President of the West Virginia Senate#List

{{Infobox official post

| post = President

| body = the West Virginia Senate

| flag =

| flagsize =

| flagcaption =

| insignia = File:Seal of West Virginia.svg

| insigniasize = 120

| insigniacaption = Seal of West Virginia

| image =

| incumbent = Randy Smith

| incumbentsince = January 8, 2025

| department = West Virginia Senate

| status = Presiding officer

| seat = West Virginia State Capitol, Charleston

| appointer = West Virginia Senate

| constituting_instrument = West Virginia Constitution

| formation = {{start date and age|1863|6|20}}

| first = John M. Phelps

| succession = First

| website = {{url|https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Senate1/president.cfm}}

| native_name = Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia

}}

The president of the West Virginia Senate is a member of the West Virginia Senate who has been elected to be its president by the other senators. The current Senate president is Randy Smith, who has been in office since January 8, 2025.

In addition to serving as the Senate's presiding officer, the Senate President is also first in the line of succession to the office of governor of West Virginia (the Senate president does not succeed to that office, but rather assumes that office's powers and duties as acting governor, with the governorship remaining vacant). As stated in Article 7, Section 16 of the West Virginia Constitution: "In case of the death, conviction or impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation, or other disability of the governor, the president of the Senate shall act as governor until the vacancy is filled, or the disability removed."{{cite web |url=http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/WV_CON.cfm |title=Constitution of West Virginia |author= |date=2004 |website=West Virginia Legislature |publisher=State of West Virginia |access-date=October 1, 2017 }} However, the Senate President may not always serve that role for the whole remainder of the gubernatorial term, as the constitution also states: "Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of governor before the first three years of the term shall have expired, a new election for governor shall take place to fill the vacancy."

The West Virginia Constitution does not create or even mention the title of lieutenant governor. However, in 2000, the West Virginia Legislature adopted West Virginia Code chapter 6A, section 1-4(b), which says "the president of the Senate shall be additionally designated the title of lieutenant governor".{{cite web |url=http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=06a&art=1§ion=4#01 |title=West Virginia Code: Additional successors to office of governor |author= |date=2017 |website=West Virginia Legislature |publisher=State of West Virginia |access-date=October 1, 2017 }} Earl Ray Tomblin was the first Senate president to thus have the title lieutenant governor of West Virginia.

List

The presidents of the West Virginia Senate since 1863:

{{legend2|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|Democratic|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{nowrap|– 31;}} {{legend2|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|Republican|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{nowrap|– 23}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! colspan="3" |Senate President

!Term start

!Term end

!Party

! colspan="2" |Governor

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|John Phelps

1821 – August 26, 1884

(aged 63)

|June 20, 1863

|January 19, 1864

|Republican

| rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="3" style="border-style: solid solid none solid" |Arthur Boreman

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|William Stevenson

March 18, 1820 – November 29, 1883

(aged 63)

|January 19, 1864

|January 19, 1869

|Republican

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Daniel Farnsworth

December 23, 1819 – December 5, 1892

(aged 72)

|January 19, 1869

|January 17, 1871

|Republican

|bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Joseph T. Hoke

February 6, 1835 – July 27, 1910

(aged 75)

|February 26, 1869

|March 4, 1869

|Republican

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Daniel Farnsworth
(acting)

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Daniel Farnsworth

December 23, 1819 – December 5, 1892

(aged 72)

|January 19, 1869

|January 17, 1871

|Republican

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |William Stevenson

rowspan="2" |4

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Lewis Baker

November 11, 1832 – April 30, 1899

(aged 66)

| rowspan="2" |January 17, 1871

| rowspan="2" |January 16, 1872

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="3" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |John Jacob

|bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|60px

|Carlos Sperry

July 28, 1832 – May 9, 1905

(aged 72)

|January 16, 1872

|August 22, 1872

|Democratic

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Daniel Johnson

April 28, 1836 – December 18, 1893

(aged 57)

|November 19, 1872

|January 10, 1877

|Democratic

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|People's Independent Party}}"|

rowspan="2" |7

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Ulysses Arnett

November 7, 1820 – December 1, 1880

(aged 60)

| rowspan="2" |January 10, 1877

| rowspan="2" |January 8, 1879

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |Henry Mathews

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Daniel Johnson

April 28, 1836 – December 18, 1893

(aged 57)

|January 8, 1879

|January 12, 1881

|Democratic

rowspan="2" |9

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2' |

| rowspan="2" |Albert Summers

January 1, 1824 – April 1, 1901

(aged 77)

| rowspan="2" |January 12, 1881

| rowspan="2" |January 10, 1883

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" style="border-style: solid solid none solid" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;"|Jacob Jackson

