CHARLESTON — Republicans kept their majorities in the state Senate and House of Delegates but lost their majority leaders.
Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, a Republican, was defeated by challenger William Ihlenfeld, a Democrat.
Ihlenfeld, a former federal prosecutor, won the race by 2,003 votes. Both are from Wheeling.
In the House of Delegates, Republican Riley Moore was named the new majority leader for the upcoming legislative session.
But he won’t get a chance to serve in that role.
Moore was defeated by former Delegate John Doyle by 875 votes. Their race was in Jefferson County.
Moore is a nephew of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito and a grandson of former Gov. Arch Moore.
The House of Delegates announced in September that Moore was in line to be the next House majority leader.
That happened after House Speaker Tim Armstead resigned to run for the state Supreme Court.
Delegate Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, was elected the new House speaker. He’d been strongly supported by Moore and reciprocated by extending his own support.
“Riley is a passionate fighter for bold, conservative reforms in our state, and his vision, leadership and dedication will be vital as we continue to chart the course of West Virginia’s comeback story,” Hanshaw stated in September.
The House majority leader for the past four years has been Delegate Daryl Cowles, a Republican from Morgan County. Cowles won his bid for re-election.
