The 2018 West Virginia Senate elections were held on November 6, 2018, as part of the biennial United States elections. Seventeen of West Virginia's 34 state senators were up for election. West Virginia Senate districts each have two elected representatives. State senators serve staggered four-year terms in West Virginia, with one senator from each district up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential election years (most recently held in 2016), and the other up in even-numbered years corresponding to presidential midterm years.
Primary elections in the state were held on May 8. After the previous 2016 state elections, Republicans held a majority in the Senate, holding 22 seats to the Democrats' 12. The Republican Party had long been the minority party in the Mountain State, but the decline of the strength of coal worker unions, the Democratic Party's increasing focus on environmentalism, the unpopularity of President Barack Obama, and the increasing social conservatism of the Republican Party have helped the GOP solidify power in the state rapidly since 2000.
Despite the high popularity of President Donald Trump within the state and his 42-point margin of victory there in 2016, the Democrats gained two seats in the West Virginia Senate in 2018. This can be attributed to the competitive U.S. Senate race at the top of the ticket (which was won by incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin), the increasing insulation of the West Virginia Democratic Party from the national Democratic Party (particularly on social issues, such as abortion), and a strong year for the Democratic Party nationally, in which they gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Following the state's 2018 Senate elections, Republicans maintained control of the Senate with 20 seats to the Democrats' 14.
Retirements
No incumbents retired in 2018. All 17 incumbent Senators ran for re-election.
Incumbents defeated
In primary elections
Three incumbents were defeated in the May primaries, one more than were defeated in the 2016 primaries.
District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17
All results are certified by the Secretary of State of West Virginia.[2]
District 1
Republican primary
Republican primary [3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Ryan Ferns (incumbent)
5,233
100.0%
Total votes
5,233
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
William J. Ihlenfeld II
8,500
100.0%
Total votes
8,500
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 1st Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
William J. Ihlenfeld II
18,450
52.88%
Republican
Ryan Ferns (incumbent)
16,438
47.12%
Total votes
34,888
100%
Democratic gain from Republican
District 2
Republican primary
Republican primary [5]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Charles Clements (incumbent)
6,809
100.0%
Total votes
6,809
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Denny Longwell
5,388
58.94%
Democratic
Carla Jones
3,753
41.06%
Total votes
9,141
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 2nd Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Charles H. Clements (incumbent)
19,895
58.79%
Democratic
Denny Longwell
13,944
41.21%
Total votes
33,839
100%
Republican hold
District 3
Republican primary
Republican primary [7]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Mike Azinger (incumbent)
6,404
100.0%
Total votes
6,404
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [8]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Jim Leach
3,695
58.94%
Democratic
Simon Hargus
3,009
44.88%
Total votes
6,704
100.0%
General Election
2018 West Virginia's 3rd Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Mike Azinger (incumbent)
19,964
57.40%
Democratic
Jim Leach
14,818
42.60%
Total votes
34,782
100%
Republican hold
District 4
Republican primary
Republican primary [9]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Eric Tarr
4,994
54.76%
Republican
Mark Drennan (incumbent)
4,126
45.24%
Total votes
9,120
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [10]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Brian Prim
6,819
100.0%
Total votes
6,819
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 4th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Eric Tarr
18,885
51.78%
Democratic
Brian Prim
13,583
37.24%
Independent
Amy Nichole Grady
4,005
10.98%
Total votes
36,473
100%
Republican hold
District 5
Republican primary
Republican primary [11]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Larry Brooke Lunsford
4,819
100.0%
Total votes
4,819
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [12]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Mike Woelfel (incumbent)
7,753
100.0%
Total votes
7,753
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 5th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Mike Woelfel (incumbent)
20,305
59.66%
Republican
Larry Brooke Lunsford
13,732
40.34%
Total votes
34,037
100%
Democratic hold
District 6
Republican primary
Republican primary [13]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Mark Maynard (incumbent)
3,209
61.04%
Republican
Wesley Blankenship
2,048
38.96%
Total votes
5,257
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [14]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Charles E. Sammons
6,305
100.0%
Total votes
6,305
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 6th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Mark R. Maynard (incumbent)
17,536
61.51%
Democratic
Charles E. Sammons
10,972
38.49%
Total votes
28,508
100%
Republican hold
District 7
Republican primary
Republican primary [15]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Jason Stephens
1,851
51.81%
Republican
Gary L. Johngrass
1,722
48.19%
Total votes
3,573
