[45], The Fiscal Times compiled a list of the seven most vulnerable Senate seats up for election in 2014. [47] Tennant criticized Capito for voting against a mine safety act, a policy supported by other West Virginia delegates. [31][32] She was, however, re-elected as secretary of state in 2012. I’ve got a lot going on here, and I’ve been doing this a long time. However, what’s interesting about the transition is that unlike other states in the south; let’s use Georgia for example in which the transition happened in less than a decade, in West Virginia the transition is slower and at different levels. In May 2013, she introduced the Coal Jobs Protection Act of 2013. Issue $3 million in bonds to modernize and expand a biotechnology lab specializing in tissue repair and regeneration? She ran for governor in 2011 but was defeated in the primary election. [46], Democrat Jay Rockefeller’s retirement from the U.S. Senate opend up a seat in a state that voted strongly Republican at the presidential level; however, West Virginia has remained relatively Democratic at the state level. In one of the least surprising results of this year’s elections, Senator Susan Collins, a centrist Republican, won her fourth term, handily defeating the Democratic contender, Shenna Bellows. ", Capito for WV's, August 2014 ad, "Obamacare. How do I vote in my state in the 2020 election? ", Capito for WV's, September 2014 ad, "Shared Values. ", Capito for WV's, August 2014 ad, "Medals of Honor. In it, she turned off the lights of the White House after saying, "You and I know it's our hard working West Virginia coal miners that power America. Capito, a seven-term congresswoman, was the first Republican woman ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia. [3] The daughter of former Governor Arch A. Moore, Jr., Capito's moderate voting record, particularly on fiscal issues, and support for the coal industry has helped her appeal to voters in a state that historically swings blue. ", Natalie Tennant for Senate's August 2014 ad, "Independent Leadership. In 2010, turnout declined to 24 percent during the midterm primary and 42 percent in the general election. There are 35 seats up in 2020 - including special elections in Arizona and Georgia - of which 23 are held by the GOP. Ms. Collins had a fund-raising advantage over Ms. Bellows and won endorsements from some labor unions and environmental and gay rights groups, which more often favor Democrats. She voted against that health care legislation five years ago and says she now wants to fix its flaws. The U.S. Senate has 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats (including two independents). Source: Election results from The Associated Press. Paul R. LePage has been called the winner of the race. However, Capito decided not to run, saying, "There has been enough unnecessary chaos and controversy surrounding the vacancy in the U.S. Senate. Bruce Poliquin has been called the winner of the race. "[48], Capito has traditionally been supportive of the coal and mining industry, sponsoring the Mine Safety Accountability and Improved Protection Act in 2011. [35][36][37] Despite this, she was endorsed for the Senate position by First Lady Michelle Obama. Election results for the Maine midterm elections. However, it is beginning to grow more conservative, with George W. Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney winning 56, 56 and 62 percent of the state votes in the respective 2004, 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. [46], Though a poll revealed coal was not the primary concern of most West Virginia voters - just over 16 percent chose "the future of coal" from among seven other options when asked what issue "is the most important to your vote for Congress this year" - both candidates presented pro-coal platforms. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Ballotpedia features 317,159 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers.