MORGANTOWN — Monongalia County’s representation in the State Senate will change in 2023 under the new district maps drawn during the 2021 redistricting special session.
Under the current maps, Mon sits in three districts — the 2nd, 13th and 14th — and has six senators. In 2023, Mon will sit in just two districts — the 2nd and 13th. The 14th now ends at the Preston County line.
The primary election to select Republican and Democrat candidates for the November general election is set for May 10. To find out what district you’re in, go to https://www.mapwv.gov/vote/.
We are taking a look here at First Quarter campaign finance reports for the primary in all three districts.
The First Quarter report covers the period of Jan. 1 through March 31. The next report due is the Primary Report and will cover April 1-24.
2nd District
The current 2nd District spans all of five counties and parts of four others, including western Marion and western and northern Mon into Morgantown. The new 2nd will be smaller, spanning all of three counties and parts of three others. The 2nd District’s borders in Mon and Marion are roughly the same but not identical.
Republican incumbent Charles Clements and Democrat challenger Eric Hayhurst are unopposed in the primary.
Clements opened with $2,000 and received another $2,700 from individuals and PACs. He spent nothing, leaving a balance of $4,700.
Hayhurst raised $5,775 from individuals and one PAC. The total includes $1,000 he donated to his campaign. He raised another $5,750 at a Morgantown fundraiser and gave himself an in-kind donation of $405.89.
He spent $3,236.42, leaving a balance of $8,288.58 (in-kind donations are goods and services and are not counted in the cash balance).
13th District
The 13th District still runs along the I-68 corridor from Morgantown to Fairmont but has changed shape. Among the changes, on the east side it runs to the Preston border, where the 14th currently juts into Mon. Its northeast portion no longer runs up past I-68 where the interstate turns due east.
Former state Sen. Mike Oliverio faces Carly Braun for the GOP nomination. Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer faces Rich Jacobs for the Democratic nomination.
Braun raised $2,150 from three individuals and lent her campaign $585. She spent $125, leaving a balance of $2,610.
Oliverio raised $27,765 from individuals and two PACs. He spent $2,130.92, leaving a balance of $25,634.08.
Fleischauer opened the period with $77,104.30 and raised $8,905 from individuals and two PACS. She lists $400 of “other income,” described as rent reimbursement from her husband, Bob Bastress. She also lists $50,000 in prior outstanding loans from herself to her campaign.
She spent $3,386.30, leaving a balance of $83,023 (outstanding loans are not factored in).
Jacobs gave $200 to his campaign and spent all of it on his filing fee, leaving a $0 balance.
14th District
The 14th District shrunk in size a bit. It currently covers all of five counties — Preston, Barbour, Hardy, Taylor and Tucker — and parts of Mon, Grant and Mineral. The new 14th will cover all of Preston, Tucker, Grant, Hardy and Mineral, and part of Taylor.
Amanda Pitzer is the sole Democrat on the ballot. Five Republicans are vying for the seat now filled by Sen. Dave Sypolt, who is retiring. They are Angela Iman, William Keplinger, James Lough, Stephen Garth Smith (a Stephen Thomas Smith of Parkersburg is running for the House of Delegates) and Jay Taylor.
Pitzer raised $5,125 from individuals and two PACs and spent nothing, leaving a balance of $5,125.
Iman gave her campaign $725 and spent all of it, leaving a $0 balance.
Keplinger gave his campaign $200 for his filing fee and spent it, also leaving a $0 balance.
Lough did not file a report, indicating he didn’t raise or spend enough money to be required to report.
Smith gave his campaign $540 and lent it $6,860. He spent $7,219.95, leaving a balance of $180.05.
Taylor raised $3,958.20. The total includes $100 he gave his campaign and $500 from a PAC. He spent $1,284, leaving a balance of $2,674.20.
TWEET David Beard @dbeardtdp
EMAIL dbeard@dominionpost.com
