2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election explained

Election Name:2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election
Country:West Virginia
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2008 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Previous Year:2008
Next Election:2012 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Next Year:2012
Image1:File:Earl Ray Tomblin 2 (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Earl Ray Tomblin
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:149,202
Percentage1:49.55%
Nominee2:Bill Maloney
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:141,656
Percentage2:47.05%
Map Size:250px
Governor
Before Election:Earl Ray Tomblin (acting)
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Earl Ray Tomblin
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election was a special election held on October 4, 2011 to fill the office of the West Virginia Governor, which became vacant upon the resignation of Joe Manchin, who resigned after he won a U.S. Senate special election. Lieutenant Governor and Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, first in the line of succession to the Governorship, subsequently became acting governor. On January 18, 2011, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election for the Governorship must be held so a new governor can be in place by November 15, 2011, exactly one year after Manchin resigned.[1] The primary election was held on May 14. Tomblin and Republican Bill Maloney won their respective primaries.[2]

Tomblin defeated William Maloney by a slim margin, notably winning over 90% of the vote in his home county of Logan County. Tomblin was declared the winner of the election by the Associated Press on October 4, 2011 and was inaugurated on November 13, 2011.[3] [4] With a margin of 2.5%, the special election was the closest race of the 2011 gubernatorial election cycle. Tomblin was re-elected Governor in 2012 in a rematch with Maloney.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
class=small Sample
size
Margin of
error
Jeff
Kessler
Arne
Moltis
John
Perdue
Natalie
Tennant
Rick
Thompson
Earl Ray
Tomblin
Other/
Undecided
Public Policy PollingMay 11–12, 2011742± 3.6%4%1%11%17%20% align=center33%12%
Public Policy PollingApril 21–24, 2011590± 4.0%5%1%17%16%15% align=center32%14%

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
class=small Sample
size
Margin of
error
Clark
Barnes
Mitch
Carmichael
Ralph
Clark
Cliff
Ellis
Larry
Faircloth
Betty
Ireland
Bill
Maloney
Mark
Sorsaia
Other/
Undecided
Public Policy PollingMay 11–12, 2011314± 5.5%8%4%1%0%6%31% align=center32%4%14%
Public Policy PollingApril 21–24, 2011274± 5.9%8%8%2%1%2% align=center31%17%4%28%

Primary results

General election

Candidates

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
align=left Rothenberg Political Report[23] November 4, 2011
Governing[24] November 4, 2011
Cook[25] November 4, 2011
Sabato[26] November 4, 2011

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
class=small Sample
size
Margin of
error
Earl Ray
Tomblin (D)
Bill
Maloney (R)
Undecided
Public Policy PollingSeptember 30 – October 2, 2011932± 3.2% align=center47%46%7%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 1–4, 2011708± 3.7% align=center46%40%14%
Public Policy PollingMay 11–12, 2011723± 3.6% align=center45%30%25%
Public Policy PollingApril 21–24, 2011850± 3.4% align=center56%23%21%

