1998 West Virginia Senate election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| outgoing_members = These seats' last election (1994)
| elected_members = These seats' next election (2002)
| election_name = 1998 West Virginia Senate elections
| map =
| seats_needed1 = {{steady}}
| seats_needed2 = {{increase}} 7
| country = West Virginia
| image1_size = x180px
| time_zone =
| ongoing = no
| before_election = Earl Ray Tomblin
| title = Senate President
| after_election = Earl Ray Tomblin
| after_party = West Virginia Democratic Party
| reporting =
| last_update =
| type = legislative
| map_size = 250px
| before_party = West Virginia Democratic Party
| party1 = West Virginia Democratic Party
| leader1 = Earl Ray Tomblin
| leaders_seat1 = SD 7
| leader_since1 = 1995
| popular_vote1 = 265,373
| percentage1 = 63.2%
| 1blank = Seats up
| 1data1 = 12
| 1data2 = 6
| 2blank = Seats won
| 2data1 = 16
| 2data2 = 2
| next_year = 2000
| leader2 = Vic Sprouse
| leader_since2 = 1998
| party2 = West Virginia Republican Party
| next_election = 2000 West Virginia Senate election
| seats_for_election = 18 of 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate
(17 regular, 1 special)
| majority_seats = 18
| image1 = x150px
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| previous_election = 1996 West Virginia Senate election
| previous_year = 1996
| election_date = November 3, 1998
| leaders_seat2 = SD 8
| popular_vote2 = 149,651
| percentage2 = 35.6%
| map_caption = Circular inset (SD 2): Special election
Holds and gains
{{legend0|#0671B0|Democratic gain}} {{Legend0|#92C5DE|Democratic hold}}
{{Legend0|#F48882|Republican hold}}
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
Democratic
{{legend|#86B6F2|50–60%}}
{{legend|#4389E3|60–70%}}
{{legend|#0645B4|80–90%}}
{{legend|#002B84|>90%}}
{{col-2}}
Republican
{{legend|#E27F90|50–60%}}
{{col-end}}
| map_image = {{switcher |250px |Winner by party |250px |Margin of victory |default=1}}
| seat_change1 = {{up}} 4
| seat_change2 = {{down}} 4
| seats_before1 = 25
| seats_before2 = 9
| seats_after1 = 29
| seats_after2 = 5
}}
{{Elections in West Virginia sidebar}}
The 1998 West Virginia Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 3, 1998. State senate seats in West Virginia are staggered, with senators serving 4-year terms. 18 of the 34 state senate seats were up for election,{{cite book |last1=Holmes |first1=Darrell |title=West Virginia Blue Book |date=2001 |page=733 |edition=Volume 82 |url=https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/WVS_Bluebook_1999.pdf |access-date=18 February 2024}} with SD 2 holding an additional special election for Larry Wiedebusch's seat, who died on October 25, 1997. {{cite book |last1=Holmes |first1=Darrell |title=West Virginia Blue Book |date=2001 |page=416|edition=Volume 82 |url=https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/WVS_Bluebook_1999.pdf |access-date=18 February 2024}} Jeffrey V. Kessler was appointed to fill the seat and was re-elected by a wide margin. The election took place concurrently with the U.S. House elections. The Democratic Party won over 60% of the vote for state senate candidates and flipped 4 Republican seats, retaining a supermajority in the state legislature's upper chamber.
