Craig Blair

Craig Blair
Craig Blair
President of the West Virginia Senate; Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 13, 2021
Governor	Jim Justice
Preceded by	Mitch Carmichael
Member of the West Virginia Senate; from the 15th district
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; December 1, 2012 Serving with Charles S. Trump
Preceded by	Clark Barnes
Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates; from the 52nd district
	In office; December 1, 2002 – December 1, 2010
Preceded by	Vicki Douglas
Succeeded by	Larry Kump
Personal details
Born	October 17, 1959 (age 65); Martinsburg, West Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Andrea
Children	2, including Saira
Education	James Rumsey Technical Institute
Website	Campaign website

Craig Philip Blair (born October 17, 1959) is an American politician and a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate representing District 15^[1] since January 12, 2013. Blair served non-consecutively in the West Virginia Legislature from January 2003 until January 2011 in the West Virginia House of Delegates in the District 52 seat. Blair is also the father of former WV Delegate Saira Blair.

As President of the state Senate, Blair has held the title Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia since January 2021. As Lieutenant Governor, Blair will likely briefly assume powers and duties as Acting Governor of West Virginia for ten days from January 3, 2025 to January 13, 2025, as incumbent Governor Jim Justice will resign to join the United States Senate on January 3, 2025. Governor-elect Patrick Morrisey will take office as Governor on January 13, 2025, ending Blair's tenure as acting governor.

Elections

2024 Republican Primary

Republican Tom Willis defeated Blair in the West Virginia Republican primary on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.^[2]

2023 (president)

In the months leading up to the 2022 senate elections, senator Patricia Rucker challenged Blair for the caucus' nomination. After the elections, however, Rucker withdrew her bid, and Blair was re-elected by acclamation. He was once again nominated by Charles Trump, and nominations were closed by minority leader Mike Woelfel.^[3]

2021 (president)

Blair was elected as President of the Senate by acclamation, being nominated by Charles Trump. Further nominations were closed minority leader Stephen Baldwin, leaving Blair uncontested. He replaced Mitch Carmichael, who lost renomination in the previous year's elections.

2020

Blair narrowly defeated challenger Kenneth Mattson,^[4] a former military police officer and small business owner, in the Republican primary, and beat Mountain Party challenger Donald Kinnie in the general election.^[5]

West Virginia Senate District 15 (Position B) election, 2020^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Craig Blair (incumbent)	41,560	80.10%
	Mountain	Donald Kinnie	10,324	19.90%
Total votes			51,884	100.0%

West Virginia Senate District 15 Republican primary, 2020^[7]
Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Craig Blair (incumbent)	7,837	52.7%
	Republican	Kenneth Mattson	7,033	47.3%
Total votes			14,870	100.0%

2016

Blair easily defeated challenger Larry Kump in the Republican primary^[8] and Democratic challenger Brad Noll in the general election.^[9]

West Virginia Senate District 15 (Position B) election, 2016^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Craig Blair (incumbent)	32,475	70.44%
	Democratic	Brad Noll	13,629	29.56%
Total votes			46,104	100.0%

West Virginia Senate District 15 Republican primary, 2016^[7]
Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Craig Blair (incumbent)	9,702	67.82%
	Republican	Larry Kump	4,604	32.18%
Total votes			14,306	100.0%

2012

After his unsuccessful run in 2010, Blair was redistricted to District 15, and with incumbent Senator Clark Barnes redistricted to District 11, Blair was unopposed for the May 8, 2012 Republican Primary.^[11] He went on to win the November 6, 2012 General election with 28,766 votes (80.8%) against Constitution Party candidate Daniel Litten.^[12]

West Virginia Senate District 15 (Position B) election, 2012^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Craig Blair	28,766	80.77%
	Constitution	Daniel Litten	6,847	19.23%
Total votes			35,613	100.0%

2010

Rather than run for re-election to the House of Delegates, Blair challenged Senate District 16 incumbent Democratic Senator John Unger. Blair was unopposed for the May 11, 2010 Republican Primary,^[14] but lost the November 2, 2010 General election to Senator Unger by 318 votes (less than 1%).^[15]

West Virginia Senate District 16 election, 2010^[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Unger (incumbent)	18,800	50.43%
	Republican	Craig Blair	18,482	49.57%
Total votes			37,282	100.0%

2008

Blair was unopposed for the 2008 Republican Primary, and won the November 4, 2008 General election with 4,994 votes (54.8%) against Democratic nominee Mike Roberts.^[17]

2006

Blair was unopposed for both the 2006 Republican Primary and the November 7, 2006 General election.^[18]

2004

Blair was unopposed for the 2004 Republican Primary, and won the November 2, 2004 General election with 5,193 votes (62.5%) against Democratic nominee Scott Funk.^[19]

2002

When House District 52 Democratic Delegate Vicki Douglas retired from the Legislature and left the seat open, Blair won the 2002 Republican Primary with 624 votes (55.2%) against Jerry Mays^[20] and won the November 5, 2002 General election with 2,735 votes (64.5%) against Democratic nominee Craig Shibley.^[21]

