MORGANTOWN — Challengers in a couple local House of Delegates races outspent their incumbent opponents but failed to dislodge them. Challengers in a couple others spent less but still got fewer votes.
The races were for the 5th, 49th, 52nd and 53rd House districts. The figures come from the candidates’ Post-General reports, covering the period of Oct. 22 through Nov. 18 — about two weeks after the General Election.
We also include, as we do after every general election, the candidates’ cost per vote, which is based on spending for the entire season and gives one perspective on how candidate spending correlated with votes received.
Spending by outside groups for local Senate and House races will be reviewed in a separate story.
53rd District
This race showed the biggest discrepancy between incumbent and challenger spending.
Incumbent Republican Buck Jennings defeated two opponents. He tallied 4,102 votes (59.51 percent) compared to 2,363votes (34.28 percent) for Democrat Cory Chase and 428 votes (6.21 percent) for Libertarian Austin Zuchowski.
Jennings opened the period with $2,011.50 in his campaign account. He raised another $1,250.
He spent $2,994.40, leaving a balance of $267.10.
For the entire season, he raised $8,000 and spent $7,732.90. His cost per vote was $1.89.
Chase opened with $19,869.44 and raised $1,112.51, plus $120.77 at a Washington, D.C. fundraiser that netted $20.47 after expenses. His fundraising for the period includes $543.59 from himself to his campaign.
He spent $3,216.59. Consistent with his reporting for the entire campaign, he doesn’t reveal where he spent the money, listing each item as a payment to himself.
His account balance stood at $17,886.13.
For the season, he raised $32,346.05 and spent $26,914.45 — more than three times Jennings’ spending. His cost per vote was $11.39.
Zuchowski raised and spent nothing for the season. That put his cost per vote at an efficient $0 — to come in a distant third.
5th District
The challenger spent nearly double in this race, with most of his campaign funds coming from his own pocket.
Democrat incumbent Dave Pethtel defeated Republican Phillip Wiley with 3,091 votes (58.73 percent) to Wiley’s 2,172 votes (41.27 percent).
Pethtel opened with $30,183 and raised $4,735. He spent $3,277.69, leaving a balance of $31,641.52.
For the season, he raised $42,355 and spent just $10,716.52. His cost per vote was $3.47.
Wiley opened with $4,201.91 and raised $500. He spent $3,697.04, leaving a balance of $1,004.87.
For the season he raised $3,150 plus $17,000 in loans from himself to his campaign. He spent $19,145.13. His cost per vote was $8.81.
49th District
Incumbent Republican Amy Summers defeated Democrat challenger George Abel with 3,786 votes (62.84 percent) to Abel’s 2,239 votes (37.16 percent).
Summers opened with $10,700.27 and raised $4,500. She spent $2,232, leaving a balance of $12,968.27.
Her totals for the season were $25,162.98 raised and $11,854.01 spent. Her cost per vote was $3.13.
Abel’s campaign had a smaller bankroll. He opened with $2,659.51 and raised $1,536.08. He spent $4,195.59 to zero out his account balance.
His total fundraising and spending for the season was $8,199.48. His cost per vote was $3.66.
52nd District
Incumbent Republican Terri Sypolt defeated Democrat challenger Gary Knotts, with 2,933 votes (54.35 percent) to Knotts’ 2,464 votes (45.65 percent).
Knotts entered the race in August and during the previous reporting period spent nearly twice as much as Sypolt — $4,406.44 last period compared to Sypolt’s $2,548.39. But his fundraising was light both periods and he had little to work with this time.
Sypolt opened this period with $3,451.80, raised another $2,600 and spent $2,605.50. She also repaid a prior $2,000 loan to herself. That left her a balance of $1,446.30.
For the season, she raised $11,144.31 and spent $9,698.01. Her cost per vote was $3.31.
Knotts opened this period with just $353.53 and raised only $600. He spent his full $953.53, leaving a $0 balance.
For his short campaign season, he raised $8,550 and spent $8,551.03. His cost per vote was $3.47.
