The 2000 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Republican governor Cecil Underwood ran for re-election to a second consecutive term in office, but was defeated by Democratic U.S. Representative Bob Wise. Concurrently, the state voted for the opposite party federally, choosing Republican nominee George W. Bush over Democratic nominee Al Gore in the presidential election that year. To date, this is the last time in which an incumbent West Virginia governor lost re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates Jim Lees, attorney and candidate in 1996 Bob Wise, U.S. representative

Results

Republican primary Governor Cecil Underwood was easily re-nominated in the Republican primary, defeating three other candidates by a wide margin.

Results

General election Debates Complete video of debate, October 18, 2000

Results

By county CountyBob WiseDemocraticCecil UnderwoodRepublicanDenise GiardinaMountainVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%#%Barbour3,05250.27%2,90047.77%510.84%681.12%1522.50%6,071Berkeley10,04543.80%12,22153.29%2831.23%3841.67%−2,176−9.49%22,933Boone6,19367.36%2,86531.16%900.98%460.50%3,32836.20%9,194Braxton3,41964.24%1,84834.72%180.34%370.70%1,57129.52%5,322Brooke4,90852.04%4,31745.77%1051.11%1021.08%5916.27%9,432Cabell15,19047.14%15,66148.60%8032.49%5721.77%−471−1.46%32,226Calhoun1,41153.61%1,12442.71%772.93%200.76%28710.90%2,632Clay2,11558.44%1,42039.24%471.30%371.02%69519.20%3,619Doddridge90631.85%1,87866.01%351.23%260.91%−972−34.17%2,845Fayette8,74659.60%5,52037.62%2751.87%1330.91%3,22621.98%14,674Gilmer1,41851.68%1,23144.86%682.48%270.98%1876.81%2,744Grant95721.41%3,45377.25%240.54%360.81%−2,496−55.84%4,470Greenbrier5,89646.04%6,44350.31%3112.43%1561.22%−547−4.27%12,806Hampshire2,24536.97%3,64860.08%991.63%801.32%−1,403−23.11%6,072Hancock6,92653.98%5,66044.11%960.75%1491.16%1,2669.87%12,831Hardy1,37730.99%2,99167.30%320.72%440.99%−1,614−36.32%4,444Harrison14,41754.23%11,60643.66%2831.06%2791.05%2,81110.57%26,585Jackson6,15553.33%5,15744.68%1621.40%680.59%9988.65%11,542Jefferson6,77247.62%6,59846.40%4273.00%4242.98%1741.22%14,221Kanawha43,31256.54%30,57139.91%2,1722.84%5540.72%12,74116.63%76,609Lewis3,36854.61%2,68643.55%560.91%570.92%68211.06%6,167Lincoln4,49860.01%2,84137.91%1061.41%500.67%1,65722.11%7,495Logan8,69259.03%5,88939.99%450.31%990.67%2,80319.04%14,725Marion13,07857.59%9,20740.55%2070.91%2160.95%3,87117.05%22,708Marshall6,83250.44%6,40647.30%1561.15%1501.11%4263.15%13,544Mason6,56958.18%4,51239.96%990.88%1100.97%2,05718.22%11,290McDowell3,72350.63%3,57048.55%350.48%260.35%1532.08%7,354Mercer8,72846.28%9,78651.89%2071.10%1370.73%−1,058−5.61%18,858Mineral4,02241.20%5,52556.60%840.86%1311.34%−1,503−15.40%9,762Mingo5,73756.67%4,28642.34%400.40%610.60%1,45114.33%10,124Monongalia13,08948.09%12,67346.56%9163.37%5421.99%4161.53%27,220Monroe2,30144.70%2,72152.86%771.50%490.95%−420−8.16%5,148Morgan2,21939.38%3,24057.50%601.06%1162.06%−1,021−18.12%5,635Nicholas5,14459.45%3,36638.90%780.90%640.74%1,77820.55%8,652Ohio7,83343.53%9,69053.85%2351.31%2381.32%−1,857−10.32%17,996Pendleton1,28540.66%1,83458.04%220.70%190.60%−549−17.37%3,160Pleasants1,28639.99%1,88658.64%160.50%280.87%−600−18.66%3,216Pocahontas1,65447.80%1,69248.90%702.02%441.27%−38−1.10%3,460Preston3,92037.53%6,23159.66%1771.69%1171.12%−2,311−22.13%10,445Putnam9,99149.25%9,66947.67%4672.30%1580.78%3221.59%20,285Raleigh11,43547.44%12,07250.09%4081.69%1870.78%−637−2.64%24,102Randolph5,21954.58%4,07142.57%1731.81%991.04%1,14812.01%9,562Ritchie1,21031.58%2,52465.88%641.67%330.86%−1,314−34.30%3,831Roane2,98852.66%2,50544.15%1562.75%250.44%4838.51%5,674Summers2,14545.35%2,45951.99%871.84%390.82%−314−6.64%4,730Taylor2,99151.01%2,69045.88%340.58%1482.52%3015.13%5,863Tucker1,66149.21%1,63048.30%441.30%401.19%310.92%3,375Tyler96024.30%2,92173.95%340.86%350.89%−1,961−49.65%3,950Upshur3,66944.81%4,33352.93%1091.33%760.93%−664−8.11%8,187Wayne8,78754.23%7,10343.83%1621.00%1520.94%1,68410.39%16,204Webster2,20466.11%1,08432.51%250.75%210.63%1,12033.59%3,334Wetzel2,96246.62%3,29251.82%630.99%360.57%−330−5.19%6,353Wirt1,09946.04%1,26152.83%130.54%140.59%−162−6.79%2,387Wood13,67340.44%19,47457.59%3801.12%2860.85%−5,801−17.16%33,813Wyoming4,39055.81%3,38543.03%530.67%380.48%1,00512.78%7,866Totals 324,822 50.15% 305,626 47.18% 10,416 1.61% 6,883 1.06% 19,196 2.96% 647,747

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Barbour (largest city: Philippi) Boone (largest city: Madison) Calhoun (largest city: Grantsville) Gilmer (largest city: Glenville) Jackson (largest city: Ravenswood) Lewis (largest city: Weston) Mason (largest city: Point Pleasant) Randolph (largest city: Elkins) Roane (largest city: Spencer) Taylor (largest city: Grafton) Harrison (largest city: Clarksburg) Marion (largest city: Fairmont) Putnam (largest municipality: Hurricane)

References