CHARLESTON – Members of the West Virginia AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education met on Saturday and selected congressional and legislative candidates for endorsement in the 2018 Primary Election.

“We’re seeing a great field of pro-working family candidates in 2018, and are feeling very optimistic about this election,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword said. “Our members are energized and excited about getting to work to help the candidates who want to lift up West Virginia working families by advocating for fair wages, good benefits and a safe workplace.”

An endorsement by the West Virginia AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education follows recommendations from 13 AFL-CIO Central Labor Councils located around the state. The Central Labor Councils interviewed legislative candidates who complete a questionnaire, and consider an incumbent’s recorded vote on working family issues. To garner an endorsement by the West Virginia AFL-CIO, a candidate must receive a 2/3 majority of votes cast by the 75 members of State COPE.

At the congressional level, the COPE Committee proudly endorsed current Senator Joe Manchin for the United States Senate seat, the sole statewide office on the 2018 ballot, and state Senator Richard Ojeda in the 3^rd Congressional District primary race. 

The Committee took no action in the 1^st and 2^nd congressional districts, as well as in a number of legislative races. In instances of “no action,” the COPE Committee stands silent, and leaves it up to affiliates of the West Virginia AFL-CIO to determine which candidates to support in those primary races.

The COPE committee endorsed the following state legislative candidates:

Senate

1^st William Ihlenfeld; 2^nd Denny Longwell; 3^rd no action; 4^th Brian Prim; 5^th Mike Woelfel; 6^th Charles Sammons; 7^th Ron Stollings; 8^th no action; 9^th no action; 10^th Stephen Baldwin; 11^th Bill Hamilton; 12^th Mike Romano; 13^th Bob Beach; 14^th Stephanie Zucker; 16^th John Unger; 17^th no action.

House of Delegates

1^st Diana Magnone, Randy Swartzmiller; 2^nd Phillip Diserio; 3^rd Shawn Fluharty, Erikka Storch; 4^th Joe Canestraro, Lisa Zukoff; 5^th Dave Pethtel; 6^th T. Chris Combs; 7^th Lissa Lucas; 8^th David Bland; 9^th Jim Marion; 10^th Andy Daniel, J. Morgan Leach, Harry Deitzler; 11^th James Pickens; 12^th Missy Morris; 13^th Scott Brewer; 14^th Brianne Solomon; 15^th no action; 16^th Sean Hornbuckle, Matt Spurlock, Vera Miller; 17^th Chad Lovejoy, Matthew Rohrbach; 18^th no action; 19^th Ken Hicks, Robert Thompson; 20^th Barry Marcum; 21^st Phyllis White; 22^nd Gary McCallister, Zack Maynard; 23^rd Rodney Miller; 24^th Ralph Rodighiero, Susan Perry; 25^th John “Andy” Vance; 26^th Ed Evans; 27^th Phoebe Meadows, Lacy Watson, Carol Bailey; 28^th Andrew Evans, Sandy Shaw; 29^th Ricky Moye; 30^th Mick Bates; 31^st Richard Snuffer; 32^nd Margaret Staggers, Selina Vickers, Luke Lively; 33^rd David Walker; 34^th Brent Boggs; 35^th Andrew Byrd, Renate Pore, James Robinette, Doug Skaff Jr.; 36^th Larry Rowe, Andrew Robinson, Amanda Estep-Burton; 37^th Mike Pushkin; 38^th Tom Tull; 39^th David “Woody” Holmes; 40^th Melissa Huffman, Ronald Shamblin; 41^st Paul O’Dell Jr.; 42^nd Jeff Campbell, Cindy Lavender-Bowe; 43^rd Bill Hartman, Phil Isner; 44^th Dana Lynch; 45^th no action; 46^th Robert “Bob” Stultz; 47^th Ed Larry; 48^th Tim Miley, Richard Iaquinta, Robert Garcia, Derek McIntyre; 49^th no action; 50^th Mike Caputo, Linda Longstreth, Michael Angelucci; 51^st Barbara Fleischauer, Evan Hansen, John Williams, Danielle Walker, Rodney Pyles; 52^nd Justin Hough; 53^rd Cory Chase; 54^th John Hott; 55^th Isaac Sponaugle; 56^th Will Skehan; 58^th Bibi Hahn; 59^th John Isner; 61^st Jason Barrett; 62^nd no action; 63^rd Sam Brown; 64^th Barby Frankenberry; 65^th Sammi Brown; 66^th David Dinges; 67^th John Doyle.