West Virginia's 3rd congressional district is an obsolete U.S. congressional district in southern West Virginia. At various times the district covered different parts of the state, but in its final form included the state's second-largest city, Huntington; included Bluefield, Princeton, and Beckley; and has a long history of coal mining (especially in the southwestern counties), forestry, and farming.[1]
| West Virginia's 3rd congressional district | |
|---|---|
| Obsolete district | |
| Created | 1863 |
| Eliminated | 2020 |
| Years active | 1863–2023 |
The district was last represented by Republican Carol Miller. However, because West Virginia lost a congressional seat in the 2020 census, it was eliminated in 2023.[2] On October 22, 2021, Governor Jim Justice signed the new congressional map into law. Under the plan, the old 3rd essentially became the new 1st. Incumbent representative Miller transferred to the new 1st district.[3][4]
Character
editThe district grew in geographic size over the years, as it contained the area of the state that lost the most population. Most of the congressmen listed below prior to the 1992 election cycle actually represented other parts of the state, as most of the recent 3rd district's history was found in the also obsolete 4th, 5th, and 6th districts.
The last version of the 3rd district began to take shape in the 1960s. For much of its history, the 4th district had been focused on Huntington and the mill towns and farm communities north of that city along the Ohio River, while the 5th and 6th districts were focused on the then safely Democratic coal fields. In the 1970 redistricting, the 5th (which had absorbed most of the 6th due to population loss 10 years earlier) was eliminated, and most of its territory was merged into the 4th to form what is now the western half of the 3rd. In the 1990 redistricting the old 4th was renumbered as the 3rd and took in what is now the eastern half of its current shape from a previous version of the 2nd district.
The major areas of the last version of the district included the industrial and university city of Huntington, the coal producing southwestern part of the state, and the more conservative farm and timber region of the southeastern part of the state. 2010 census figures again showed a major population loss, and Mason County was transferred from the 2nd to the 3rd district. This did not change the character of the district in a significant way.
Despite the strength of Democrats at the local and state level, in presidential elections the district followed the increasing Republican trend in West Virginia. While Bill Clinton twice carried the district handily in three-way races, Al Gore had just narrowly won the district in 2000 with 51% of the vote. George W. Bush won the district in 2004 with 53% of the vote, and John McCain carried the district in 2008 with 55.76% of the vote, continuing the district, and the state's rightward shift despite a large shift towards the Democrats nationally in 2008. In 2012, the district shifted significantly towards the Republicans yet again, with Republican Mitt Romney defeating President Barack Obama 65.0% to 32.8% in the district. In 2016, the district shifted even further towards the Republican Party, with Republican Donald Trump defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton (wife of Bill Clinton, who carried the district by significant margins in the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections), by a massive margin of 72.5% to 23.3%.
Obsolete
editThe district became obsolete following the 2020 United States census.[5]
Statewide election results
editElection results from presidential races:
| Year | Office | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | President | Bill Clinton 58% - Bob Dole 32% |
| 2000 | President | Al Gore 51% - George W. Bush 44% |
| Senate | Robert Byrd 80% - David Gallaher 18% | |
| 2004 | President | George W. Bush 53% - John Kerry 46% |
| 2008 | President | John McCain 56% - Barack Obama 42% |
| 2012 | President | Mitt Romney 65% - Barack Obama 33% |
| Senate | Joe Manchin 65% - John Raese 32% | |
| 2014 | Senate | Shelley Moore Capito 61% - Natalie Tennant 36% |
| 2016 | President | Donald Trump 73% - Hillary Clinton 23% |
| 2018 | Senate | Joe Manchin 49% - Patrick Morrisey 47% |
| 2020 | President | Donald Trump 73%- Joe Biden 27% |
History
editThe third district, as originally formed in 1863, included Kanawha, Jackson, Mason, Putnam, Cabell, Clay, Wayne, Logan, Boone, Braxton, Nicholas, Roane and McDowell counties. It was essentially the successor of Virginia's 12th congressional district.
