2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia

Background

Byrd had held his seat in the U.S. Senate since 1959, after having served in the House of Representatives since 1953, making him the then-longest-serving person in Congress. Byrd led his party in the Senate from 1977 to 1989, as Majority Leader or Minority Leader. Afterwards, as the most senior Democrat in the Senate, he served as President pro tempore of the Senate whenever his party was in the majority, including at the time of his death. The Democrats held a 59–41-seat majority in the Senate at the time of Byrd's death.

West Virginia had not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 1956, and voted Democratic in each presidential election from 1932 to 1996 (except for 1956, 1972 & 1984). 77% of voters in the state approved of Democratic governor Joe Manchin, but only 35% approved of Democratic President Barack Obama. Additionally, the Mountain (Green), Libertarian, and Constitution Parties had been slowly growing forces in the state, hoping to capitalize on discontent from both political parties. All three minor parties fielded ballot-qualified candidates in the 2014 Senate election to fill the open seat of retiring longtime Senator Jay Rockefeller.

State law allowed Governor Joe Manchin to make a temporary appointment to the vacant seat. Manchin named a former aide, 36-year-old Carte Goodwin, an attorney and fellow Democrat. Goodwin was sworn in on July 20, 2010, and chose not to run in the special election. Hours later, Manchin announced his intention to seek Byrd's seat.

Manchin urged the West Virginia Legislature to pass legislation scheduling the special election for 2010. Without a revision, state law would not allow an election to be held until 2012. On July 19, legislators hammered out a compromise bill setting an Aug 28 special primary and Nov 2 special election to elect a senator for the roughly two years and five months remaining in Byrd's term. The bill only changed election law for 2010 and will not apply to other future elections. It also allowed a West Virginian who was on the November general election ballot for some other office to also run in the special election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Joe Manchin, incumbent Governor of West Virginia

Eliminated in primary

• Sheirl Fletcher, former Republican State Delegate
• Ken Hechler, former West Virginia Secretary of State and former U.S. Representative

Declined

• Carte Goodwin, incumbent U.S. senator (2010)

Campaign

Despite Manchin's very high popularity in the state, he received two politically experienced challengers. Hechler was a former Secretary of State and U.S. Representative, who at the age of 95 campaigned across the state on an anti-mountaintop removal platform. Fletcher was a former Republican member of the House of Delegates.

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• John Raese, businessman, nominee for the Senate in 1984 and 2006, and candidate for Governor in 1988

Eliminated in primary

• Harry C. Bruner Jr., attorney
• Kenneth Culp, Vietnam War veteran and accountant
• Albert Howard, candidate in the 2008 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary
• Frank Kubic, epigrammatist author
• Lynette Kennedy McQuain, substitute teacher's aide
• Daniel Scott Rebich, concrete contracting business owner
• Thomas Ressler, retired officer of the Maryland Department of Corrections
• Mac Warner, businessman
• Scott H. Williams, wood products industry supervisor and manager

Campaign

During the Republican primary campaign, only Raese and Warner released television advertisements.

Results

General election

Candidates

• Jeff Becker (Constitution Party), West Virginia Constitution Party chairman (campaign site, PVS)
• Jesse Johnson (Mountain Party), lobbyist, freelance writer and lecturer
• Joe Manchin (Democratic Party), incumbent Governor of West Virginia
• John Raese (Republican Party), businessman
• John R "Rick" Bartlett (Write In)
• Charles G. "Bud" Railey (Write In)

Campaign

Manchin's campaign ads emphasized his support from labor unions and Cecil Roberts (President of United Mine Workers of America), while criticizing Raese for "putting profits before people", supporting the elimination of the minimum wage, and supporting the FairTax. Manchin was endorsed by both the AFL–CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Raese was endorsed from numerous anti-abortion PACs and FreedomWorks. Raese criticized Manchin for supporting House Bill 103, which is similar to cap and trade.

Debates

The first and only debate was held October 18. It featured all four Senate candidates. Raese wanted at least three debates.

