9:19 pm. And George Miller is headed to Charleston also. With Morgan County totals in for the 58th, its Miller 3,850 (75 percent) to Harden 1,251.
9:17 pm Morgan County totals are in. Unless there is a total collapse in Berkeley County for Reed, he’s headed to Charleston. Morgan County totals for 59th House of Delegates district: Reed 1,942. Robert Smith 400. Patricia Adams 422.
9:15 pm In Senate 1, with 76 percent of the vote in, Republican Ryan Weld is now ahead of Democrat Randy Swartzmiller 53 percent to 47 percent.
8:50 pm There are five key district that are key to flipping the Senate. The third one is Senate 1 where the incumbent Republican Ryan Weld is up against Democrat Randy Swartzmiller. With 36 percent of the precincts reporting, Weld and Swartzmiller are neck and neck. It’s 50 percent to 50 percent.
“I’ve always fought for people,” Swartzmiller told the Wheeling News-Register. “I was handed layoff slips over the years … lost my health care and pension. I can relate to what people are going through. I’m a blue-collar fighter. I know how difficult it can be. I think that’s the biggest thing about me. I’m a people person.”
8:45 pm Second sign that West Virginia Senate may flip is Senate 10. With 20 percent of the precincts reporting, its Democrat William Laird defeating Republican Jack Woodrum 55 percent to 45 percent.
Woodrum has been dismissive of Laird’s candidacy. “I know Bill and worked with him when he was in the Senate,” Woodrum said earlier this year. “Everyone likes Bill. But his time has come and gone. He can’t be effective now. The district needs a Republican in Charleston.”
8:42 pm Kim Nickles back out. We have now six of 13 precincts reporting. Here are the totals the six precincts. (Again, don’t know which six.)
Ken Reed 1,131. Robert Smith 314. Patricia Adams 294.
George Miller 2,980. Tom Harden 1,098.
8:36 pm. In first sign that West Virginia Senate might flip Blue, with six percent of precincts reporting in Senate 11, Democrat Denise Campbell is beating Republican Robert Lee Karnes. Karnes was upset in the Republican primary in 2018, losing to a pro-teacher Republican, Bill Hamilton. (The race made national news with The Intercept running the story under the headline — West Virginia Republican Said Teachers Won’t “Have Any Significant Effect” on Elections. Then They Voted Him Out.)
8:30 pm Ken Reed 889. Robert Smith 259. Patricia Adams 252.
8:28 pm 58th House of Delegates George Miller 2,236. Tom Harden 959.
8:27 pm George Miller and Ken Reed winning by large margins. Robert Smith beating Patricia Adams.
8:24 pm Kim Nickles is now reporting first three precincts. They are aggregated. Nickles says we can’t tell what precincts they are. They will be posted tomorrow. Here we go.
8:12 pm Stories we will be watching closely tonight.
59th House of Delegates District. Republican Ken Reed is the favorite. Reed is being challenged by Independent Patricia Adams and Mountain Party candidate Robert E. Smith.
58th House of Delegates District. Republican George Miller is the favorite. (A Miller volunteer told me tonight that Miller will win the way Secretariat won at Belmont.(Google it — by 31 lengths.) Miller is facing the Democrat Tom Harden.
The West Virginia Senate. The Senate is in play.
8:04 pm On the other hand, not much of a turnout at the Courthouse. So far, your dutiful Morgan County USA correspondent and a reporter for West Virginia MetroNews.
7:52 pm Morgan County Clerk Kimberly Nickles says that there were long lines at most of the 13 county precincts. Pleasant View saw especially heavy turnout.
Because of the heavy turnout, results won’t be coming in until about 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm or so, Nickles said.
6:32 pm Maybe one of the most gorgeous polling places in all of West Virginia is Precinct 25 right here in Morgan County — the Bath House at Cacapon State Park, overlooking the lower lake. Voted there this morning and then went fishing.
Morgan County USA will be covering the election night results tonight from the Morgan County Courthouse. Polls close in less than an hour at 7:30 pm.