References

^ "Craig BLair's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
^ McElhinny, Brad (2024-05-15). "Senate President Blair is defeated in primary as are incumbents Maroney, Swope and Karnes". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
^ "Senate Journal" (PDF). West Virginia Legislature. January 11, 2023.
^ LeRose, Kelsie (January 20, 2020). "Inwood resident Kenneth Mattson files for state Senate seat". The Journal (West Virginia newspaper).
^ "November 3, 2020 General Election Results". Archived from the original on 2020-11-04. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
^ "Statewide Results: General Election - November 3, 2020". West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "West Virginia State Senate District 15". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
^ "Blair shakes off challenge from Kump in 15th Senate race". The Journal. May 11, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
^ Katiann Marshall (November 9, 2016). "Blair keeps seat in state Senate". The Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
^ "Statewide Results: General Election – November 8, 2016". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
^ "Statewide Results Primary Election May 8, 2012 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
^ "Statewide Results General Election November 6, 2012 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
^ "Statewide Results: General Election – November 6, 2012". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
^ "Statewide Results Primary Election May 11, 2010 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
^ "Statewide Results General Election November 2, 2010 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
^ "Statewide Results: General Election – November 2, 2010". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
^ "Statewide Results General Election November 4, 2008 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
^ "2006 General Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.
^ "2004 General Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.
^ "2002 Primary Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.
^ "2002 General Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.

External links

Official page at the West Virginia Legislature
Senate Page
Campaign site
Profile at Vote Smart
Craig Blair at Ballotpedia
Craig P. Blair at the National Institute on Money in State Politics

Political offices
Preceded by Mitch Carmichael	President of the West Virginia Senate 2021–present	Succeeded by TBD

[PVS-1] "Craig BLair's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

[2] McElhinny, Brad (2024-05-15). "Senate President Blair is defeated in primary as are incumbents Maroney, Swope and Karnes". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2024-05-15.

[3] "Senate Journal" (PDF). West Virginia Legislature. January 11, 2023.

[4] LeRose, Kelsie (January 20, 2020). "Inwood resident Kenneth Mattson files for state Senate seat". The Journal (West Virginia newspaper).

[5] "November 3, 2020 General Election Results". Archived from the original on 2020-11-04. Retrieved February 15, 2021.

[6] "Statewide Results: General Election - November 3, 2020". West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved February 15, 2021.

[Ballotpedia-7] "West Virginia State Senate District 15". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 12, 2020.

[8] "Blair shakes off challenge from Kump in 15th Senate race". The Journal. May 11, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.

[9] Katiann Marshall (November 9, 2016). "Blair keeps seat in state Senate". The Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2016.

[10] "Statewide Results: General Election – November 8, 2016". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2021.

[11] "Statewide Results Primary Election May 8, 2012 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

[12] "Statewide Results General Election November 6, 2012 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

[13] "Statewide Results: General Election – November 6, 2012". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2021.

[14] "Statewide Results Primary Election May 11, 2010 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

[15] "Statewide Results General Election November 2, 2010 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

[16] "Statewide Results: General Election – November 2, 2010". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2021.

[17] "Statewide Results General Election November 4, 2008 Official Results". Charleston, West Virginia: Secretary of State of West Virginia. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

[18] "2006 General Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.

[19] "2004 General Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.

[20] "2002 Primary Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.

[21] "2002 General Election, WV House of Delegates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-23.

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v t e Statewide elected officials and legislative leaders of West Virginia
U.S. senators	Joe Manchin Shelley Moore Capito
State government	Jim Justice, Governor Craig Blair, Lieutenant Governor Mac Warner, Secretary of State Patrick Morrisey, Attorney General Riley Moore, Treasurer JB McCuskey, Auditor Kent Leonhardt, Agriculture Commissioner
Senate	Craig Blair, President Donna Boley, President pro tempore Tom Takubo, Majority Leader Mike Woelfel, Minority Leader
House	Roger Hanshaw, Speaker Vacant, Speaker pro tempore Eric Householder, Majority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, Minority Leader
Supreme Court	Tim Armstead, Chief Justice Beth Walker John A. Hutchison William R. Wooton C. Haley Bunn, Justices

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Italics indicate presidents pro tempore *Unicameral body

v t e Members of the West Virginia Senate
86th West Virginia Legislature (2023–2024) President of the Senate Craig Blair (R) President pro tempore Donna Boley (R) Majority Leader Tom Takubo (R) Minority Leader Mike Woelfel (D)
1. ▌Laura Chapman (R) ⎣ ▌Ryan Weld (R) 2. ▌Charles Clements (R) ⎣ ▌Mike Maroney (R) 3. ▌Mike Azinger (R) ⎣ ▌Donna Boley (R) 4. ▌Eric Tarr (R) ⎣ ▌Amy Grady (R) 5. ▌Mike Woelfel (D) ⎣ ▌Bob Plymale (D) 6. ▌Mark R. Maynard (R) ⎣ ▌Chandler Swope (R) 7. ▌Mike Stuart (R) ⎣ ▌Rupie Phillips (R) 8. ▌Mark Hunt (R) ⎣ ▌Glenn Jeffries (R) 9. ▌Rollan Roberts (R) ⎣ ▌David Stover (R) 10. ▌Vince Deeds (R) ⎣ ▌Jack Woodrum (R) 11. ▌Bill Hamilton (R) ⎣ ▌Robert Karnes (R) 12. ▌Ben Queen (R) ⎣ ▌Patrick S. Martin (R) 13. ▌Mike Oliverio (R) ⎣ ▌Mike Caputo (D) 14. ▌Jay Taylor (R) ⎣ ▌Randy Smith (R) 15. ▌Vacant ⎣ ▌Craig Blair (R) 16. ▌Jason Barrett (R) ⎣ ▌Patricia Rucker (R) 17. ▌Tom Takubo (R) ⎣ ▌Eric Nelson (R)
▌Republican (31) ▌Democratic (3) West Virginia Legislature House Senate List of districts List of past legislatures