dbeard@dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN – It was a red Tuesday in West Virginia for statewide and national races. Even blue-leaning Monongalia County supported Republicans.
Here’s a look at how the votes went in Monongalia, Preston and Marion counties in the major races.
But first, a bit of perspective. In 2022, Republican Alex Mooney handily defeated Democrat Barry Wendell – a former Morgantown councilman – for the 2nd District Congressional seat: 65.57% to 34.43%.
Wendell won just one county: Monongalia, 54.45% to 45.55%.
With that in mind, here are the races.
2nd District Congress
Republican state Treasurer Riley Moore (nephew of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and grandson of former Gov. Arch Moore) soundly defeated Democrat Steven Wendelin 71.01% to 28.99%.
It was closer in Mon, 53.77% for Moore to 46.23% for Wendelin. Less close in Marion: 66.75% to 33.25%. And landslide in deep red Preston: 78% to 22%.
Secretary of state
Republican Kris Warner (formerly of Morgantown and brother of current Secretary of State Mac Warner) defeated Democrat Thornton Cooper 71.3% to 28.7%.
The pattern remains the same – closer in Mon, Marion in-between, and landslide in Preston.
In Mon, 53.65% to 46.35%; Marion, 66.22% to 33.78%; Preston, 78.85% to 21.15%.
And it continues.
Attorney general
Republican state Auditor JB McCuskey handily defeated Democrat Teresa Toriseva 70.18% to 29.82%.
And it went, Mon, 52.75% to 47.25%; Marion, 64.14% to 35.86%; Preston, 76.52% to 23.48%.
Auditor
Republican state Sen. Mark Hunt defeated Democrat Mary Ann Claytor, 68.87% to 31.13%.
Locally: Mon, 51.39% to 48.61%; Marion, 61.64% to 38.36%; Preston, 75.35% to 24.65%.
Agriculture commissioner
Incumbent Republican Kent Leonhardt, of Monongalia County, defeated Democrat Deborah Stiles 69.29% to 30.71% – the closest of these statewide races.
Leonhardt won his home county 56.82% to 43.18%; Marion, 68.16% to 31.84%; and Preston, 73.14% to 26.86%.
U.S. president
The last time Mon County went blue in a presidential race was 2008, when Democrat Barack Obama took 51.11% of the county’s vote to 47.26% for Republican John McCain.
In 2012, Mon County voters preferred Republican Mitt Romney over Obama, 53.47% to 43.93%. And in 2016, they chose Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton 51.13% to 40.78%.
The 2020 election was quite a bit tighter, with Trump prevailing over Democrat (and current President) Joe Biden by just a whisker, 49.45% to 48.21%.
Statewide on Tuesday, Trump trounced Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris 70.14% to 27.95%.
Trump fared better in Mon County this time, taking it by 50.88% to 46.46%.
And of course the margins were wider in the neighboring counties: Marion, 64.46% to 33.23%; and Preston, 77.46% to 20.48%.