In 1882, the district was reformed to include Logan, Wyoming, McDowell, Mercer, Raleigh, Boone, Kanawha, Fayette, Clay, Nicholas, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, Webster, Pocahontas, and Upshur counties. In 1902, Logan, Wyoming, McDowell, Raleigh, Boone and Mercer were removed. In 1916 the district was, more or less, renumbered as the new 6th district, and the 3rd was totally reconstituted as Ritchie, Doddridge, Harrison, Calhoun, Gilmer, Lewis, Upshur, Braxton, Clay, Nicholas, and Webster counties. In 1934, Fayette was added. In 1952, Wirt was added. In 1962, the district was again totally broken up and reconstituted as Boone, Clay, Kanawha, Nicholas and Raleigh. In 1972, Raleigh was removed and Ritchie, Wirt, Gilmer, Calhoun, Mason, Jackson, Roane, Braxton, Putnam, Lincoln, and Boone were added. In 1982, Lewis was added.
The district's last configuration dated from the 1990 round of redistricting. From 1992 to 2002, it consisted of Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Greenbrier, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, Webster, and Wyoming. In 2002, Nicholas was added. For the 2012 cycle, Mason was added.[6] All of the counties of the last version of the district are now part of the 1st District.
List of members representing the district
edit
Recent election results
edit2000s
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 146,807 | 91.3 | |
| Libertarian | Jeff Robinson | 13,979 | 8.7 | |
| Total votes | 160,786 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 87,783 | 70.2 | |
| Republican | Paul Chapman | 37,229 | 29.8 | |
| Total votes | 125,012 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 142,682 | 65.2 | |
| Republican | Rick Snuffer | 76,170 | 34.8 | |
| Total votes | 218,852 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 92,413 | 69.4 | |
| Republican | Kim Wolfe | 40,820 | 30.6 | |
| Total votes | 133,233 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 133,522 | 66.9 | |
| Republican | Marty Gearheart | 66,005 | 33.1 | |
| Total votes | 199,527 | 100.00 | ||
2010s
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 83,636 | 56.0 | |
| Republican | Elliott Maynard | 65,611 | 44.0 | |
| Total votes | 149,247 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 108,199 | 53.9 | |
| Republican | Rick Snuffer | 92,238 | 46.1 | |
| Total votes | 200,437 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Evan Jenkins | 77,713 | 55.3 | |
| Democratic | Nick Rahall (incumbent) | 62,688 | 44.7 | |
| Total votes | 140,401 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Evan Jenkins (incumbent) | 140,741 | 67.9 | |
| Democratic | Matt Detch | 49,708 | 24.0 | |
| Libertarian | Zane Lawhorn | 16,883 | 8.1 | |
| Total votes | 207,332 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Carol Miller | 98,645 | 56.4 | |
| Democratic | Richard Ojeda | 76,340 | 43.6 | |
| Total votes | 174,985 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2020s
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Carol Miller (incumbent) | 161,585 | 71.3 | |
| Democratic | Hilary Turner | 64,927 | 28.7 | |
| Total votes | 226,512 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Historical district boundaries
edit
See also
edit
References
edit- Specific
- ^ "West Va.'s 3rd District Is not a Simple 'Trump Country' Race - Daily Yonder". www.dailyyonder.com. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ Santucci, Katie Wadington and Jeanine. "Texas will gain 2 congressional seats. Seven states to lose 1 seat, Census Bureau data shows". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ WRITER, Charles Young SENIOR STAFF. "West Virginia's redistricted congressional map complete". WV News. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ Rakich, Ryan Best, Aaron Bycoffe and Nathaniel (August 9, 2021). "What Redistricting Looks Like In Every State - West Virginia". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Merica, Dan; Stark, Liz (April 26, 2021). "Census Bureau announces 331 million people in US, Texas will add two congressional seats". CNN. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
- ^ West Virginia Blue Book (pp 538, 2012 edition)
- ^ a b c d e f "West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
- ^ "WV SOS - Election Results Center - State And County Election Results". West Virginia Secretary of State Elections Results Center.
- ^ a b "West Virginia Statewide Results General Election – November 8, 2016 Official Results". West Virginia Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
- ^ Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ "November 3, 2020 General Election - Official Results". West Virginia State - Clarity Elections. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- General
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present