Four newcomers win Wood County West Virginia House seats

PARKERSBURG — Voters in Wood County sent a clear message Tuesday night, reshaping the county’s delegation to the West Virginia House of Delegates with four new winners while handing comfortable reelections to both of the area’s state senators, according to final, unofficial results reported by The Parkersburg News and Sentinel.

The shake-up means that when lawmakers convene in Charleston this January, only one incumbent from a Wood County House district — Republican Del. David Foggin of the 14th District — will return to a seat he held before Election Day. The other four House districts covering the county will be represented by newcomers, including one Democrat, marking one of the more significant turnovers in the county’s recent political history.

A Democrat Breaks Through in the 12th District

The most closely watched race of the night went to Democrat Dennis Rempel, who is projected to win the 12th District seat with 1,781 votes. He defeated Republican Charles Hartzog (1,630), Libertarian Stephen Thomas Smith (215), and incumbent Del. Vernon Criss, who ran as a write-in after losing to Hartzog in the primary and drew 261 votes.

“I am very excited,” Rempel said. “I think everyone ran a good race.” Rempel said he is looking forward to helping veterans and the elderly. He also wants to work on legislation that lets those people live on the income they are receiving to be able to afford the medications they need as well as energy costs. “I am very excited about being able to support everyone in District 12 and in West Virginia,” Rempel said. “I’m pretty stoked about everything.”

Rempel said his first priorities will center on veterans and the elderly, including legislation that would allow those residents to live on the income they receive while still affording medications and energy costs.

Republicans Sweep the Other Three Open Seats

Republican Justin Beanard captured the 10th District with 2,972 votes to Democrat Christopher Jones’s 1,958. Beanard, who unseated incumbent Del. Bill Anderson in the GOP primary, campaigned on conservative values and said his two biggest legislative pushes will be ending qualified immunity for government officials and eliminating property taxes for senior citizens.

“It is an amazing feeling to let the voters do the talking. “They spoke up in the primary and now in the general. They want something different,” Beanard said.”

In the 11th District, Republican Jeff Sandy — a former Wood County sheriff and former secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under former Gov. Jim Justice — is expected to win with 2,668 votes against Democrat Daniel Miller’s 2,235. Sandy said he wants to revisit property tax relief for seniors and reconnect with colleagues from his cabinet days.

Republican Melissa McCrady won the 13th District with 2,488 votes, defeating Democrat Marley Umensetter (1,296) and independent James Hendershot Jr. (375). McCrady, who defeated Del. Scot Heckert in the primary, said she worked hard for the victory and appreciated voters’ faith.

Foggin Survives as Lone Incumbent Victor

Foggin, a Republican set to begin his third term, was the only incumbent in a Wood County House district to win reelection — and the only one whose name appeared on the general election ballot, since Criss ran as a write-in. Foggin defeated Democrat Crystal Butcher 3,060 to 1,274 in the 14th District.

“I’m proud that the people in the (14th) District want me to represent them, and I hope I can meet their expectations,” Foggin said. “I’m ready to … get back to work for the people of the 14th District and the state of West Virginia.”

Senate Seats Stay Red

Up the ballot, both state Senate seats covering Wood, Wirt, Pleasants and Ritchie counties remained in Republican hands. Sen. Mike Azinger, R-Wood, won a full term with 60% of the vote to Democrat Caci Petrehn’s 40%, with Ritchie County results still pending at the time of reporting, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

Azinger said he will push “more freedom bills, pro-business, pro-life and pro-God” legislation in the coming session. The second seat, vacated by the January retirement of Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, went to fellow Pleasants County Republican Trenton Barnhart, who was appointed to the seat after seven years in the House and won the unexpired two-year term with nearly 73% of the vote against Constitution Party candidate Ronnie Green’s roughly 27%.

What the Shift Means for Wood County

The results leave Wood County’s House delegation with just one member carrying legislative experience from the previous term, a dynamic that could reshape how the county’s interests are advanced in the 60-day session. With three of the four newcomers campaigning on property tax relief for seniors and one on medication affordability, pocketbook issues clearly resonated with voters across party lines. Meanwhile, the Senate sweep ensures the county’s upper-chamber voice stays aligned with the Republican supermajority that controls both chambers of the Legislature.

All results remain unofficial pending certification, but the margins in every Wood County House race — ranging from Rempel’s 151-vote edge to Foggin’s 1,786-vote margin — suggest the outcomes are unlikely to change.