2006 West Virginia Senate election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| outgoing_members = These seats' last election (2002)
| elected_members = These seats' next election (2010)
| election_name = 2006 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 = 301,122
| percentage1 = 63.6%
| next_year = 2008
| leader2 = Vic Sprouse
| leader_since2 = 1998
| party2 = West Virginia Republican Party
| next_election = 2008 West Virginia Senate election
| seats_for_election = 17 of 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate
| majority_seats = 18
| image1 = x150px
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| previous_election = 2004 West Virginia Senate election
| previous_year = 2004
| election_date = November 7, 2006
| leaders_seat2 = SD 8
| popular_vote2 = 172,007
| percentage2 = 36.4%
| map_caption = Holds and gains
{{legend0|#0671B0|Democratic gain}} {{Legend0|#92C5DE|Democratic hold}}
{{Legend0|#F48882|Republican hold}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
Democratic
{{legend|#86B6F2|50–60%}}
{{legend|#4389E3|60–70%}}
{{legend|#1666CB|70–80%}}
{{legend|#002B84|>90%}}
{{col-2}}
Republican
{{legend|#E27F90|50–60%}}
{{legend|#800000|>90%}}
{{col-end}}
| map_image = {{switcher |250px |Winner by party |File:WV Senate Election by partisan lean, 2006.svg |Margin of victory |default=1}}
| 1blank = Seats up
| 1data1 = 11
| 1data2 = 6
| 2blank = Seats won
| 2data1 = 13
| 2data2 = 4
| seat_change1 = {{up}} 2
| seat_change2 = {{down}} 2
| seats_before1 = 21
| seats_before2 = 13
| seats_after1 = 23
| seats_after2 = 11
}}
{{Elections in West Virginia sidebar}}
The 2006 West Virginia Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 7, 2006, to elect members to the 78th and 79th Legislature. 17 of the 34 state senate seats were up for election. State senate seats in West Virginia are staggered, with senators serving 4-year terms.{{cite book |last1=Holmes |first1=Darrell |title=West Virginia Blue Book |date=2003 |page=776 |edition=Volume 84 |url=https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/WVS_Bluebook_2003.pdf |access-date=20 February 2024}} The election took place concurrently with the U.S. House and U.S. Senate elections. The Democratic Party won over 60% of the vote for state senate candidates and picked up 2 seats held by Republicans, retaining their supermajority. While President George W. Bush won the state in the previous presidential election, Democrats did well across the country and the state in a year described as a blue wave.{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2006/story?id=2637650|work=ABC News|date=November 8, 2006|access-date=October 8, 2023|title=Much-Diminished GOP Absorbs the Voters' Ire|first1=Gary |last1=Langer|first2=Dalia |last2=Sussman|first3=Peyton |last3=Craighill|first4=Rich |last4=Morin|first5=Brian |last5=Hartman|first6=Bob |last6=Shapiro|archive-date=February 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217062814/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2006/story?id=2637650|url-status=live}}
Summary
| class="wikitable"
|+ Summary of the 2006 West Virginia Senate election results{{cite book |last1=Holmes |first1=Darrell |title=West Virginia Blue Book |date=2007 |page=797 |edition=Volume 89 |url=https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/WVS_Bluebook_2007.pdf |access-date=20 February 2024}} |
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Party
! rowspan="2" | Candidates ! rowspan="2" | Votes ! rowspan="2" | % ! colspan="5" | Seats |
|---|
| Before{{cite book |last1=Holmes |first1=Darrell |title=West Virginia Blue Book |date=2007 |page=484 |edition=Volume 89 |url=https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/WVS_Bluebook_2007.pdf |access-date=20 February 2024}}
! Up ! Won ! After ! +/– |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}" |
| align="right" | 16 | align="right" | 301,122 | align="right" | 63.6% | align="right" | 21 | align="right" | 11 | align="right" | 13 | align="right" | 23 | align="right" | {{up}} 2 |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}" |
| align="right" | 13 | align="right" | 172,007 | align="right" | 36.4% | align="right" | 13 | align="right" | 6 | align="right" | 4 | align="right" | 11 | align="right" | {{down}} 2 |
| style="background-color:{{party color|Write-in}}" |
| colspan=2 | Write-in | align="right" | 102 | align="right" | nil | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | {{steady}} |
| colspan="3" | Total
| align="right" | 473,231 | align="right" | 100% | align="center" | 34 | colspan="2" align="center" | 17 | 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)}}|63.6}}
{{bar percent|Republican|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|36.4}}
{{bar percent|Write-in|{{party color|Write-in}}|nil}}
}}
{{bar box
|title = Seats won
|titlebar = #ddd
|width = 550px
|barwidth = 710px
|bars =
{{bar percent|Democratic|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|76.5}}
{{bar percent|Republican|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|23.5}}
}}
{{bar box
|title = Total senate seats
|titlebar = #ddd
|width = 550px
|barwidth = 710px
|bars =
{{bar percent|Democratic|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|67.7}}
{{bar percent|Republican|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|32.3}}
}}
Predictions
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Source !Ranking !As of |
| align=left | Rothenberg{{Cite web |last=Jacobson |first=Louis |date=November 4, 2006 |title=State Legislature Ratings |url=https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/state-legislature-ratings |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=www.insideelections.com |language=en}}
| {{USRaceRating|Safe|D}} | November 4, 2006 |
