The 1984 West Virginia Attorney General election took place on November 6, 1984, to elect the Attorney General of West Virginia. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Chauncey H. Browning Jr. chose not to seek re-election to a fifth term, choosing instead to run for governor.

Charleston attorney and former Deputy Attorney General Charlie Brown beat Republican nominee John F. McCuskey 55.5% to 44.5%.

Forty years later, in 2024, John F. McCuskey's son JB was elected Attorney General, and Charlie Brown's brother Sherrod lost re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Charlie Brown, Charleston attorney, former Deputy Attorney General (1978-1982), and brother of Sherrod Brown.

Eliminated in primary Daniel C. Staggers, Mineral County attorney, son of Harley Orrin Staggers, brother of Harley O. Staggers Jr., and future candidate for the Supreme Court of Appeals in 1996. John "Si" Boettner, State Senator from the 8th district and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error CharlieBrown DanStaggers JohnBoettner UndecidedWest Virginia PollApril, 1984N/A± 5%15.4%35.5%21.7%27.4%West Virginia PollMay, 1984N/A± 5%19.8%36%17.8%N/A

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee John F. McCuskey, former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from Harrison County (1973-1977) and father of future attorney general JB McCuskey.

Results

General election

Candidates Democratic: Charlie Brown. Republican: John F. McCuskey.

Results

Results by county CountyCharlie BrownDemocraticJohn McCuskeyRepublicanTotal votes cast # % # %Barbour 3,093 46.42% 3,570 53.58% 6,663Berkeley 8,100 47.26% 9,041 52.74% 17,141Boone 7,828 70.94% 3,206 29.06% 11,034Braxton 3,676 63.28% 2,133 36.72% 5,809Brooke 7,026 65.83% 3,647 34.17% 10,673Cabell 21,598 59.63% 14,624 40.37% 36,222Calhoun 1,778 58.45% 1,264 41.55% 3,042Clay 2,505 69.45% 1,102 30.55% 3,607Doddridge 934 30.01% 2,178 69.99% 3,112Fayette 13,546 73.40% 4,909 26.60% 18,455Gilmer 1,811 55.28% 1,465 44.72% 3,276Grant 824 20.68% 3,161 79.32% 3,985Greenbrier 7,501 60.45% 4,908 39.55% 12,409Hampshire 2,545 49.89% 2,556 50.11% 5,101Hancock 8,533 61.46% 5,350 38.54% 13,883Hardy 2,124 54.29% 1,788 45.71% 3,912Harrison 12,588 37.37% 21,094 62.63% 33,682Jackson 5,824 52.50% 5,269 47.50% 11,093Jefferson 4,846 53.70% 4,179 46.30% 9,025Kanawha 48,237 55.24% 39,083 44.76% 87,320Lewis 3,422 44.40% 4,286 55.60% 7,708Lincoln 6,284 65.05% 3,377 34.95% 9,661Logan 11,682 72.95% 4,332 27.05% 16,014Marion 12,703 49.32% 13,055 50.68% 25,758Marshall 8,991 56.24% 6,996 43.76% 15,987Mason 7,061 58.83% 4,942 41.17% 12,003McDowell 8,861 77.65% 2,550 22.35% 11,411Mercer 12,061 55.23% 9,777 44.77% 21,838Mineral 4,231 42.95% 5,621 57.05% 9,852Mingo 9,179 76.09% 2,885 23.91% 12,064Monongalia 14,002 53.91% 11,969 46.09% 25,971Monroe 2,953 52.92% 2,627 47.08% 5,580Morgan 1,599 38.48% 2,556 61.52% 4,155Nicholas 5,579 63.67% 3,184 36.33% 8,763Ohio 12,290 53.84% 10,537 46.16% 22,827Pendleton 1,574 51.93% 1,457 48.07% 3,031Pleasants 1,980 54.98% 1,621 45.02% 3,601Pocahontas 2,293 55.63% 1,829 44.37% 4,122Preston 4,219 41.93% 5,842 58.07% 10,061Putnam 7,815 54.96% 6,405 45.04% 14,220Raleigh 18,560 66.26% 9,449 33.74% 28,009Randolph 5,349 50.37% 5,271 49.63% 10,620Ritchie 1,574 35.91% 2,809 64.09% 4,383Roane 3,146 51.80% 2,927 48.20% 6,073Summers 3,400 64.28% 1,889 35.72% 5,289Taylor 2,658 40.83% 3,852 59.17% 6,510Tucker 1,952 51.22% 1,859 48.78% 3,811Tyler 1,634 37.60% 2,712 62.40% 4,346Upshur 3,107 38.14% 5,040 61.86% 8,147Wayne 10,295 66.36% 5,218 33.64% 15,513Webster 2,507 69.74% 1,088 30.26% 3,595Wetzel 4,244 54.47% 3,547 45.53% 7,791Wirt 1,181 53.27% 1,036 46.73% 2,217Wood 15,977 45.18% 19,386 54.82% 35,363Wyoming 7,162 68.42% 3,305 31.58% 10,467Totals386,44255.51%309,76344.49%696,205

References