# 1998 West Virginia Senate election

Elections in West Virginia :
Federal government
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
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2000
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1863
1865
1871
1877
1877 sp
1882
1883
1887
1888
1889
1892
1893
1893 sp
1895
1899
1901
1905
1907
1911
1911 sp
1913
1916
1918
1922
1924
1928
1930
1934
1936
1940
1942
1942 sp
1946
1948
1952
1954
1956 sp
1958
1958 sp
1960
1964
1966
1970
1972
1976
1978
1982
1984
1988
1990
1994
1996
2000
2002
2006
2008
2010 sp
2012
2014
2018
2020
2024
2026
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1863
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1883
3rd sp
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1905
2nd sp
1906
1908
1910
1912
1913
1st sp
1914
1916
2nd sp
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1933
3rd sp
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1951
5th sp
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
3rd sp
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
General elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
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
2024
Attorney General elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Secretary of State elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Auditor elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Treasurer elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Senate elections
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Delegates elections
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Local government
Charleston (mayoral elections)
2022
Huntington (municipal elections)
2020
2024
Wheeling (municipal elections)
2020
2024 :
vte :
The 1998 West Virginia Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 3, 1998. State senate seats in West Virginia are staggered, with senators serving 4-year terms. 18 of the 34 state senate seats were up for election, with SD 2 holding an additional special election for Larry Wiedebusch's seat, who died on October 25, 1997. Jeffrey V. Kessler was appointed to fill the seat and was re-elected by a wide margin. The election took place concurrently with the U.S. House elections. The Democratic Party won over 60% of the vote for state senate candidates and flipped 4 Republican seats, retaining a supermajority in the state legislature's upper chamber.

## Summary

Summary of the 1998 West Virginia Senate election results :
| Party | Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats |
| Party | Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Before | Up | Won | After | +/– |
| | Democratic | 18 | 265,373 | 63.2% | 25 | 12 | 16 | 29 | 4 |
| | Republican | 13 | 149,651 | 35.6% | 9 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| | Libertarian | 3 | 5,100 | 1.2% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| | Write-in | 1 | 8 | nil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | Total | Total | 420,124 | 100% | 34 | 18 | 18 | 34 | |
Popular vote
Democratic
63.2%
Republican
35.6%
Libertarian
1.2%
Write-in
nil% :
Senate seats
Democratic
85.3%
Republican
14.7% :

## SD 1

1998 West Virginia SD 1 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Edwin Bowman (incumbent) | 14,118 | 64.0 |
| | Republican | Don Chaney | 7,944 | 36.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 22,062 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 2 (Full term)

1998 West Virginia SD 2 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Larry Edgell | 11,253 | 56.4 |
| | Republican | Charles Clements | 8,691 | 43.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,944 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 2 (Unexpired term)

1998 West Virginia SD 2 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jeffrey Kessler | 13,308 | 66.5 |
| | Republican | Douglas Sapp | 6,697 | 33.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 20,005 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 3

1998 West Virginia SD 3 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Frank Deem (incumbent) | 14,159 | 53.2 |
| | Democratic | Paul Thornton | 12,465 | 46.8 |
| | Write-in | Larry Butcher | 8 | nil |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 26,632 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## SD 4

1998 West Virginia SD 4 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Oshel Craigo (incumbent) | 18,183 | 57.7 |
| | Republican | Kelly Given | 13,328 | 42.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 31,511 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 5

1998 West Virginia SD 5 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Marie Redd | 9,082 | 50.6 |
| | Republican | Thomas R. Scott (incumbent) | 8,867 | 49.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 17,949 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

## SD 6

1998 West Virginia SD 6 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | H. Truman Chafin (incumbent) | 10,669 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,669 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 7

1998 West Virginia SD 7 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Lloyd G. Jackson II (incumbent) | 11,840 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,840 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 8

1998 West Virginia SD 8 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John R. Mitchell, Jr. | 26,149 | 57.1 |
| | Republican | Jack Buckalew (incumbent) | 19,643 | 42.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 45,792 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

## SD 9

1998 West Virginia SD 9 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William R. Wooton (incumbent) | 11,552 | 80.0 |
| | Libertarian | Joy Johnson | 2,892 | 20.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 14,444 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 10

1998 West Virginia SD 10 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Leonard Anderson | 11,452 | 61.4 |
| | Republican | Thomas Fast | 6,022 | 33.3 |
| | Libertarian | Elizabeth Simmons | 1,175 | 6.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 18,649 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 11

1998 West Virginia SD 11 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Randy Schoonover (incumbent) | 15,065 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 15,065 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 12

1998 West Virginia SD 12 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Joseph M. Minard | 15,961 | 65.5 |
| | Republican | David Hinkle | 8,416 | 34.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,377 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 13

1998 West Virginia SD 13 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Mike Oliverio (incumbent) | 19,094 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,094 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 14

1998 West Virginia SD 14 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sarah Minear (incumbent) | 15,230 | 56.3 |
| | Democratic | Gary Livengood | 10,795 | 39.9 |
| | Libertarian | John Bartlett | 1,033 | 3.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 27,058 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## SD 15

1998 West Virginia SD 15 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Walt Helmick (incumbent) | 14,879 | 61.7 |
| | Republican | Les Shoemaker | 9,238 | 38.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,117 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## SD 16

1998 West Virginia SD 16 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Unger | 13,037 | 55.5 |
| | Republican | Harry Dugan (incumbent) | 10,439 | 44.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,476 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

## SD 17

2000 West Virginia SD 17 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brooks McCabe | 26,471 | 55.8 |
| | Republican | Larry Kimble | 20,977 | 44.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 47,448 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |