Walter D. Helmick (April 25, 1944 – September 6, 2025) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as the Commissioner of Agriculture of the state of West Virginia. He was elected to the position in 2012, defeating Republican nominee Kent Leonhardt. In 2016, Leonhardt defeated him in a rematch. Previously, he was a member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 15th district from 1990 to 2012. Earlier he was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1988 through 1989, served on the Pocahontas County Commission and on the Pocahontas County School Board.
Walt Helmick died from cancer on September 6, 2025, at the age of 81.Walt Helmick, former agriculture secretary and state senator, has died
Electoral history West Virginia House of Delegates 27th District Democratic Primary Election, 1988PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticJoe Martin3,66723.63DemocraticWalt Helmick3,06519.75DemocraticBill Proudfoot2,50816.16Democratic"Stratt" Ogden Sr.2,04413.17DemocraticJudith Seaman1,66910.75DemocraticJames "Ross" Ware1,1607.47DemocraticFrank Rowe8885.72DemocraticKatherine Wright Fagan5193.34 West Virginia House of Delegates 27th District Election, 1988PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick7,90832.56DemocraticJoe Martin7,03428.96RepublicanJimmie Ryder Sr.5,11321.05RepublicanPhillip Cupp4,23217.42 West Virginia Senate 12th District Democratic Primary Election, 1990PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick8,64650.79DemocraticD. P. Given4,91628.88DemocraticGeorge "Geo." Kallai3,46120.33 West Virginia Senate 12th District Election, 1990PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick17,33965.86RepublicanAshley Morrissette8,98934.14 West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 1994PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)16,42060.40RepublicanAubry Wilson10,76639.60 West Virginia Senate 15th District Democratic Primary Election, 1998PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)7,31661.09DemocraticLeslee McCarty2,93424.50DemocraticTom Jones1,72514.41 West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 1998PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)14,87960.69RepublicanLes Shoemaker Jr.9,63839.31 West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 2002PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)14,63055.70RepublicanChris Davis10,46139.83MountainKit Patten1,1734.47 West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 2006PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)21,50999.57Write-inJeremy Donald Bauserman920.43 West Virginia Senate 15th District Democratic Primary Election, 2010PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Dolph Helmick (inc.)6,86467.47DemocraticThomas Paul Ditty3,31032.53 West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 2010PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Dolph Helmick (inc.)19,19257.01RepublicanJeremy Donald Bauserman14,47042.99 West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Democratic Primary Election, 2012PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick59,37632.89DemocraticSally Shepherd44,45424.62DemocraticSteve Miller39,13021.67DemocraticJoe Messineo24,61313.63DemocraticBob Tabb12,9767.19 West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Election, 2012PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticWalt Helmick316,59151.59RepublicanKent Leonhardt297,08848.41 West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Election, 2016PartyCandidateVotes%RepublicanKent Leonhardt321,56048.41DemocraticWalt Helmick274,19141.28LibertarianBuddy A. Guthrie68,50210.31
References
External links Project Vote Smart - Senator Walt Helmick (WV) profile Follow the Money - Walt Helmick 2008 2006 2004 2002 1998 Senate campaign contributions