West Virginia's 1st congressional district

West Virginia's 1st congressional district is located in the northern part of the state. It is the most regularly drawn of the state's three districts.

West Virginia's 1st congressional district
West Virginia's 1st congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
Representative
  David McKinley
RWheeling
Population (2019)601,811
Median household
income
$51,480[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+19[2]

It includes the industrial Rust Belt area of the state's northern panhandle which includes the district's third largest city, Wheeling, as well as Fairmont, Clarksburg, and the college town of Morgantown, the home of the main campus of West Virginia University. The largest city in the district is Parkersburg; the second largest is Morgantown. It also includes many rural farm and timber producing areas. The district has almost no population change reported in the 2010 Census change relative to the other 2 districts, as growth around Morgantown and Parkersburg offset population loss elsewhere, and the district was carried over unchanged for the next ten-year cycle.

The district is currently represented by David McKinley, a Republican who has represented the district since 2011.

West Virginia has tended to give its congressmen very long tenures in Washington, and the 1st District is no exception. Only four men have represented the district since 1953: Bob Mollohan (D) (1953–1957), former Governor Arch Moore, Jr. (R) (1957–1969), Bob Mollohan again (1969–1983), Alan Mollohan (1983–2011) and McKinley.

Despite the lack of turnover in the congressional seat, historically the 1st was not safe for either party. The cities are ancestrally Democratic strongholds, while the rural areas are much more conservative and have a tendency to swing Republican more often. As late as 2014, state legislators were roughly split between both parties.

Historically, the district has been very Democratic, mirroring the state as a whole. However, West Virginia Democrats tend to be somewhat more socially conservative than their counterparts in the rest of the nation, and the district has been swept up in the growing Republican trend in the state at the national level. No Democrat since Bill Clinton (who did so by a plurality in a three-way race) has carried the 1st District in presidential elections. George W. Bush carried the district both times in 2000 with 54% of the vote and 2004 with 58% of the vote. John McCain carried the district in 2008 with 56.77% of the vote while Barack Obama received 41.51%.

History

The First District has always been anchored in Wheeling, and as such has always included Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel counties[3]–the five counties usually reckoned as the Northern Panhandle. The original 1863 districting included also Tyler, Pleasants, Doddridge, Harrison, Ritchie, Wood, Wirt, Gilmer, Calhoun and Lewis counties.[3] It was essentially the successor of Virginia's 11th congressional district.

In 1882, the counties of Tyler, Doddridge, Harrison, Gilmer, Lewis and Braxton were added to the core counties.[3] In 1902, the core counties were joined by Marion, Harrison, and Lewis counties.[3] In the 1916 redistricting it included only the five core counties and Marion and Taylor.[3] The district was unchanged in the 1934 and 1954 redistrictings.[3] In 1962, Braxton, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Marion and Taylor joined the five core counties.[3] The 1972 redistricting added Tyler, Pleasants, and Woods and deleted Taylor.[3] The 1982 redistricting added Taylor back to the district.[3]

1992 began the district as currently constituted, consisting of Barbour, Brooke, Doddridge, Grant, Hancock, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Mineral, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Preston, Ritchie, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Wetzel and Wood counties.[3] In 2002 Gilmer was added.[3] For the election cycle that begins in 2012 the district was unchanged.[3]

Recent presidential elections

Election results from presidential races
Year Office Results
2000 President Bush 54 - 43%
2004 President Bush 58 - 42%
2008 President McCain 57 - 42%
2012 President Romney 62 - 36%
2016 President Trump 68 - 26%
2020 President Trump 68 - 30%

List of members representing the district

Member Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history
District created December 17, 1863

Jacob B. Blair
Unconditional Unionist December 17, 1863 –
March 3, 1865
38th Elected in 1863.
Retired.

Chester D. Hubbard
Unconditional Unionist March 4, 1865 –
March 3, 1867
39th
40th
Elected in 1864.
Re-elected in 1866.
Lost re-election.
Republican March 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1869

Isaac H. Duval
Republican March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1871
41st Elected in 1868.
Retired.

John James Davis
Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1875
42nd
43rd
Elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Retired.

Benjamin Wilson
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1883
44th
45th
46th
47th
Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Lost re-election.

