The 2008 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Governor Joe Manchin was the Democratic nominee, challenged by Republican nominee Russ Weeks and Mountain Party candidate Jesse Johnson. Manchin won every county in the state and was reelected by the largest margin for any gubernatorial candidate in West Virginia's history. Manchin won by over 44%, even as Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, lost the state to John McCain in the concurrent presidential election.

Party primaries

Democratic Party Mel Kessler, State Delegate Joe Manchin, incumbent Governor of West Virginia

Republican Party Russ Weeks, former State Senator

General election

Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political ReportOctober 16, 2008 Rothenberg Political Report November 2, 2008 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 3, 2008Real Clear PoliticsNovember 4, 2008

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JoeManchin (D) RussWeeks (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)October 29–30, 20082,128 (LV)± 2.1%69%27%–3%Rasmussen ReportsOctober 20, 2008500 (LV)± 4.5%71%21%3%5%

Results

By county Manchin won every county in the state. CountyJoe ManchinDemocraticRuss WeeksRepublicanJesse JohnsonMountainMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Barbour4,61373.76%1,42622.80%2153.44%3,18750.96%6,254Berkeley21,54559.26%13,28836.55%1,5254.19%8,25722.71%36,358Boone6,12473.41%1,72920.73%4895.86%4,39552.69%8,342Braxton4,08376.99%1,11120.95%1092.06%2,97256.04%5,303Brooke7,79379.76%1,68617.26%2922.99%6,10762.50%9,771Cabell26,97077.81%6,65119.19%1,0413.00%20,31958.62%34,662Calhoun1,61266.58%63526.23%1747.19%97740.36%2,421Clay2,31670.89%78223.94%1695.17%1,53446.95%3,267Doddridge1,86861.96%1,02133.86%1264.18%84728.09%3,015Fayette10,30567.59%4,30628.24%6364.17%5,99939.35%15,247Gilmer1,72868.95%59523.74%1837.30%1,13345.21%2,506Grant2,42559.86%1,50837.23%1182.91%91722.64%4,051Greenbrier9,52169.54%3,60626.34%5654.13%5,91543.20%13,692Hampshire5,46566.22%2,49130.18%2973.60%2,97436.04%8,253Hancock10,06977.38%2,58019.83%3642.80%7,48957.55%13,013Hardy3,77771.37%1,27824.15%2374.48%2,49947.22%5,292Harrison22,74672.05%7,51423.80%1,3094.15%15,23248.25%31,569Jackson8,23367.23%3,39227.70%6215.07%4,84139.53%12,246Jefferson13,56361.91%7,01032.00%1,3346.09%6,55329.91%21,907Kanawha55,12968.04%20,59525.42%5,3036.54%34,53442.62%81,027Lewis4,43467.13%1,92129.08%2503.79%2,51338.05%6,605Lincoln4,77669.18%1,75525.42%3735.40%3,02143.76%6,904Logan10,10176.28%2,59119.57%5504.15%7,51056.71%13,242Marion17,84975.98%4,61019.62%1,0334.40%13,23956.36%23,492Marshall10,55575.80%2,91520.94%4543.26%7,64054.87%13,924Mason8,60580.02%1,80616.80%3423.18%6,79963.23%10,753McDowell5,32383.25%93314.59%1382.16%4,39068.66%6,394Mercer14,65470.20%5,68727.24%5332.55%8,96742.96%20,874Mineral8,10070.88%3,06126.79%2662.33%5,03944.10%11,427Mingo6,35377.38%1,52518.57%3324.04%4,82858.81%8,210Monongalia19,54660.61%9,06428.11%3,64011.29%10,48232.50%32,250Monroe3,82468.33%1,58928.40%1833.27%2,23539.94%5,596Morgan4,31861.05%2,43234.38%3234.57%1,88626.66%7,073Nicholas7,08075.31%2,02721.56%2943.13%5,05353.75%9,401Ohio14,22573.61%4,42222.88%6773.50%9,80350.73%19,324Pendleton2,05661.95%1,12733.96%1364.10%92927.99%3,319Pleasants2,23574.97%65822.07%882.95%1,57752.90%2,981Pocahontas2,47968.03%90224.75%2637.22%1,57743.28%3,644Preston7,07860.77%3,78232.47%7876.76%3,29628.30%11,647Putnam16,99569.02%6,62226.89%1,0054.08%10,37342.13%24,622Raleigh15,73656.19%11,64541.58%6252.23%4,09114.61%28,006Randolph8,14975.76%2,08419.37%5244.87%6,06556.38%10,757Ritchie2,50366.01%1,15330.41%1363.59%1,35035.60%3,792Roane3,79868.00%1,49426.75%2935.25%2,30441.25%5,585Summers3,53566.75%1,57329.70%1883.55%1,96237.05%5,296Taylor4,41971.74%1,47723.98%2644.29%2,94247.76%6,160Tucker2,55473.62%74821.56%1674.81%1,80652.06%3,469Tyler2,56769.30%1,00127.02%1363.67%1,56642.28%3,704Upshur6,49872.08%2,25324.99%2642.93%4,24547.09%9,015Wayne11,79377.08%3,13220.47%3742.44%8,66156.61%15,299Webster2,36176.73%55518.04%1615.23%1,80658.69%3,077Wetzel4,97577.97%1,16218.21%2443.82%3,81359.76%6,381Wirt1,65271.18%58125.03%883.79%1,07146.14%2,321Wood26,76975.38%7,65821.57%1,0843.05%19,11153.82%35,511Wyoming4,91765.18%2,46332.65%1642.17%2,45432.53%7,544Totals492,69769.81%181,61225.73%31,4864.46%311,08544.08%705,795 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Berkeley (largest municipality: Martinsburg) Doddridge (largest municipality: West Union) Grant (largest municipality: Petersburg)

Notes

References

External links Elections from the West Virginia Secretary of State West Virginia Governor candidates at Project Vote Smart West Virginia Governor race from OurCampaigns.com West Virginia Governor race from 2008 Race Tracker from Follow the Money Official candidate websites (archived) , Incumbent Democratic nominee Russ Weeks, Republican nominee Jesse Johnson, Mountain Party nominee