Mitch Carmichael Criticizes Excessive Spending on [Topic] as Former Senate President and House Delegate

Political groups linked to West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey have spent more than $1.6 million since March on state legislative races, according to data filed with the Secretary of State’s Office.

The spending includes $390,798 used to oppose Republican incumbent members of the House of Delegates and state Senate, and $578,391 to support incumbent GOP lawmakers seen as reliable allies of the governor, as of April 22.

Five different political groups have made the expenditures, some of which have connections to Governor Morrisey, who has publicly endorsed primary opponents of certain Republican lawmakers.

Steve Roberts, president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, said he has never seen this level of spending in midterm legislative contests, describing the trend as the nationalization of state legislative races.

Roberts noted that the influx of money includes contributions traced to out-of-state billionaires, significantly influencing elections for the West Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate.

Mitch Carmichael, a former longtime member of the House of Delegates and former Senate president, characterized the spending as unprecedented in the context of off-year primary elections.

The Chamber of Commerce’s political action committee continues to make endorsements in legislative races each election cycle, representing half of the state’s employers.