The West Virginia sign at the first night of the Democratic National Convention in August 2024. The Democratic National Committee is investing $50,000 to candidates in the state for the 2024 election. (Ariana Figueroa | States Newsroom)
The Democratic National Committee is sending $50,000 to West Virginia for this election cycle, targeting four state legislative races that both the national and statewide Democrats believe could be flipped back to blue.
The funds are part of a total $2.5 million investment from the DNC going to dozens of states to aid campaign efforts in the final stretch of the 2024 general election. The races that the money will be focused on were not disclosed.
“The DNC is committed to electing Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz, and ensuring Democrats have the resources to run competitive races across the map in red and blue states alike,” said DNC Chair Jaime Harrison. “The investment we’re announcing today in the West Virginia Democratic Party shows these priorities in action.”
The money, according to the DNC, will specifically be used for Get Out The Vote efforts, including paying for mailers and supporting local Democrats working on the election to engage with voters. Specifically, per the DNC, the funds should help target youth and minority voters who could be key to flipping competitive seats in the state Legislature.
The $50,000 comes as a welcome influx for local Democratic leaders in the deep red state, who are fighting to keep as much power and influence as possible on the state level against an overwhelmingly Republican — albeit fractured — legislative body.
“Coming from a red state, [DNC] Chairman [Jaime] Harrison gets it — he knows how critical it is to contest every race and rebuild our party from the ground up. Thanks to his leadership and the DNC’s financial support, we’re able to invest in organizing, mobilizing, and reaching voters across West Virginia,” said Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, who serves as chair of the West Virginia Democratic Party. “The work we’re doing here is proof that no state is off-limits, and we’re committed to turning this state blue again.”
Republicans have held a supermajority in both chambers of the West Virginia Legislature since 2020. Currently, they hold 120 of the total 134 seats in the Legislature — 89 out of the 100 seats in the House and 31 of the 34 seats in the Senate.
Up until the historic 2014 election, Democrats controlled both chambers of the Legislature for more than 80 years. That year, Republicans flipped 11 seats in the House — giving them control with a 64-36 split — and seven seats in the Senate, bringing the chamber to a 17-17 deadlock. Shortly after the election, Democratic Sen. Daniel Hall announced he was switching to Republican, allowing the party to take majority control of the chamber.
The November election has been and will continue to be an uphill battle for Democrats, who have faced challenges filling the ballot and who are often out-fundraised and outspent by their Republican competitors.
According to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office, Republicans are running 48 uncontested races for statehouse seats in November — seven in the Senate and 41 in the House. That all but guarantees Republicans will hold those seats following election results. Two more races — one in the Senate and one in the House — have a Republican candidate running against a third party candidate without a Democrat on the ballot.
Conversely, according to candidate listings, Democrats are only guaranteed two seats where they have no competition — those held by Dels. Evan Hansen and Anitra Hamilton, both from Monongalia County.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting starts Oct. 23 and the last day to register to vote in this year’s general election is Oct. 15. To find your polling place and check your voter registration status, visit the Secretary of State’s website.
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