WV Republican Primary Election Results: AP Calls Race For Mooney

WEST VIRGINIA — The Associated Press has called the Republican primary for West Virginia's new 2nd Congressional District in favor of Rep. Alexander Mooney.

Mooney edged Rep. David McKinley for the nomination in Tuesday's election.

McKinley and Mooney, who currently hold office in West Virginia's 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts, respectively, were up against challengers Susan Buchser-Lochocki, Rhonda Hercules and Mike Seckman.

Mooney is expected to be a heavy frontrunner in the general election against whomever emerges as the Democratic nominee between Barry Lee Wendell and Angela Dwyer.

The polls closed at 7:30 p.m., but anyone in line for voting by that time was given a "waiting voters permit" that will guarantee them the opportunity to vote, the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office announced in a Facebook post.

Here are the latest unofficial results as of 9:26 p.m.:

• Alexander Mooney: 24,947 (54.70%)
• David McKinley: 16,037 (35.17%)
• Mike Seckman: 1,835 (4.02%)
• Susan Buchser-Lochocki: 1,789 (3.92%)
• Rhonda Hercules: 996 (2.18%)

McKinley and Mooney are running for re-election in the same district because West Virginia lost a seat in the U.S. House in the 2020 U.S. Census. The new 2nd Congressional District encompasses northernmost counties of West Virginia. Eight counties in Mooney's current district and 19 of 20 counties represented by McKinley make up the new district.

It's likely the nominee will be chosen between the two representatives, and West Virginia's choice could reveal how much sway former President Donald Trump still has over voters in the state, who voted overwhelmingly in favor of Trump in both 2016 and 2020.

Trump has endorsed Mooney and has repeatedly panned the 13 Republican representatives, including McKinley, who voted yes to Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in November.

"There's no question that was the right vote," McKinley told the Associated Press, noting the state's "D" infrastructure grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers. "West Virginia was rated last. Any commonsense, reasonable person would say, 'You got a problem, fix it.' I think it would have been a betrayal to do otherwise."

McKinley has been endorsed by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Sen. Joe Manchin.

Mooney moved to West Virginia from Maryland in 2013. On his campaign website, he lists the 2nd Amendment, aiding the state's opioid epidemic and deregulating the energy industry in the state as some of his top priorities.

Buchser-Lochocki describes herself as a businesswoman, activist and author on her campaign website. She was a write-in candidate in the 2020 Presidential Election. She lists family, education and the environment as important issues to her campaign.

Hercules touts herself as an "America first" candidate and a "true believer in the Constitution" on her campaign website, and she lists opposition to abortion and the 2nd Amendment as important issues.

Seckman is running to "stand up for the working class" and describes himself as "pro freedom" on his campaign website. He has worked in the HVAC business for 23 years.