Webster
Greear
CHARLESTON -- Carrie Webster will remain in her seat as a Kanawha County circuit judge after a narrow victory over Charleston attorney Dan Greear.
Webster received 28,707 votes to Greear's 28,183, a final margin of just 524 votes.
"We knew it would be a close race," Webster said. "I've had a lot of support and I've taken nothing for granted."
Webster, who was appointed to the seat after Irene C. Berger was appointed to the federal court bench in 2009, said she was hopeful and humble. And while her campaign was successful, she said Greear's was, too.
"The voters are the jury today, and the verdict was in their hands," she said. "The governor appointed me to this seat because he knew I could be fair. It was the voters' decision on whether or not to keep me here."
Webster said she wished she could have been out with the people more while she was campaigning, but she could not be out of the courtroom.
"I am a judge first and a candidate second," she said. "I needed to be in the courtroom. I'm one of only six female judges in the state of West Virginia, and I take this job very seriously."
Greear said he was disappointed in the outcome.
"I did my best," he said. "We ran a grassroots campaign. We went door-to-door, made phone calls and passed out flyers. We did the best we could do."
Greear said he knew the race was going to be a close one, but still was disappointed in the results.
"I guess when you're competing against money, you're going to lose," he said. "I'm not sure what else I could have done."
Greear said he did his best while campaigning and worked as hard as he could.
"There's nothing else that I could do," he said. "I lost, she won. I'm disappointed, but what else is there to do?"
Webster said voters chose her because of her credentials and work ethic.
"I've taken nothing for granted," she said. "I've worked hard and showed the voters that I'm a fair and good judge."
Webster said she knew it would be a close race.
"I knew this was a tough year to run, but I was grateful either way. I truly love being a judge and I'm humble that I can continue this career."
In the final weeks of the race, both campaigns accused the other of distorting facts and other election tactics to manipulate voters.
Webster was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2001 until she became a circuit judge and was a chair of the Judiciary Committee. She received her bachelor's degree in Political Science from West Virginia University in 1988 and received her law degree from the WVU College of Law in 1997.
Greear is a partner with Kesner, Kesner & Bramble. He received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from Liberty University in 1989 and his law degree from the WVU College of Law in 1992. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1995 and 1996.