Nathan Goff Jr.
Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1889
48th
49th
50th
Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Retired.
John O. Pendleton Democratic March 4, 1889 –
February 26, 1890
51st Elected in 1888.
Lost contested election.

George W. Atkinson
Republican February 26, 1890 –
March 3, 1891
51st Won contested election.
Retired.
John O. Pendleton Democratic March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1895
52nd
53rd
Elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Lost renomination.

Blackburn B. Dovener
Republican March 4, 1895 –
March 3, 1907
54th
55th
56th
57th
58th
59th
Elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Lost renomination.
William Pallister Hubbard Republican March 4, 1907 –
March 3, 1911
60th
61st
Elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Retired.

John W. Davis
Democratic March 4, 1911 –
August 29, 1913
62nd
63rd
Elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Resigned to become U.S. Solicitor General
Vacant August 29, 1913 –
October 14, 1913
63rd

Matthew M. Neely
Democratic October 14, 1913 –
March 3, 1921
63rd
64th
65th
66th
Elected to finish Davis's term.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Lost re-election.

Benjamin L. Rosenbloom
Republican March 4, 1921 –
March 3, 1925
67th
68th
Elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Carl G. Bachmann
Republican March 4, 1925 –
March 3, 1933
69th
70th
71st
72nd
Elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Lost re-election.

Robert L. Ramsay
Democratic March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1939
73rd
74th
75th
Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Lost re-election.
A. C. Schiffler Republican January 3, 1939 –
January 3, 1941
76th Elected in 1938.
Lost re-election.

Robert L. Ramsay
Democratic January 3, 1941 –
January 3, 1943
77th Elected in 1940.
Lost re-election.
A. C. Schiffler Republican January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1945
78th Elected in 1942.
Lost re-election.

Matthew M. Neely
Democratic January 3, 1945 –
January 3, 1947
79th Elected in 1944.
Lost re-election.
Francis J. Love Republican January 3, 1947 –
January 3, 1949
80th Elected in 1946.
Lost re-election.

Robert L. Ramsay
Democratic January 3, 1949 –
January 3, 1953
81st
82nd
Elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Lost renomination.

Bob Mollohan
Democratic January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1957
83rd
84th
Elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Retired to run for governor.

Arch A. Moore Jr.
Republican January 3, 1957 –
January 3, 1969
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
Elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Retired to run for governor.

Bob Mollohan
Democratic January 3, 1969 –
January 3, 1983
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
Elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Retired.

Alan Mollohan
Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 2011
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Lost renomination.

David McKinley
Republican January 3, 2011 –
Present
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
Elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.

2000

2000 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Mollohan (incumbent) 170,974 87.78
Libertarian Richard Kerr 23,797 12.22
Total votes 194,771 100.00
Democratic hold

2002

2002 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Mollohan (incumbent) 110,941 99.71
write-ins 320 0.29
Total votes 111,261 100.00
Democratic hold

2004

2004 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Mollohan (incumbent) 166,583 67.77
Republican Chris Wakim 79,196 32.22
Total votes 245,779 100.00
Democratic hold

2006

2006 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Mollohan (incumbent) 100,939 64.29
Republican Chris Wakim 55,963 35.65
Write-ins 98 0.06
Total votes 157,000 100.00
Democratic hold

2008

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Mollohan (incumbent) 187,734 99.93
Write-ins 130 0.07
Total votes 187,864 100.00
Democratic hold

2010

2010 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley 90,660 50.40
Democratic Mike Oliverio 89,220 49.60
Total votes 179,880 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

2012

2012 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 133,809 62.5
Democratic Sue Thorn 80,342 37.5
Total votes 214,151 100.0
Republican hold

2014

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 92,491 64.0
Democratic Glen Gainer III 52,109 36.0
Total votes 144,600 100.0
Republican hold

2016

2016 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 163,469 69.0
Democratic Mike Manypenny 73,534 31.0
Total votes 237,003 100.0
Republican hold

2018

2018 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 127,997 64.6
Democratic Kendra Fershee 70,217 35.4
Total votes 198,214 100.0
Republican hold

2020

2020 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 180,488 69.0
Democratic Natalie Cline 81,177 31.0
Total votes 261,665 100.0
Republican hold

Historical district boundaries

2003 - 2013

See also

References

  1. https://www.census.gov/mycd/?st=54&cd=01
  2. "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  3. West Virginia Blue Book, pp. 534 (2012 edition)

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