Predictions

Polling

Fundraising

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Berkeley (largest municipality: Martinsburg)
• Hampshire (largest municipality: Romney)
• Morgan (largest municipality: Berkeley Springs)
• Grant (largest municipality: Petersburg)
• Hardy (largest municipality: Moorefield)
• Mineral (largest municipality: Keyser)
• Ritchie (largest municipality: Harrisville)
• Pendleton (largest municipality: Franklin)
• Tyler (largest municipality: Paden City)
• Upshur (largest municipality: Buckhannon)
• Preston (largest municipality: Kingwood)
• Putnam (largest municipality: Hurricane)

Notes

References

References

1. (July 2018). ["Democrat Manchin wins key W. Va. Senate race"](http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/2858740,manchin-west-virginia-senate-110210.article }}{{Dead link). [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
2. See [[List of United States senators from West Virginia]]
3. (July 9, 2010). "Election 2010: West Virginia Senate Special Election". Rasmussen Reports.
4. (August 19, 2014). "Candidate Listing By Office, 2014". West Virginia Secretary of State.
5. Capehart, Jonathan. (July 16, 2010). "Sen. Carte Goodwin (D-Caretaker-W.Va.)". [[The Washington Post]].
6. (July 20, 2010). "Joe Manchin Makes It Official: He's Running for WV Senate Seat". CBS News.
7. (2010-06-28). "West Virginia Sec. of State: No Election For Byrd's Seat Until 2012".
8. (December 31, 1969). "Charleston Gazette: Compromise reached in Byrd replacement process". Wvgazette.com.
9. Toeplitz, Shira. (July 20, 2010). "Joe Manchin's in, with nod to Robert Byrd". [[Politico (newspaper).
10. (June 10, 2013). "Perennial candidate Sheirl Fletcher files for Senate run".
11. Toeplitz, Shira. (July 21, 2010). "Manchin gets veteran Dem challenger". [[Politico (newspaper).
12. (August 12, 2010). "Hechler ready for rough terrain". Charleston Daily Mail.
13. Toeplitz, Shira. (July 22, 2010). "Raese is in for W.Va. Senate special". [[Politico (newspaper).
14. "Harry C. Bruner Jr.". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
15. "Kenneth A. Culp". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
16. "Albert Howard". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
17. John McVey. (July 24, 2010). "Kubic files for Senate position". [[The Journal (West Virginia newspaper).
18. "Lynette Kennedy McQuain". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
19. "Daniel Scott Rebich". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
20. "Thomas Ressler". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
21. "Mac Warner". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
22. "Scott H. Williams". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
23. (August 17, 2010). "Special Election Ads Slow to Start – WOWK-TV". WOWKTV.com.
24. "U.S. Senate Special Election (Unofficial Results)". [[Secretary of State of West Virginia]].
25. webmaster@wvmh.com. (September 2, 2010). "Constitution Party Candidate on Ballot for Senate Seat – WVNS-TV". WVNSTV.com.
26. "Jesse Johnson". [[The Herald-Dispatch]].
27. "Joe Manchin for Senate :: West Virginia :: News". Joemanchinwv.com.
28. "Joe Manchin for Senate :: West Virginia :: What Does John Raese Really Believe In?".
29. (September 20, 2010). "Joe Manchin for Senate :: West Virginia :: Manchin Receives Endorsements from State and U.S. Chamber". Joemanchinwv.com.
30. (August 24, 2010). "John Raese Proudly Announces the Primary Endorsement of West Virginians for Life! {{!}} John Raese For Senate". Raeseforsenate.org.
31. "WCHS Radio 58". 58wchs.com.
32. "Manchin vs. Raese on the Coal Controversy". Wsaz.com.
33. (December 24, 2010). "All candidates for WV Senate seat agree to debate". WVPubcast.org.
34. "Debate for Senate race in works".
35. "Senate". [[Cook Political Report]].
36. "Senate Ratings". [[Rothenberg Political Report]].
37. "Election 2010: Senate Balance of Power". [[Rasmussen Reports]].
38. "Battle for the Senate". [[RealClearPolitics]].
39. "2010 Senate Ratings". [[Sabato's Crystal Ball]].
40. "Race Ratings Chart: Senate". [[CQ Politics]].
41. (August 2019). "Discloser Search: WV 2010".
42. (November 2, 2010). "WV SOS – Elections". Apps.sos.wv.gov.