West Virginia

The Republican Party presided over the birth of West Virginia, but the Democrats have generally been in power for the past five decades. In 1940, a strong New Deal faction, headed by Matthew M. Neely and supported by organized labor, formed the "state-house machine," which became a dominant factor in state politics. Only two Republicans, Cecil H. Underwood (1957–61, 1997–2001) and Arch Moore, Jr. (1969–77, 1985–89), have been governor since 1933. Underwood was elected in 1996, having vacated the office 35 years earlier. Democrat Bob Wise unseated Underwood in 2001.

Democratic Senator Robert C. Byrd, first elected in 1958, was reelected to his eighth term in 2000. Democratic Senator John D. "Jay" Rockefeller IV, first elected in 1984, was reelected to his fourth term in 2002. Following the 2002 elections, West Virginia sent two Democrats and one Republican to the US House of Representatives. As of mid-2003, Democrats controlled both the state house and state senate. There were 24 Democrats and 10 Republicans in the state senate, and 68 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the state house.

Since the New Deal, Republican presidential candidates have carried West Virginia only in 1956, 1972, 1984, and 2000. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush received 52% of the popular vote to Democrat Al Gore's 46%; Green Party candidate Ralph Nader garnered 2% of the vote. In 2002 there were 1,060,892 registered voters. In 1998, 63% of registered voters were Democratic, 29% Republican, and 8% unaffiliated or members of other parties. The state had five electoral votes in the 2000 presidential election.

West Virginia Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2000

West Virginia Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2000