CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Senator Richard Ojeda will face state Delegate Carol Miller in the race for an open congressional seat representing southern West Virginia.
With almost all the precincts reporting in the district, Ojeda had 52 percent of the vote. His closest competitor in the primary was Shirley Love, a longtime state delegate, who had 25 percent of the vote.
Ojeda, a Logan resident, has been serving his first term in the state Senate. He was a very popular political figure during the 9-day statewide teachers strike, receiving cheers and chants.
With 98 percent of the precincts reporting, Miller of Huntington was up by almost a thousand votes over fellow state Delegate Rupie Phillips.
Marty Gearheart, yet another delegate, was right behind them. And Conrad Lucas, former Democratic Party chairman, was just behind Gearheart.
A competitive race developed during the course of the election for the seat representing the district as the seat was vacated by incumbent Congressman Evan Jenkins, who was running for U.S. Senate.
The Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District was won by Democrat Talley Sergent, who served as the state director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
She defeated Aaron Scheinberg, an Army veteran and former nonprofit director.
With almost all precincts reporting, Sergent had 62 percent of the vote to Scheinberg’s 38 percent.
Sergent will now take on incumbent Republican Congressman Alex Mooney.
Kendra Fershee, a West Virginia University law professor, won the Democratic nomination for the 1st Congressional District over businessman Ralph Baxter and lawyer Tom Payne.
Fershee will take on incumbent Congressman David McKinley, a Republican, in the fall.
With almost all precincts reporting, Fershee had 48 percent of the vote to Baxter’s 39 percent and Payne’s 13 percent.