SD 1
{{Election box begin no change |title=2006 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 = 17,889
|percentage = 69.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = George Village
|votes = 7,690
|percentage = 30.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 25,579
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 2
{{Election box begin no change |title=2006 West Virginia SD 2 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Larry Edgell (incumbent)
|votes = 17,009
|percentage = 64.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Wayne Weber
|votes = 9,184
|percentage = 35.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 26,193
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 3 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = J. Frank Deem (incumbent)
|votes = 19,930
|percentage = 99.5
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 92
|percentage = 0.5
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 20,022
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 4 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Mike Hall
|votes = 17,438
|percentage = 51.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Jim Lees
|votes = 16,135
|percentage = 48.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 33,573
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 5
{{Election box begin no change |title=2006 West Virginia SD 5 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Evan Jenkins (incumbent)
|votes = 16,502
|percentage = 64.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Thomas Scott
|votes = 9,257
|percentage = 35.9
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 25,759
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 6
{{Election box begin no change |title=2006 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 = 14,621
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 14,621
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 7 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Ron Stollings
|votes = 16,437
|percentage = 77.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Larry Lyons
|votes = 4,865
|percentage = 22.8
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 21,302
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 8 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Erik Wells
|votes = 31,073
|percentage = 58.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Mark Plants
|votes = 22,408
|percentage = 41.9
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 53,481
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 9 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Mike Green
|votes = 12,109
|percentage = 55.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Russ Weeks (incumbent)
|votes = 9,628
|percentage = 44.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 21,737
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
|loser = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 10
{{Election box begin no change |title=2006 West Virginia SD 10 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Jesse Guills (incumbent)
|votes = 12,590
|percentage = 51.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Frederick Parker
|votes = 11,849
|percentage = 48.5
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 24,439
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Republican Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 11
{{Election box begin no change |title=2006 West Virginia SD 11 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Randy White (incumbent)
|votes = 12,991
|percentage = 52.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Pete Sigler
|votes = 11,679
|percentage = 47.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 24,670
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 12 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Joe Minard (incumbent)
|votes = 22,218
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 22,218
|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=2006 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 = 25,060
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 25,060
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 14 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Dave Sypolt
|votes = 16,057
|percentage = 52.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Craig Rotruck
|votes = 14,334
|percentage = 47.2
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 10
|percentage = nil
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 30,401
|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=2006 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 = 21,509
|percentage = 99.6
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 92
|percentage = 0.4
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 21,601
|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=2006 West Virginia SD 16 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = John Unger (Incumbent)
|votes = 19,640
|percentage = 64.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Jerry Mays
|votes = 10,729
|percentage = 35.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 30,369
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}
SD 17
{{Election box begin no change |title=2006 West Virginia SD 17 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Democratic Party
|candidate = Brooks McCabe (Incumbent)
|votes = 31,746
|percentage = 60.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = West Virginia Republican Party
|candidate = Ann Calvert
|votes = 20,552
|percentage = 39.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 52,298
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
|winner = West Virginia Democratic Party
}}
{{End}}