2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election

2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election

← 2008 October 4, 2011 (2011-10-04) 2012 →

Nominee Earl Ray Tomblin Bill Maloney Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 149,202 141,656 Percentage 49.6% 47.0%

County results Tomblin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Maloney:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Earl Ray Tomblin (acting) Democratic Elected Governor Earl Ray Tomblin Democratic

Elections in West Virginia
show Federal elections Presidential Elections 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Presidential Primaries Democratic 2008 2012 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 U.S. Senate Elections 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House Elections 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Special elections Senate 1958 2010
show State government General elections 2010 2012 2016 2018 2020 Gubernatorial elections 1863 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2011 (sp) 2012 2016 2020 Senate elections 2016 2018 2020 House of Delegates elections 2020
v t

The 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial election was a special election held on October 4, 2011 to fill the office of the West Virginia Governor. The office became vacant upon the resignation of Governor Joe Manchin, who was elected to fill the seat of Robert Byrd in the United States Senate in 2010 following Byrd's death. State Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, first in the line of succession, became acting governor in 2010 after Manchin took up the Senate seat. On January 18, 2011, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election for the office of Governor must be held so a new Governor can be in place by November 15, 2011, exactly one year after Manchin resigned.^[1] The primary election was held on May 14. Tomblin and Republican Bill Maloney won their respective primaries.^[2]

Tomblin won narrowly with a plurality of the vote, defeating Bill Maloney.

Tomblin was declared the winner of the election by the Associated Press on October 4, 2011 and was inaugurated on November 13, 2011.^[3][4] With a margin of 2.6%, the special election was the closest race of the 2011 gubernatorial election cycle.

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Jeff Kessler, Acting President of the West Virginia Senate^[5]
• Arne Moltis^[6]
• John Perdue, West Virginia State Treasurer^{[7][deprecated source]}
• Natalie Tennant, West Virginia Secretary of State^[8]
• Rick Thompson, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates^[9]
• Earl Ray Tomblin, Acting Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate^[10]

Declined[]

• Brooks McCabe, state senator^[11]
• Charlotte Pritt, former state senator, nominee for Governor in 1996 and write-in candidate for Governor in 1992^{[12][deprecated source]}

Polling[]

Primary results[]

Democratic primary results by county:

  Kessler—40–50%

  Kessler—60–70%

  Perdue—<40%

  Perdue—40–50%

  Tennant—<40%

  Thompson—40–50%

  Thompson—60–70%

  Tomblin—<40%

  Tomblin—40–50%

  Tomblin—50–60%

  Tomblin—60–70%

  Tomblin—80–90%

Republican primary[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Clark Barnes, state senator^[14]
• Mitch Carmichael, state delegate^[6]
• Ralph William Clark, professor
• Cliff Ellis
• Larry Faircloth, former State Delegate and candidate for Governor in 2004^[6]
• Betty Ireland, former West Virginia Secretary of State^[15]
• Bill Maloney, businessman
• Mark Sorsaia, Putnam County District Attorney^[16]

Declined[]

• Shelley Moore Capito, U.S. Representative^[17]
• Patrick Lane, state delegate^[16]
• Jon McBride, retired United States naval officer; former NASA astronaut^{[18][deprecated source]}
• John Raese, businessman and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1984, 2006, and 2010^[19]
• Mike Stuart, West Virginia Republican Party chairman^[20]

Polling[]

Primary results[]

General election[]

Candidates[]

• Bob Henry Baber (Mountain), writer and former Mayor of Richwood^{[22][deprecated source]}
• Rick Bartlett (write-in)^[23]
• Harry Bertram (American Third Position Party)^[24]
• Phil Hudok (write-in), teacher and registered Constitution Party member^[23]
• Marla Dee Ingels (Independent)^[24]
• Bill Maloney (Republican), Monongalia County businessman
• Earl Ray Tomblin (Democratic), Acting Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate^[10]
• Donald Lee Underwood (write-in)^[23]

Predictions[]

Polling[]

Results[]

References[]

External links[]

Campaign websites (Archived)

• Earl Ray Tomblin
• Bill Maloney
• Bob Henry Baber
• Phil Hudok
• Marla Ingels
• Jeff Kessler

Information

• Elections Division at the Secretary of State
  • 2011 Gubernatorial Election
• West Virginia Governor Candidates at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions for 2011 West Virginia Governor from Follow the Money
• West Virginia Governor 2011 from OurCampaigns.com
• 2011 West Virginia Governor - Maloney vs. Tomblin Polling Data from Real Clear Politics