CHARLESTON — At least two incumbent lawmakers fell to challengers Tuesday in West Virginia's legislative primary races.
Party voters are choosing nominees for the entire 100-seat House of Delegates. Ten of those seats are being vacated by incumbents, including five vying to join the Senate. Half the 34-member Senate is also up this year.
Former Vienna Mayor David Nohe overcame Sen. Frank Deem, R-Wood, in the 3rd Senate District's GOP primary, with 52 percent of the vote and 91 percent of precincts reporting.
The legislative career of Deem, 82, stretches back to 1954 when he first won a House of Delegates seat. Serving on and off during the subsequent decades, he has been in the Senate since 1994.
In a rematch of the 2006 primary, Sen. Randy White, D-Webster, fell to former Nicholas County prosecutor Greg Tucker in the 11 th District, 54 percent to 46 percent with 81 percent of precincts reporting.
In another rematch, Majority Leader Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, was leading Greg "Hootie" Smith in the 6th Senate District, 52 percent to 48 percent with 84 percent of precincts reporting.
Ron Justice had withdrawn from the Democratic race for an open 13th Senate District seat last month with health problems. But the former Morgantown mayor won over Delegate Bob Beach, 51 percent to 48 percent.
Justice will face Cindy Frich, a former lawmaker unopposed in the GOP primary, for the seat being vacated by Sen. Mike Oliverio. The Monongalia County Democrat upset Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., in their 1st Congressional District matchup.
The open seat held by a retiring Senate Government Organization Chairman Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, had attracted the most candidates. Delegate Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, beat Hancock County Commissioner Dan Greathouse 54 percent to 46 percent. In that district's GOP primary, Charles Schlegel overcame two other GOP hopefuls — including freshman Delegate Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock — with 45 percent of the vote.
Sen. Ron Stollings, D-Boone, had 59 percent of the vote in the coalfield's 7th Senate District, with 69 percent of precincts in, while challenger and Delegate Jeff Eldridge, D-Lincoln, had 41 percent.
Sen. Evan Jenkins, D-Cabell, fended off a challenge by retired circuit Judge Jim Cummings, 66 percent to 26 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting in the 5th Senate District.
Sen. Erik Wells won with just under 51 percent of the vote against two Democratic challengers in Kanawha County's 8th District, with 95 percent of precincts reporting. That race had attracted nearly $130,000 in third-party spending, mostly by unions opposed to Wells' advocacy of charter schools and other issues.
Among the House contests, Delegate John Doyle, D-Jefferson, held off Lori Rea with 64.6 percent of the vote and all precincts reporting. Delegate Bill Hamilton, R-Upshur, bested two challengers in the GOP primary, with nearly 63 percent of the vote.
More than a third of the 275 legislative candidates are assured a Tuesday win because they face no primary opponents.