Summary
| class="wikitable"
|+ Summary of the 1998 West Virginia Senate election results{{cite book |last1=Holmes |first1=Darrell |title=West Virginia Blue Book |date=2001 |page=733 |edition=Volume 82 |url=https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/WVS_Bluebook_1999.pdf |access-date=18 February 2024}} |
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Party
! rowspan="2" | Candidates ! rowspan="2" | Votes ! rowspan="2" | % ! colspan="5" | Seats |
|---|
| Before
! Up ! Won ! After ! +/– |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}" |
| align="right" | 18 | align="right" | 265,373 | align="right" | 63.2% | align="right" | 25 | align="right" | 12 | align="right" | 16 | align="right" | 29 | align="right" | {{up}} 4 |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}" |
| align="right" | 13 | align="right" | 149,651 | align="right" | 35.6% | align="right" | 9 | align="right" | 6 | align="right" | 2 | align="right" | 5 | align="right" | {{down}} 4 |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Libertarian Party (US)}}" |
| align="right" | 3 | align="right" | 5,100 | align="right" | 1.2% | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | {{steady}} |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Write-in}}" |
| Write-in | align="right" | 1 | align="right" | 8 | align="right" | nil | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | {{steady}} |
| colspan="3" | Total
| align="right" | 420,124 | align="right" | 100% | align="center" | 34 | colspan="2" align="center" | 18 | align="center" | 34 | align="right" | {{steady}} |
{{bar box
|title = Popular vote
|titlebar = #ddd
|width = 550px
|barwidth = 710px
|bars =
{{bar percent|Democratic|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|63.2}}
{{bar percent|Republican|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|35.6}}
{{bar percent|Libertarian|{{party color|Libertarian Party (United States)}}|1.2}}
{{bar percent|Write-in|{{party color|Write-in}}|nil}}
}}
{{bar box
|title = Senate seats
|titlebar = #ddd
|width = 550px
|barwidth = 710px
|bars =
{{bar percent|Democratic|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|85.3}}
{{bar percent|Republican|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|14.7}}
}}
SD 1
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 1 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Edwin Bowman (incumbent)
|votes = 14,118
|percentage = 64.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Don Chaney
|votes = 7,944
|percentage = 36.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 22,062
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 2 (Full term)
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 2 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Larry Edgell
|votes = 11,253
|percentage = 56.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Charles Clements
|votes = 8,691
|percentage = 43.6
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 19,944
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 2 (Unexpired term)
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 2 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Jeffrey Kessler
|votes = 13,308
|percentage = 66.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Douglas Sapp
|votes = 6,697
|percentage = 33.5
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 20,005
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 3
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 3 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Frank Deem (incumbent)
|votes = 14,159
|percentage = 53.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Paul Thornton
|votes = 12,465
|percentage = 46.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = Larry Butcher
|votes = 8
|percentage = nil
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 26,632
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 4
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 4 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Oshel Craigo (incumbent)
|votes = 18,183
|percentage = 57.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Kelly Given
|votes = 13,328
|percentage = 42.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 31,511
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 5
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 5 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Marie Redd
|votes = 9,082
|percentage = 50.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Thomas R. Scott (incumbent)
|votes = 8,867
|percentage = 49.4
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 17,949
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
|loser = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 6
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 6 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = H. Truman Chafin (incumbent)
|votes = 10,669
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 10,669
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 7
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 7 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Lloyd G. Jackson II (incumbent)
|votes = 11,840
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 11,840
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 8
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 8 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = John R. Mitchell, Jr.
|votes = 26,149
|percentage = 57.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Jack Buckalew (incumbent)
|votes = 19,643
|percentage = 42.9
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 45,792
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
|loser = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 9
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 9 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = William R. Wooton (incumbent)
|votes = 11,552
|percentage = 80.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Libertarian Party (US)
|candidate = Joy Johnson
|votes = 2,892
|percentage = 20.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 14,444
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 10
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 10 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Leonard Anderson
|votes = 11,452
|percentage = 61.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Thomas Fast
|votes = 6,022
|percentage = 33.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Libertarian Party (US)
|candidate = Elizabeth Simmons
|votes = 1,175
|percentage = 6.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 18,649
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 11
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 11 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Randy Schoonover (incumbent)
|votes = 15,065
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 15,065
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 12
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 12 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Joseph M. Minard
|votes = 15,961
|percentage = 65.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = David Hinkle
|votes = 8,416
|percentage = 34.5
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 24,377
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 13
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 13 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Mike Oliverio (incumbent)
|votes = 19,094
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 19,094
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 14
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 14 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Sarah Minear (incumbent)
|votes = 15,230
|percentage = 56.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Gary Livengood
|votes = 10,795
|percentage = 39.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Libertarian Party (US)
|candidate = John Bartlett
|votes = 1,033
|percentage = 3.8
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 27,058
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 15
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 15 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Walt Helmick (incumbent)
|votes = 14,879
|percentage = 61.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Les Shoemaker
|votes = 9,238
|percentage = 38.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 24,117
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 16
{{Election box begin no change |title=1998 West Virginia SD 16 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = John Unger
|votes = 13,037
|percentage = 55.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Harry Dugan (incumbent)
|votes = 10,439
|percentage = 44.5
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 23,476
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
|loser = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 17
{{Election box begin no change |title=2000 West Virginia SD 17 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Brooks McCabe
|votes = 26,471
|percentage = 55.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Larry Kimble
|votes = 20,977
|percentage = 44.2
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 47,448
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
|loser = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}