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|Thomas Farnsworth

May 17, 1829 – October 12, 1916

(aged 87)

|January 10, 1883

|January 14, 1885

|Democratic

rowspan="2" |11

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |George Price

November 9, 1848 – February 6, 1938

(aged 89)

| rowspan="2" |January 14, 1885

| rowspan="2" |January 9, 1889

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;"|Emmanuel Watson

rowspan="2" |12

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Robert Carr

November 17, 1845 – May 6, 1925

(aged 79)

| rowspan="2" |January 22, 1889

| rowspan="2" |January 14, 1891

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |Aretas Fleming

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|John McCreery

July 31, 1845 – May 22, 1917

(aged 71)

|January 14, 1891

|January 11, 1893

|Democratic

rowspan="2" |14

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Rankin Wiley

April 6, 1853 – February 21, 1929

(aged 75)

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1893

| rowspan="2" |January 9, 1895

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |William MacCorkle

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|William Worley

August 1, 1846 – October 7, 1928

(aged 82)

|January 9, 1895

|January 13, 1897

|Republican

rowspan="2" |16

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Nelson Whitaker

November 9, 1839 – December 28, 1909

(aged 70)

| rowspan="2" |January 13, 1897

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1899

| rowspan="2" |Republican

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |George Atkinson

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Oliver Marshall

September 24, 1850 – May 19, 1934

(aged 83)

|January 11, 1899

|January 9, 1901

|Republican

rowspan="2" |18

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Anthony Smith

January 9, 1844 – July 10, 1927

(aged 83)

| rowspan="2" |January 9, 1901

| rowspan="2" |January 14, 1903

| rowspan="2" |Republican

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 3em;" |Albert White

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Clark May

July 14, 1869 – April 25, 1908

(aged 38)

|January 14, 1903

|January 11, 1905

|Republican

rowspan="2" |20

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Gustavus Northcott

April 4, 1861 – December 8, 1938

(aged 77)

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1905

| rowspan="2" |January 9, 1907

| rowspan="2" |Republican

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |William Dawson

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Joseph McDermott

July 28, 1871 – December 12, 1930

(aged 59)

|January 9, 1907

|January 13, 1909

|Republican

rowspan="2" |22

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Lewis Forman

January 7, 1855 – January 3, 1933

(aged 77)

| rowspan="2" |January 13, 1909

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1911

| rowspan="2" |Republican

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="4" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="3" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |William Glasscock

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|Robert F. Kidd

February 11, 1853 – June 8, 1930

(aged 77)

|January 17, 1911

|January 30, 1911

|Democratic

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Henry Hatfield

September 15, 1875 – October 13, 1962

(aged 87)

|January 30, 1911

|January 24, 1913

|Republican

rowspan="2" |25

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Samuel Woods

August 31, 1856 – June 1, 1937

(aged 80)

| rowspan="2" |January 24, 1913

| rowspan="2" |January 13, 1915

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 3em;" |Henry Hatfield

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Edward England

September 29, 1869 – September 9, 1934

(aged 64)

|January 13, 1915

|January 10, 1917

|Republican

rowspan="2" |27

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Wells Goodykoontz

June 3, 1872 – March 2, 1944

(aged 71)

| rowspan="2" |January 10, 1917

| rowspan="2" |January 8, 1919

| rowspan="2" |Republican

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |John Cornwell

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Charles Sinsel

June 5, 1864 – December 8, 1923

(aged 59)

|January 8, 1919

|January 12, 1921

|Republican

rowspan="2" |29

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Gohen Arnold

January 5, 1885 – June 9, 1939

(aged 54)

| rowspan="2" |January 12, 1921

| rowspan="2" |January 10, 1923

| rowspan="2" |Republican

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{Zwsp}}

rowspan="4" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="3" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |Ephraim Morgan

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Harry Schaffer

January 22, 1885 – July 3, 1971

(aged 86)

|January 10, 1923

|January 14, 1925

|Republican

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Charles Coffman

August 30, 1875 – August 15, 1929

(aged 53)

|January 14, 1925

|April 15, 1925

|Republican

rowspan="3" |32

| rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="3" |60px

| rowspan="3" |Montezuma White

September 6, 1872 – May 10, 1945

(aged 72)

| rowspan="3" |April 15, 1925

| rowspan="3" |January 11, 1933

| rowspan="3" |Republican

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{zwsp}}

bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

|Howard Gore

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2.2em;" |William Conley

rowspan="2" |33

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Albert Mathews

July 31, 1872 – December 5, 1958

(aged 86)

