More candidates file for Raleigh County seats

Jan. 16—Raleigh County voters will have to make decisions on several judicial races and West Virginia House seats for the 2024 election.

Several of these positions will also be open to newcomers, with incumbents deciding to either retire or run for another office.

For the judicial races, voters will need to elect four circuit judges and three family court judges.

Two of the four Raleigh County Circuit Court seats will be without incumbents due to retirements.

All judicial races are nonpartisan and will be decided in the May primary.

In the Legislature, all five House seats that represent a portion of Raleigh County are up for reelection.

Most notably, the district encompassing Beckley, District 44, is up for grabs as the current delegate is running for a judgeship.

In the West Virginia Senate, one of the two seats representing Raleigh County is also up for election and will not have an incumbent.

West Virginia Senate

District 9 in the West Virginia Senate currently has two candidates, Democrat Christy Cardwell of Mullens and Republican Brian Helton of Mount Hope.

Last year, incumbent Republican Sen. David Stover announced he would not seek reelection, citing health problems.

West Virginia Senate District 9 encompasses all of Raleigh and Wyoming counties and a portion of Fayette County.

District 9 is also represented by Republican Sen. Rollan Roberts, but his seat is not up for election until 2026.

West Virginia House

District 41

For District 41, incumbent Republican Jordan Allen Maynor is running for his second full term.

Maynor, a Beaver resident, was appointed to the House in August 2021 following the resignation of Jeffrey Pack.

He later won the election for the position in 2022 after running unopposed.

District 41 extends to parts of Raleigh County south of Interstate 64. It also stretches north to include northern and southwestern portions of Summers County as well as northern portions of Mercer County.

District 42

District 42 currently has two candidates, incumbent Republican Brandon Steele and Addam Gibson, a Democrat from Coal City.

Steele, of Beckley, was first elected to the House in 2018.

In September, Steele announced he would be pivoting away from his role as a delegate to run for Raleigh County circuit judge.

However, a month later, Steele reversed his decision, telling WVNS he didn't "see anybody in southern West Virginia that can step into the role I can step into in the Legislature" and adding that his "supporters" had also asked him to remain in the House.

House District 42 encompasses the southern part of Raleigh County.

District 43

Republican Del. Christopher Toney of Beckley is seeking another term in office for District 43.

Toney, a bus driver for Raleigh County Schools, was initially elected to the House in 2018.

District 43 includes the northwestern corner of Raleigh County, stretching from Dorothy in the northern part of the county to Glen Daniel. It also juts out into Wyoming County to include Oceana and Glen Rogers.

District 44

For the second year in a row, District 44, whose borders surround Beckley, will be pursued by newcomers.

The incumbent of House District 44, Republican Todd Kirby, who was elected in 2022, is not running for reelection. Instead, the Beckley attorney is a candidate for Raleigh County circuit judge.

Thus far, the contenders for his replacement are Republican Carl Bill Roop and Democrat Tony O. Martin.

Roop is the attorney for the Raleigh County Commission.

Martin is a tax accountant and the owner of the Axe Hole, an ax-throwing business in Beckley.

Martin ran for District 44 against Kirby in the 2022 election and lost by roughly 450 votes.

District 45

For District 45, incumbent Republican Eric Brooks is seeking reelection.

Brooks, of Mount Hope, was first elected in 2022.

House District 45 includes the lower section of Fayette County as well as the northeastern portion of Raleigh County, stretching north from Interstate 64.

Raleigh County Circuit Court

New faces will be added to the Raleigh County Circuit Court bench following the retirement of two longstanding judges at the end of 2024.

With four judges, the Raleigh County Circuit Court is divided into four divisions.

Division 1

For Division 1, incumbent Judge Darl Poling is seeking reelection.

Poling was appointed to the seat in March 2019 by Gov. Jim Justice. He replaced John Hutchison, whom Justice appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

Division 2

The Division 2 seat is held by retiring Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick, who has served as a Raleigh County circuit judge for nearly 30 years.

The candidates looking to replace Kirkpatrick include Daniel J. Burns and Russell O. "Rusty" Wooton.

Wooton's father, William R. "Bill" Wooton, served in the Legislature for 26 years and was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia in 2020.

Division 3

The Division 3 seat will also be vacant with the retirement of Robert Burnside, a Raleigh County circuit judge of more than 40 years.

The sole candidate for this seat thus far is Todd A Kirby, a W.Va. House delegate and Raleigh County assistant prosecuting attorney.

Division 4

Seeking reelection to Division 4 is Judge Andrew "Andy" Dimlich, who has served as a Raleigh County circuit judge since 2017.

Starting in 2025, the Raleigh County Circuit will transition from the Tenth to the 14th Judicial Circuit.

This change was made as part of a bill passed in 2023 by the W.Va. Legislature. The number of circuit judges in Raleigh County and the territory the judicial circuit encompasses will remain the same.

The 14th Judicial Circuit includes only Raleigh County.

Thirteenth Family Court Circuit

The Thirteenth Family Court Circuit, which includes Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming counties, has three judges, all up for election.

Division 1

In Division 1, Judge H. Suzanne McGraw of Beckley has filed for reelection. She was appointed to her position in 2001 and has since won three elections.

Division 2

No one has filed for Division 2. The position is held by Judge Leigh M. Lefler, who was appointed in April 2023 following the retirement of Judge Louise Goldston.

Division 3

For Division 3, Judge Eric Shuck of Beckley has filed for reelection. Shuck has held his seat as a family court judge since 2017.

Candidate filings in West Virginia will continue until Jan. 27.

West Virginia candidate filings can be found online at apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/candidate-search/.

Email: jmoore@register-herald.com