The 2020 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of West Virginia, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
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Capito: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Swearengin: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Tie: 40–50% 50% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent senator Shelley Moore Capito won a second term against Democrat Paula Jean Swearengin by a margin of 43.3%, winning every county, and becoming the first West Virginia Republican to win reelection to the U.S. Senate since 1907.
Swearengin's 27% of the vote is the lowest vote percentage and worst margin of defeat for any Democratic Senate candidate in West Virginia history.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Shelley Moore Capito (incumbent) | 173,847 | 83.32% | |
Republican | Allen Whitt | 20,075 | 9.62% | |
Republican | Larry Butcher | 14,717 | 7.05% | |
Total votes | 208,639 | 100.00% |
Paula Jean Swearengin won the nomination with 38.8% of the vote in the state's Democratic primary on June 9, 2020.[5]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Paula Jean Swearengin | 72,292 | 38.39% | |
Democratic | Richard Ojeda | 61,954 | 32.90% | |
Democratic | Richie Robb | 54,048 | 28.70% | |
Total votes | 188,294 | 100.00% |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[17] | Safe R | October 29, 2020 |
Inside Elections[18] | Safe R | October 28, 2020 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[19] | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
Daily Kos[20] | Safe R | October 30, 2020 |
Politico[21] | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
RCP[22] | Safe R | October 23, 2020 |
DDHQ[23] | Safe R | November 3, 2020 |
538[24] | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
Economist[25] | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Shelley Moore Capito (R) |
Paula Jean Swearengin (D) |
David Moran (L) |
Undecided |
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Research America Inc. | October 6–9, 2020 | 450 (LV) | ± 4.6% | 53% | 33% | 5% | 9% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Shelley Moore Capito (incumbent) | 547,454 | 70.28% | +8.16% | |
Democratic | Paula Jean Swearengin | 210,309 | 27.00% | -7.47% | |
Libertarian | David Moran | 21,155 | 2.72% | +1.09% | |
Total votes | 778,918 | 100.00% | |||
Republican hold |
By county
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Capito won all 55 of the state's counties for the second election in a row, earning more than 70% of the vote over Swearengin in all but eight counties.