6%	36%	45%	13%	—	—	6%
SurveyMonkey[57]	October 31–November 6, 2016	443	± 4.6%	37%	43%	13%	—	—	7%
SurveyMonkey[58]	October 28–November 3, 2016	386	± 4.6%	40%	42%	12%	—	—	6%
SurveyMonkey[59]	October 27–November 2, 2016	330	± 4.6%	39%	44%	10%	—	—	7%
SurveyMonkey[60]	October 26–November 1, 2016	318	± 4.6%	42%	41%	12%	—	—	5%
SurveyMonkey[61]	October 25–31, 2016	321	± 4.6%	42%	43%	13%	—	—	2%
MetroNews[62]	October 12–17, 2016	408	± 4.9%	44%	33%	8%	5%	—	9%
Global Strategy Group[63]	October 11–13, 2016	N/A	± 4.0%	44%	34%	8%	2%	—	12%
NMB Research[64]	October 8–10, 2016	N/A	± 4.4%	39%	39%	5%	2%	1%	12%
Garin-Hart-Yang[65]	September 13–17, 2016	500	± 5.0%	46%	33%	7%	4%	—	10%
Just Win Strategies[66]→	September 8–10, 2016	600	± 4.0%	44%	42%	3%	2%	2%	7%
R.L. Repass & Partners/MetroNews[67]	August 9–28, 2016	435	± 4.7%	46%	32%	8%	5%	—	9%
Global Strategy Group[68]	August 1–3, 2016	419	± 4.8%	47%	37%	—	—	—	15%
Public Policy Polling[19]	April 29–May 1, 2016	1,201	± 2.8%	41%	35%	—	—	—	24%
MetroNews[18]	April 22–May 2, 2016	596	± 4.0%	52%	34%	—	—	—	14%
Orion Strategies[69]	February 20–21, 2016	306	± 5.6%	37%	33%	—	—	—	30%
MetroNews[21]	February 11–16, 2016	411	± 4.9%	49%	39%	—	—	—	12%
Orion Strategies[70]	August 24–25, 2015	406	± 4.9%	34%	31%	—	—	—	35%

→ Indicates an internal poll conducted by the West Virginia Republican Party for Bill Cole.

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Booth Goodwin (D)	David McKinley (R)	Undecided
Harper Polling[71]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	35%	40%	25%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Booth Goodwin (D)	Patrick Morrisey (R)	Undecided
Harper Polling[71]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	36%	36%	28%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Booth Goodwin (D)	Bill Cole (R)	Other	Undecided
MetroNews[18]	April 22–May 2, 2016	596	± 4.0%	47%	39%	—	14%
Public Policy Polling[19]	April 29–May 1, 2016	1,201	± 2.8%	33%	39%	—	28%
Orion Strategies[69]	February 20–21, 2016	306	± 5.6%	33%	36%	—	31%
MetroNews[21]	February 11–16, 2016	411	± 4.9%	43%	44%	—	14%
Harper Polling[72]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	35%	37%	—	27%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jeff Kessler (D)	David McKinley (R)	Undecided
Harper Polling[71]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	32%	42%	26%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jeff Kessler (D)	Patrick Morrisey (R)	Undecided
Harper Polling[71]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	35%	38%	27%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jeff Kessler (D)	Bill Cole (R)	Other	Undecided
MetroNews[18]	April 22–May 2, 2016	596	± 4.0%	45%	39%	—	16%
Public Policy Polling[19]	April 29–May 1, 2016	1,201	± 2.8%	30%	40%	—	30%
Orion Strategies[69]	February 20–21, 2016	306	± 5.6%	30%	40%	—	30%
MetroNews[21]	February 11–16, 2016	411	± 4.9%	40%	45%	—	15%
Orion Strategies[70]	August 24–25, 2015	406	± 4.9%	26%	37%	—	37%
Harper Polling[72]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	34%	38%	—	28%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Joe Manchin (D)	Bill Cole (R)	Undecided
Harper Polling[71]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	54%	32%	14%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Joe Manchin (D)	David McKinley (R)	Undecided
Harper Polling[71]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	52%	35%	12%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Joe Manchin (D)	Patrick Morrisey (R)	Undecided
Harper Polling[71]	April 9–11, 2015	702	± 3.7%	58%	29%	13%
Global Strategy Group*[73]	March 15–18, 2015	600	± 4.0%	60%	30%	10%

Hypothetical polling

with Booth Goodwin

with Jeff Kessler

with Joe Manchin

• * Internal poll for Joe Manchin

Results

West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2016^[74]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jim Justice	350,408	49.09%	−1.40%
	Republican	Bill Cole	301,987	42.30%	−3.35%
	Mountain	Charlotte Pritt	42,068	5.89%	+3.36%
	Libertarian	David Moran	15,354	2.15%	+0.81%
	Constitution	Phil Hudok	4,041	0.57%	N/A
Total votes			713,858	100.00%	N/A
	Democratic hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Hancock (Largest city: Weirton)
• Hardy (Largest city: Moorefield)
• Jefferson (Largest city: Charles Town)
• Pendleton (Largest city: Franklin)
• Tucker (Largest city: Parsons)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Monongalia (Largest city: Morgantown)
• Monroe (Largest city: Peterstown)
• Putnam (largest municipality: Hurricane)
• Raleigh (Largest city: Beckley)
• Jackson (Largest city: Ravenswood)

By congressional district

Justice won 2 of 3 congressional districts, both of which elected Republicans.^[75]

District	Justice	Cole	Pritt	Representative
1st	45.2%	45.4%	6%	David McKinley
2nd	48%	43%	7%	Alex Mooney
3rd	55%	38%	5%	Evan Jenkins

Maps

• 
  Support for Moran by county:
  

    >10%

    4–5%

    3–4%

    2–3%

    1–2%

    <1%
• 
  Support for Pritt by county:
  

    >11%

    10–11%

    8–9%

    7–8%

    6–7%

    5–6%

    4–5%

    3–4%

    <3%