The 2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Republican state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey was elected to his first term in office after defeating Democratic Huntington mayor Steve Williams in the general election. Incumbent Republican Jim Justice was term-limited and was unable to seek re-election to a third consecutive term in office; he instead ran for the U.S. Senate.

First elected in 2016 as a Democrat by 6.8 percentage points, Justice switched parties in August 2017 and won re-election in 2020 as a Republican by 33.3 percentage points. Primary elections took place on May 14, 2024. This is the first time since 1972 that Republicans won consecutive gubernatorial elections in the state. However, Morrisey performed worse than Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who outperformed Morrisey by 7.98 percentage points. Meanwhile, Williams outperformed Kamala Harris by 3.48 percentage points. All statewide Democratic nominees failed to carry a single county in their respective general election races in 2024.

Background A conservative rural southeastern state, West Virginia is considered extremely Republican at the federal and state levels; Republicans hold all statewide executive offices and supermajorities in both state legislative houses, and from 2015 until he became an Independent in 2024, Senator Joe Manchin had been the state's only congressional Democrat. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump carried West Virginia by 38.93 percentage points.

With Jim Justice term-limited and unable to run for a third consecutive term as Governor, the Republican primary was expected to be competitive and crowded. Most analysts considered Republicans to be a heavy favorite, given the state's partisan lean and the margin from the previous election.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia Attorney General (2013–2025) and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018

Eliminated in primary Moore Capito, former state delegate (2016–2023), grandson of former governor Arch Moore, and son of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito Kevin Christian, electrical engineer Chris Miller, automobile dealer and son of U.S. Representative Carol Miller Mitch Roberts, store manager and write-in candidate for governor in 2020 Mac Warner, West Virginia Secretary of State (2017–2025)

Withdrew J.B. McCuskey, West Virginia State Auditor (2017–2025) (ran for attorney general) Rashida Yost, businesswoman

Declined Kent Leonhardt, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture (2017–present) (ran for re-election) Riley Moore, West Virginia State Treasurer (2021–2025) and grandson of former governor Arch Moore (ran for U.S. House)

Endorsements

Debates + 2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election Republican primary debates Date Host Moderator Link Republican Republican Republican Republican Participant   Absent   Non-invitee   Invitee Withdrawn Morrisey Capito Miller Warner1 Dec. 8, 2023 MetroNews Hoppy Kercheval YouTubeA 2 Feb. 29, 2024 Hoppy Kercheval YouTube 3 Apr. 30, 2024 WSAZ-3 WSAZ-3

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of April 28, 2024CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handPatrick Morrisey (R)$3,624,343$3,078,086$695,276Moore Capito (R)$2,131,285$1,519,377$599,354Chris Miller (R)$1,615,788$6,175,751$519,538Mac Warner (R)$559,038$372,948$172,787Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MooreCapito ChrisMiller PatrickMorrisey MacWarner Other UndecidedEmerson CollegeMay 2–5, 2024558 (LV)± 4.1%29%21%33%15%3%–Research AmericaApril 24 – May 1, 2024407 (LV)± 4.9%24%25%32%10%3%6%NMB ResearchNMB ResearchApril 20–22, 2024500 (LV)± 4.4%31%14%23%13%–18%Research AmericaApril 3–9, 2024400 (LV)± 4.9%29%16%31%12%3%10%WPA IntelligenceWPA IntelligenceApril 1–3, 2024501 (LV)± 4.4%20%19%37%14%–9%Emerson CollegeMarch 19–21, 2024735 (LV)± 3.6%14%16%33%6%–29%WPA IntelligenceNovember 27–29, 2023507 (LV)± 4.4%23%10%39%14%–14%American Pulse Research& Polling (R)American Pulse Research& Polling (R)November 13–14, 2023414 (LV)± 4.8%23%10%31%14%–23%CAMPNovember 10–12, 2023863 (LV)± 3.26%18%11%24%21%5%21%i360October 3–4, 2023811 (LV)± 3.4%18%6%29%8%20%19%West Virginia MetroNewsAugust 16–26, 2023402 (RV)± 4.9%32%9%27%6%–26%Orion StrategiesOrion Strategies June 17–20, 2023651 (LV)± 6.0%30%5%31%9%8%17%National Research Inc.February 23–28, 2023600 (LV)± 4.0%15%6%28%11%6%29%

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Steve Williams, mayor of Huntington (2013–2025) and former state delegate (1986–1994)

Declined Joe Manchin, U.S. senator (2010–2025) and former governor (2005–2010) Ben Salango, Kanawha County commissioner and nominee for governor in 2020

Results

Other candidates Mountain Party Nominee Chase Linko-Looper, U.S. Army veteran

Libertarian Party Nominee Erika Kolenich, attorney and nominee for governor in 2020

Constitution Party Nominee S. Marshall Wilson, former Republican state delegate (2016–2020) and write-in candidate for governor in 2020

Independents Declined Joe Manchin, U.S. senator (2010–2025) and former governor (2005–2010) (endorsed Williams)

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportJune 13, 2024 Inside ElectionsJuly 14, 2023 Sabato's Crystal BallJune 4, 2024 RCPJuly 13, 2024 Elections DailyJuly 12, 2023 CNalysisAugust 17, 2024

Post-primary endorsements

Debates + 2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election debate Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Morrisey Williams1 Oct. 29, 2024 MetroNews Hoppy Kercheval C-SPAN

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of October 25, 2024CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handPatrick Morrisey (R)$6,824,464$6,183,264$1,351,895Steve Williams (D)$250,255$92,274$156,426Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error PatrickMorrisey (R) SteveWilliams (D) UndecidedResearch AmericaAugust 21–27, 2024400 (RV)± 4.9%49%35%16%