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1933

| rowspan="2" |January 9, 1935

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid" |{{zwsp}}

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2.2em;" |Herman Kump

rowspan="2" |34

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Charles Hodges

September 27, 1892 – May 1, 1968

(aged 75)

| rowspan="2" |January 9, 1935

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1939

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid;" |{{zwsp}}

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" |Homer Holt

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|William LaFon

March 8, 1888 – February 4, 1941

(aged 52)

|January 11, 1939

|January 8, 1941

|Democratic

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|Byron Randolph

June 12, 1906 – November 7, 1979

(aged 73)

|January 8, 1941

|January 13, 1943

|Democratic

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" |Matthew Neely

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|James Paull

May 3, 1901 – March 8, 1983

(aged 81)

|January 13, 1943

|January 10, 1945

|Democratic

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|Arnold Vickers

August 8, 1908 – December 25, 1967

(aged 59)

|January 10, 1945

|January 12, 1949

|Democratic

|bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|Clarence Meadows

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|W. Broughton Johnston

May 21, 1905 – August 24, 1978

(aged 73)

|January 12, 1949

|January 14, 1953

|Democratic

|bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|Okey Patteson

rowspan="2" |40

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Ralph Bean

December 15, 1912 – June 7, 1978

(aged 65)

| rowspan="2" |January 14, 1953

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1961

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

|bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|William Marland

bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

|Cecil Underwood

rowspan="2" |41

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Howard Carson

April 30, 1910 – August 9, 1994

(aged 84)

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 1961

| rowspan="2" |January 8, 1969

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

|bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|Wally Barron

bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|Hulett Smith

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Lloyd Jackson

May 30, 1918 – October 29, 2011

(aged 93)

|January 8, 1969

|January 13, 1971

|Democratic

| rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 2em;" |Arch Moore

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|E. Hansford McCourt

April 21, 1909 – August 3, 1992

(aged 83)

|January 13, 1971

|January 10, 1973

|Democratic

rowspan="2" |44

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |William Brotherton

April 17, 1926 – April 6, 1997

(aged 70)

| rowspan="2" |January 10, 1973

| rowspan="2" |January 14, 1981

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid;" |{{zwsp}}

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" |Jay Rockefeller

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|Warren McGraw

May 10, 1939 – June 14, 2023

(aged 84)

|January 14, 1981

|January 9, 1985

|Democratic

|bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|Dan Tonkovich

April 17, 1946 – February 10, 2002

(aged 55)

|January 9, 1985

|January 11, 1989

|Democratic

| rowspan="3" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="2" style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 1em;" |Arch Moore

| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

|Larry Tucker

April 11, 1935 – November 16, 2016

(aged 81)

|January 11, 1989

|September 7, 1989

|Democratic

rowspan="2" |48

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Keith Burdette{{Br}}{{birth date and age|1955|4|27}}

| rowspan="2" |September 12, 1989

| rowspan="2" |January 3, 1995

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid;" |

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| style="border-style: solid solid none solid;padding-top: 6em;" | Gaston Caperton

style="height: 75px"

| rowspan="5" |49

| rowspan="5" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|

| rowspan="5" |60px

| rowspan="5" |Earl Ray Tomblin{{Br}}{{birth date and age|1952|3|15}}

| rowspan="5" |January 3, 1995

| rowspan="5" |November 13, 2011

| rowspan="5" |Democratic

| style="border-style: none solid solid solid;" |{{zwsp}}

bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

|Cecil Underwood

bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|Bob Wise

bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

|Joe Manchin

rowspan="4" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| style="border-style: solid solid none solid;" |{{zwsp}}

rowspan="2" |50

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Jeff Kessler{{Br}}{{birth date and age|1955|11|16}}

|November 15, 2010

|November 14, 2011

| rowspan="2" |Democratic

| rowspan="3" style="border-style: none solid solid solid;padding-bottom: 2.5em;"|Earl Ray Tomblin

November 14, 2011

|January 14, 2015

style="height: 75px"

|51

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|60px

|Bill Cole{{Br}}{{birth date and age|1956|5|16}}

|January 14, 2015

|January 11, 2017

|Republican

style="height: 75px"

| rowspan="2" |52

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Mitch Carmichael{{Br}}{{birth date and age|1960|4|15}}

| rowspan="2" |January 11, 2017

| rowspan="2" |January 13, 2021

| rowspan="2" |Republican

|bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}"|

| rowspan="3" |Jim Justice

rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

style="height: 75px"

|53

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Craig Blair{{Br}}{{birth date and age|1959|10|17}}

|January 13, 2021

|January 8, 2025

|Republican

style="height: 75px"

|54

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Randy Smith{{Br}}{{birth date and age|1960|3|3}}

|January 8, 2025

|Incumbent

|Republican

| bgcolor="{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}"|

|Patrick Morrisey

References

Category:Government of West Virginia

Category:Politics of West Virginia

Presidents

President of the West Virginia Senate#List

List

See also

References