MORGANTOWN – Midway through her first term in office, Monongalia County Republican Delegate Debbie Warner said Friday she will not seek reelection in 2024.
She plans to go “all-in” on supporting the gubernatorial campaign of her husband, Secretary of State Mac Warner, she said in a release issued by Mac Warner’s campaign team.
Debbie Warner represents the 82nd District, covering the Cheat Lake area. She made her second run for the House in 2022, winning a three-way GOP primary with 53.85% of the vote; and won the general in November with 51.26% of the vote. She ran unsuccessfully in 2018, when five Democrats swept Mon County’s then five-member 51st District. She did not run in 2020.
She has already been supporting Mac Warner’s campaign. In May, she was named chair of the newly formed Women for Warner coalition, aimed at turning out the statewide female vote for Mac Warner.
While not seeking reelection, she said Friday she will stay “fully engaged” in her work as delegate through the remainder of her term, which expires Dec. 31, 2024, and includes one more legislative session set to start in January.
“I want to give the Republican Party and state leadership ample time to find quality candidates to represent this district and to run for the seat in 2024,” she said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of serving in the House of Delegates, and no doubt, that experience will serve me well in the future. … I hope announcing my intentions early will inspire other conservative Republicans in my district to seek election to my position.”
Warner said she thinks her legislative experience will be an asset to Mac and his relationships in the Legislature, should he be elected.
A recent poll done for MetroNews put Mac Warner fourth among the announced gubernatorial candidates. House Judiciary chair Moore Capito, son of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, led with 32%; Attorney General Patrick Morrisey followed at 27%; auto dealer Chris Miller, son of Rep. Carol Miller, was third at 9%; Warner had 6%; 26% of respondents said they were undecided.
MetroNews said the poll included 402 interviews with registered voters across all 55 counties from August 16-26; the confidence level was +/- 4.9 percentage points.
The Warners have been married for 41 years and have four adult children. All four and both of their sons-in-law are currently serving or have served in the United States military. Debbie Warner is a professional Realtor.
Email: dbeard@dominionpost.com