Patrick Morrisey vs. Joe Manchin vs. Steve Williams Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error PatrickMorrisey (R) JoeManchin (I) SteveWilliams (D) Other UndecidedKaplan StrategiesJune 4, 2024464 (LV)± 4.6%34%26%21%1%18%

Results

By county Morrisey won every county in the state. CountyPatrick MorriseyRepublicanSteve WilliamsDemocraticVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Barbour4,52172.52%1,29820.82%4156.66%3,22351.70%6,234Berkeley33,61961.08%15,12027.47%6,30211.45%18,49933.61%55,041Boone4,87462.16%2,50932.00%4585.84%2,36530.16%7,841Braxton3,32964.52%1,53529.75%2965.74%1,79434.77%5,160Brooke6,25066.28%2,61527.73%5645.98%3,63538.55%9,429Cabell17,31649.90%15,43244.47%1,9535.63%1,8845.43%34,701Calhoun2,00872.39%60721.88%1595.73%1,40150.50%2,774Clay2,06565.87%85727.34%2136.79%1,20838.53%3,135Doddridge2,18676.46%50617.70%1675.84%1,68058.76%2,859Fayette9,09360.34%5,00633.22%9706.44%4,08727.12%15,069Gilmer1,52267.14%59426.20%1516.66%92840.94%2,267Grant4,53585.24%58310.96%2023.80%3,95274.29%5,320Greenbrier9,04661.68%4,94433.71%6754.60%4,10227.97%14,665Hampshire7,75576.33%1,79417.66%6116.01%5,96158.67%10,160Hancock8,59068.13%3,33526.45%6845.42%5,25541.68%12,609Hardy4,49771.93%1,36421.82%3916.25%3,13350.11%6,252Harrison17,95362.35%8,77130.46%2,0727.20%9,18231.89%28,796Jackson7,88663.00%3,49927.95%1,1339.05%4,38735.05%12,518Jefferson16,71658.23%10,70537.29%1,2874.48%6,01120.94%28,708Kanawha34,90747.60%33,90646.24%4,5196.16%1,0011.37%73,332Lewis4,87370.06%1,50121.58%5818.35%3,37248.48%6,955Lincoln4,50565.15%1,94228.08%4686.77%2,56337.06%6,915Logan7,42469.12%2,86526.67%4524.21%4,55942.44%10,741Marion13,88357.57%8,38034.75%1,8537.68%5,50322.82%24,116Marshall8,52265.80%3,60527.83%8256.37%4,91737.96%12,952Mason6,45562.92%3,23931.57%5655.51%3,21631.35%10,259McDowell3,48969.95%1,18923.84%3106.21%2,30046.11%4,988Mercer16,23470.85%5,56024.27%1,1184.88%10,67446.59%22,912Mineral9,77177.21%2,30618.22%5784.57%7,46558.99%12,655Mingo5,87373.81%1,78122.38%3033.81%4,09251.43%7,957Monongalia19,23347.45%18,94946.75%2,3485.79%2840.70%40,530Monroe4,45472.05%1,47023.78%2584.17%2,98448.27%6,182Morgan6,37372.30%1,74719.82%6957.88%4,62652.48%8,815Nicholas6,69968.74%2,55226.19%4955.08%4,14742.55%9,746Ohio10,63458.29%6,64636.43%9625.27%3,98821.86%18,242Pendleton2,48675.29%66120.02%1554.69%1,82555.27%3,302Pleasants2,35873.03%67520.90%1966.07%1,68352.12%3,229Pocahontas2,46565.70%1,05728.17%2306.13%1,40837.53%3,752Preston9,87470.72%3,05521.88%1,0337.40%6,81948.84%13,962Putnam16,06859.96%9,22034.41%1,5085.63%6,84825.56%26,796Raleigh20,00067.11%8,12527.26%1,6785.63%11,87539.84%29,803Randolph7,14263.24%3,37629.89%7766.87%3,76633.35%11,294Ritchie2,99977.37%64216.56%2356.06%2,35760.81%3,876Roane3,52665.72%1,53528.61%3045.67%1,99137.11%5,365Summers3,36766.38%1,47429.06%2314.55%1,89337.32%5,072Taylor4,82967.92%1,80225.34%4796.74%3,02742.57%7,110Tucker2,28164.29%1,04029.31%2276.40%1,24134.98%3,548Tyler2,59673.96%62417.78%2908.26%1,97256.18%3,510Upshur6,47867.21%1,94820.21%1,21312.58%4,53047.00%9,639Wayne9,47162.32%5,03033.10%6974.59%4,44129.22%15,198Webster2,03870.84%68023.64%1595.53%1,35847.20%2,877Wetzel4,00767.49%1,56026.28%3706.23%2,44741.22%5,937Wirt1,78872.45%52321.19%1576.36%1,26551.26%2,468Wood23,42264.72%10,53229.10%2,2376.18%12,89035.62%36,191Wyoming5,01570.00%1,70523.80%4446.20%3,31046.20%7,164Totals459,30061.99%233,97631.58%47,6526.43%225,32430.41%740,928

By congressional district Morrisey won both congressional districts. District Morrisey Williams Representative 60% 34%Carol Miller63%30%Alex Mooney (118th Congress)Riley Moore (119th Congress)

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links Official campaign websites Erika Kolenich (L) for Governor Chase Linko-Looper (M) for Governor Patrick Morrisey (R) for Governor Steve Williams (D) for Governor S. Marshall Wilson (C) for Governor