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 General Election.

“Nearly all of the candidates we endorsed in the primary won their races -- including Republican Bill Hamilton who with the help of strong labor support defeated the most vocal enemy of working people, Senator Robert Karnes – and we’re excited about the prospects for all endorsed our candidates in the General Election,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword noted. “Our members are energized more than ever, and eager to get out and support these candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, who are dedicated to 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 on time, and consider an incumbent’s position 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, Talley Sergent in the 2^ndCongressional District, and state Senator Richard Ojeda in the 3^rd Congressional District. 

The COPE committee endorsed the following state legislative candidates:

Senate

1^st William Ihlenfeld; 2^nd Denny Longwell; 3^rd Jim Leach; 4^th Brian Prim; 5^th Mike Woelfel; 6^th Charles Sammons; 7^th Ron Stollings; 8^th Richard Lindsay; 9^th William “Bill” Wooton; 10^th Stephen Baldwin; 11^thBill Hamilton; 12^th Mike Romano; 13^th Bob Beach; 14^th Stephanie Zucker; 15^th Jean Armentrout; 16^th John Unger; 17^th Terrell Ellis.

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; 12^th Missy Morris; 13^th Scott Brewer; 14^th Brianne Solomon; 16^th Sean Hornbuckle, Matt Spurlock, Vera Miller; 17^th Chad Lovejoy, Matthew Rohrbach; 18^th Karen Nance; 19^th Ken Hicks, Robert Thompson; 21^st Phyllis White; 22^nd Gary McCallister, Zack Maynard; 23^rd Rodney Miller; 24^th Ralph Rodighiero, Timothy Tomblin; 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, Mel Kessler, 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^thDavid “Woody” Holmes; 40^th Melissa Huffman; 41^st Paul O’Dell Jr.; 42^nd Jeff Campbell, Cindy Lavender-Bowe; 43^rd Bill Hartman, Cody Thompson; 44^th Dana Lynch; 45^th Matthew Kerner; 46^th Robert “Bob” Stultz; 47^th Ed Larry; 48^th Tim Miley, Richard Iaquinta, Robert Garcia, Derek McIntyre; 49^th George Abel; 50^th Mike Caputo, Linda Longstreth, Michael Angelucci; 51^st Barbara Fleischauer, Evan Hansen, John Williams, Danielle Walker, Rodney Pyles; 52^nd Gary Knotts; 53^rd Cory Chase; 54^th John Hott; 55^th Isaac Sponaugle; 56^th Timothy Ryan; 58^th Bibi Hahn; 59^th John Isner; 61^st Jason Barrett;  63^rd Sam Brown; 64^thBarby Frankenberry; 65^th Sammi Brown; 66^th David Dinges; 67^th John Doyle.