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [16]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Ron Stollings (incumbent)
9,276
100.0%
Total votes
9,276
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 7th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Ron Stollings (incumbent)
15,181
56.70%
Republican
Jason Stephens
11,594
43.30%
Total votes
26,775
100%
Democratic hold
District 8
Republican primary
Republican primary [17]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Ed Gaunch (incumbent)
5,475
100.0%
Total votes
5,475
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [18]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Richard Lindsay
4,721
51.72%
Democratic
Mark Hunt
4,407
48.28%
Total votes
9,128
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 8th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Richard Lindsay
16,537
50.25%
Republican
Ed Gaunch (incumbent)
16,372
49.75%
Total votes
32,909
100%
Democratic gain from Republican
District 9
Republican primary
Republican primary [19]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Rollan Roberts
3,384
52.87%
Republican
Lynne Arvon (incumbent)
3,017
47.13%
Total votes
6,401
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [20]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
William Wooton
3,649
43.44%
Democratic
John Queensberry
2,171
25.84%
Democratic
Steve Davis
1,731
20.60%
Democratic
Wayne Williams
850
10.12%
Total votes
8,401
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 9th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Rollan Roberts
16,111
54.07%
Democratic
William R. "Bill" Wooton
13,686
45.93%
Total votes
29,797
100%
Republican hold
District 10
Republican primary
Republican primary [21]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
George Ambler
4,169
56.45%
Republican
Dan Hill
3,216
43.55%
Total votes
7,385
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [22]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Stephen Baldwin (incumbent)
10,311
100.0%
Total votes
10,311
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 10th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Stephen Baldwin (incumbent)
17,495
53.15%
Republican
George Ambler
15,421
46.85%
Total votes
32,916
100%
Democratic hold
District 11
Republican primary
Republican primary [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Bill Hamilton
6,523
62.25%
Republican
Robert Karnes (incumbent)
3,955
37.75%
Total votes
10,478
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Laura M. Finch
5,087
52.42%
Democratic
Margaret Kerr Beckwith
4,617
47.58%
Total votes
9,704
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 11th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Bill Hamilton
23,718
70.44%
Democratic
Laura M. Finch
9,953
29.56%
Total votes
33,671
100%
Republican hold
District 12
Republican primary
Republican primary [25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Waymond Cork II
5,820
100.0%
Total votes
5,820
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Mike Romano (incumbent)
9,814
100.0%
Total votes
9,814
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 12th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Mike Romano (incumbent)
18,919
54.51%
Republican
Waymond Cork II
15,791
45.49%
Total votes
34,710
100%
Democratic hold
District 13
Republican primary
Republican primary [27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Mike Oliverio
4,763
100.0%
Total votes
4,763
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [28]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Bob Beach (incumbent)
9,383
100.0%
Total votes
9,383
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 13th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Bob Beach (incumbent)
18,692
52.18%
Republican
Mike Oliverio
17,129
47.82%
Total votes
35,821
100%
Democratic hold
District 14
Republican primary
Republican primary [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
David Sypolt (incumbent)
8,997
100.0%
Total votes
8,997
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [30]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Stephanie Zucker
7,813
100.0%
Total votes
7,813
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 14th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
David Sypolt (incumbent)
21,936
60.22%
Democratic
Stephanie Zucker
14,492
39.78%
Total votes
36,428
100%
Republican hold
District 15
Republican primary
Republican primary [31]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Charles S. Trump (incumbent)
7,965
100.0%
Total votes
7,965
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 15th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Charles S. Trump (incumbent)
25,937
71.06%
Independent
Jason A. Armentrout
10,562
28.94%
Total votes
36,499
100%
Republican hold
District 16
Republican primary
Republican primary [32]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Michael Craig Folk
5,729
100.0%
Total votes
5,729
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [33]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
John Unger (incumbent)
6,309
100.0%
Total votes
6,309
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 16th Senate district election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
John Unger (incumbent)
18,802
52.14%
Republican
Michael Craig Folk
17,257
47.86%
Total votes
36,059
100%
Democratic hold
District 17
Republican primary
Republican primary [34]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Tom Takubo (incumbent)
5,873
100.0%
Total votes
5,873
100.0%
Democratic primary
Democratic primary [35]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Terrell Ellis
5,317
52.01%
Democratic
Mary Ann Claytor
3,746
36.64%
Democratic
Justin 'Dick' Salsbury
1,161
11.36%
Total votes
10,224
100.0%
General election
2018 West Virginia's 17th Senate district election