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

External links

Campaign websites (Archived)
Information

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Court Orders West Virginia Special Election This Year. January 18, 2011. January 20, 2011. National Journal. Julie. Sobel. https://web.archive.org/web/20110131210722/http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2011/01/court-orders-we.php. January 31, 2011. dead. mdy-all.
  2. Web site: Catanese . David . Tomblin, Maloney win in West Virginia - David Catanese . Politico.Com . 2011-05-14 . 2013-04-11.
  3. Web site: News from The Associated Press . Hosted.ap.org . 2011-10-05 . 2013-04-11.
  4. Web site: Kaull . April . Earl Ray Tomblin Sworn in as W.Va. Governor - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports . Wowktv.com . 2013-04-11 . 2012-04-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085212/http://www.wowktv.com/story/16027267/earl-ray-tomblin-to-be-inaugurated-as-west-virginias-governor . dead .
  5. Web site: State Sen. Jeff Kessler Eyes W.Va. Governor's Mansion. October 28, 2010. January 20, 2011. WTRF-TV. Jim. Forbes. https://web.archive.org/web/20110726061733/http://wtrf.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=88576. July 26, 2011. dead.
  6. News: 14 candidates for W.Va. governor ready to fight for the office . Mannix Porterfield . February 13, 2011. The Register-Herald. Beckley, West Virginia.
  7. News: Perdue names former Dem chair to head campaign. October 6, 2010. January 20, 2011. Associated Press. Chris. Dickerson. https://web.archive.org/web/20120305162954/http://www.dailymail.com/News/statenews/201010061202. March 5, 2012. dead. Charleston Daily Mail.
  8. Web site: Tennant Jumps Into Race For Governor. February 10, 2011. February 10, 2011. The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register. Joselyn. King.
  9. Web site: Thompson says he'll be on gubernatorial ballot. November 3, 2010. January 20, 2011. West Virginia Record. Chris. Dickerson.
  10. Web site: W.Va. governor race begins. January 8, 2011. June 20, 2020. The Charleston Gazette. Alison. Knezevich.
  11. Web site: Brooks McCabe to Run For Governor. August 27, 2010. January 20, 2011. WOWK-TV. https://web.archive.org/web/20110926211336/http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=85181&catid=192. September 26, 2011. dead.
  12. Web site: Charlotte Pritt says she won't run for governor . Charleston Daily Mail . 2011-02-12 . 2013-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708221411/http://www.dailymail.com/News/statehouse/201102120651 . 2011-07-08 . dead .
  13. Web site: Barnes will seek governor's seat. October 5, 2010. January 20, 2011. The Inter-Mountain. Ben. Simmons. https://web.archive.org/web/20110928071619/http://theintermountain.com/page/content.detail/id/537619.html. September 28, 2011. dead.
  14. Web site: Betty Ireland Announces Run for Governor. December 30, 2010. January 20, 2011. WSAZ-TV. Jeremy. Edwards. https://web.archive.org/web/20110929232936/http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Betty_Ireland_Announces_Run_for_Governor_112681109.html. September 29, 2011. dead. mdy-all.
  15. News: Candidate field for governor grows to 7. February 2, 2011. February 7, 2011. Associated Press. February 7, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110207154849/http://wvgazette.com/News/201102021385. dead.
  16. Web site: Capito is pleased with special election decision. January 20, 2011. January 20, 2011. The Journal. John. McVey. September 27, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110927231903/http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/554719/Capito-is-pleased-with-special-election-decision.html. dead.
  17. Web site: Jon McBride says he's not running again. January 30, 2011. January 30, 2011. The Dominion Post. Jim. Bissett. https://web.archive.org/web/20120402135928/http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/201101300311. April 2, 2012. dead. McClatchy-Tribune (MCT). Charleston Daily Mail.
  18. Web site: Raese Not Running. February 7, 2011. February 7, 2011. West Virginia MetroNews. March 15, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110315024631/http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=43097. dead.
  19. Web site: Stuart not running for governor. February 1, 2011. February 1, 2011. The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Jess. Mancini.
  20. News: Mountain Party selects gubernatorial candidate. Jared Hunt. Charleston Daily Mail. May 3, 2011. May 4, 2011. https://archive.today/20120730115434/http://www.dailymail.com/News/201105021338?page=1&build=cache. July 30, 2012. dead. mdy-all.
  21. Web site: 2011 Write-in Candidates for Governor. 2011-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20120330204952/http://www.sos.wv.gov/news/topics/elections-candidates/Pages/TennantCertifiesListOf.aspx. 2012-03-30. dead.
  22. Web site: 2011 Candidates for Governor. 2011-06-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721074647/http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/2011CandidatesforGovernor.aspx. 2011-07-21. dead.
  23. Web site: Gubernatorial Ratings Inside Elections . www.insideelections.com.
  24. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20110801190131/http://www.governing.com/blogs/politics/update-2011-2012-gubernatorial-contests.html . An Update on the 2011-2012 Gubernatorial Contests . August 1, 2011 . July 25, 2011 . Governing.
  25. Web site: 2011/2012 GOVERNORS RACE RATINGS . The Cook Political Report . September 15, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111007113156/http://cookpolitical.com/charts/governors/raceratings_2011-09-15_14-50-15.php . October 7, 2011.
  26. Web site: 2012 Governor . Sabato's Crystal Ball . November 29, 2012 .