CHARLESTON – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey officially filed paperwork to run for governor in May’s primary election.
“I’m the only proven conservative in this race with an unmatched track record of delivering win after win for West Virginia,” Morrisey said January 16 after he filed the paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office. “With some of the largest and most significant wins against the swamp under my belt, protecting our values, jobs, families, and more, West Virginians know that I'm the only candidate who will hit the ground running on Day 1 as governor.”
Morrisey, a Republican, currently is serving his third four-year term as AG. Other Republicans who have filed to run for governor are current Secretary of State Mac Warner and Mitch Roberts. Democrat and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams also has filed to run for the seat.
Elliott
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Others Republicans who are expected to file official paperwork are former House of Delegates member Moore Capito, Huntington businessman Chris Miller and Berkeley County businesswoman Rashida Yost.
Morrisey’s campaign finished the fourth fundraising quarter of 2023 with over $590,000 raised and over $2 million cash on hand, more than the entire field of other gubernatorial candidates combined.
In other election news, Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate, seeking to retain the seat of retiring Joe Manchin for the Democrats.
“I’m running for the United States Senate because I have both the experience and temperament to cut through the stalemate in Washington to find common-sense solutions to our nation’s most pressing challenges,” Elliott said in a press release. “As mayor in a city fighting its way back to prominence, I have seen firsthand the value of having a clear vision, rolling up one’s sleeves, and bringing people together to get things done.
“Mayors are doers on the front lines in their communities. And successful mayors put people and actions over politics. My record of success in Wheeling speaks for itself, and I look forward to bringing this common-sense approach to the U.S. Senate for West Virginia.”
Republicans seeking the Senate seat are outgoing Gov. Jim Justice, U.S. Representative Alex X. Mooney and Martinsburg resident Janet McNulty.
U.S. Representative Carol Miller is seeking re-election. The Republican District 1 incumbent has two challengers so far, both Democrats, in Chris Bob Reed of Charleston and Jim Umberger of Lewisburg.
In District 2, state Treasurer Riley Moore seeks Mooney’s House seat along with fellow Republicans Dennis “Nate” Cain of Hedgesville and Joe Earley of Bridgeport. Democrat Steven Wendelin of Lost River also seeks that seat.
Democrat Thornton Cooper and Republican Kris Warner have filed to run for Secretary of State. Warner is the brother of current Secretary and gubernatorial candidate Mac Warner.
For the two nonpartisan state Supreme Court seats on the ballot, Haley Bunn seeks re-election for her seat, and state Senator Charles Trump seeks the seat being vacated by retiring Justice John Hutchison.
For the nonpartisan Intermediate Court of Appeals, Charleston attorneys Mychal S. Schulz and S. Ryan White have filed to fill the seat being vacated by retiring ICA Judge Thomas Scarr.
For the U.S. Presidential race, incumbent Joe Biden has filed for re-election in West Virginia along with fellow Democrat Armando Perez-Serrato of Orange, Calif. On the GOP ticket, former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Rachel Hannah MoHawk Swift of Maryland have filed in West Virginia.
