Trifecta: Capito heads back to U.S. Senate for third term
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CHARLESTON -- Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican and West Virginia’s senior member of the congressional delegation, will return to the U.S. Senate next year to begin serving her third six-year term on Capitol Hill.
WV MetroNews, the Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ called the election in Capito’s favor over her Democratic opponent, Rachel Fetty Anderson, Tuesday night after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m., based on preliminary numbers.
Capito and supporters gathered Tuesday night at the Embassy Suites in downtown Charleston to watch the unofficial vote numbers and celebrate. Capito was joined by her husband Charlie, her adult children and grandchildren.
“Tonight is more than just a political victory for all of us. It’s a victory for West Virginia and the things that we believe in,” Capito said. “It’s a future where our children and our grandchildren can build their lives right here at home and where hard work is rewarded, our values are respected, and opportunity is open to everyone. Where West Virginia doesn’t just have a seat at the table; we have the strongest voice at that table.”
According to unofficial results compiled by WV MetroNews, Capito led Anderson by 70,515 votes as of press time, with Capito receiving 58% of the vote, followed by 39% for Anderson and 4% for the Constitution Party candidate, former Republican House of Delegates member S. Marshall Wilson.
Capito is fourth in the Senate Republican majority leadership's chain of command, chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee's subcommittee for the departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services and other independent agencies.
Capito has served in Congress since taking office in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2001. She won election to the Senate in 2014, succeeding the retiring Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller and becoming the first woman elected to the Senate from West Virginia.
She won re-election in 2020, becoming the first Republican to do so in the Senate since 1907 and carrying all 55 counties. Capito was endorsed last year for re-election by President Donald Trump and has the support of Vice President J.D. Vance.
Capito was introduced Tuesday night by former governor and current junior U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, who led the attendees in shouts of “Shelley! Shelley! Shelley!”
“It is an honor beyond belief to be a U.S. senator. It’s got to be an honor beyond belief, and then some, to be a U.S. senator that’s number four in the hierarchy of the whole deal,” Justice said of Capito. ” We should be so proud, so proud of her ... She’s a superstar beyond belief in my book. She’s got wisdom all the time.”
Anderson is an attorney and a former Morgantown City Council member who serves on the Morgantown Civilian Police Review and Advisory Board. During the May Democratic primary, Anderson came in first in a five-person race which included former state Senate President Jeff Kessler. Anderson was not available for comment Tuesday night.