WHEELING, W.Va. — The last vote in West Virginia’s primary election was cast almost two weeks ago, but the state Republican Party is still tabulating just who will be its delegates to the Republican National Convention this summer.
While election night totals showed four delegates from the Northern Panhandle headed to Cleveland, it appears the election of two of those delegates – Trump supporter Mary Beth Andreini of Ohio County and Kasich supporter Katrina Lewis of Marshall County – may be in question.
West Virginia Republicans elected 22 at-large delegates from among 220 candidates on May 10, as well as three delegates from each of the state’s three congressional districts from among 48 candidates. These delegates will join West Virginia’s three unelected Republican National Committee members at the convention, for a total of 34 delegates.
But those getting the most votes aren’t in all cases the ones winning the delegate seat and the opportunity to go to Cleveland.
Complicating the results are state party rules dictating that the first seat among the 22 at-large candidates go to the candidate receiving the most votes. The remaining 21 delegates seats are then divided equally among West Virginia’s three congressional districts, with each getting seven seats.
Also, no more than two convention delegates can come from the same county.
The top vote-getter in the at-large GOP delegate race changed throughout the day on Friday as various counties finalized results. Stephanie Abramowitz of Kanawha County in the 2nd District held a narrow lead of less than 15 votes throughout the day on Friday, but by the end of the day state Sen. Donna Boley of Pleasants County in the 1st District had taken the lead, according to tabulations from the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office.
If Boley moves up to the top overall position, it would free up one at-large delegate seat in the 1st District. That’s good news for Lewis, who during the day dropped off the list of the seven delegates to represent the 1st District.
Updated election returns did not change the elections of two other at-large delegates from the Northern Panhandle – Wheeling Mayor Andy McKenzie of Ohio County, and Greg Baldt of Hancock County – who remain on the delegate list.
Election night totals showed Andreini as one of the three delegates elected by congressional district from the 1st District, and her name remains on the WVGOP’s list. The secretary of state’s updated results, however, show her finishing fourth in the race and not among the three delegates elected.
State GOP officials plan to continue updating their list as the returns are finalized sometime next week, according to West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Conrad Lucas.
Lucas acknowledges the delegate selection process has been very confusing to the public, and changes likely will come before the 2020 election.
“This is the first year the geographic rules have been in,” he said. “After the November election, we have four years to change, and there will be a lot of changes.”
Party officials are likely to discuss whether West Virginia should be a “winner-take-all” state in terms of its presidential delegates, or whether the state party should revisit the idea of having a convention to elect its delegates, according to Lucas.
During a state convention during the 2008 election, West Virginia Republicans nominated Mike Huckabee for president.
“The idea of a state convention was then voted down by state committee for the 2012 and 2016 elections because members didn’t feel it allowed much participation by voters,” Lucas said. “After this cycle, it will be up to the state committee to determine the best route. I’m open for discussion, and anything to champion the will of the committee. Anything that allows the will of the primary voters to be heard is the best route. As West Virginia becomes more Republican and more people are wanting to go to the conventions, we will have growing pains – and that is good. Ultimately, I think a winner-take-all system is what the committee should consider, but there is plenty of time to iron out the details.”
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