By Steven Allen Adams for The Journal
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Despite losing his Republican primary in May, West Virginia Senate President Craig Blair is thankful for the opportunity afforded him by his colleagues to lead the legislative body for nearly four years.
“You can see the smile in my face,” said Blair, R-Berkeley, sitting behind the desk in his office earlier this week at the State Capitol Building during his final legislative interim meetings. “I am blessed by the fact that I got to preside as Senate president and lieutenant governor over West Virginia’s greatest time of prosperity. Wow.”
Blair is wrapping up his public service career after nearly 20 years in the state Legislature. He spent eight years in the House of Delegates representing Berkeley County after first being elected in 2002 and serving until 2010.
Two years later, Blair was elected to the Senate representing the 15th District, coming in during the final two years of the Democratic majority. After the 2014 elections, the 34-member Senate was split 17-17 until a party switch by a Democratic member gave the Republicans a one-seat majority in 2015.
