Mike Woelfel
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mike Woelfel (born 21 June 1954) is a Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate representing the 5th district.[1] The 5th district includes all of Cabell County and a small portion of northern Wayne County.[2] In 2022, Woelfel was chosen as Minority Leader of the Senate.[3]
Mike Woelfel | |
|---|---|
| Minority Leader of the West Virginia Senate | |
| Assumed office January 11, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Baldwin |
| Member of the West Virginia Senate from the 5th district | |
| Assumed office December 1, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Evan Jenkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 21, 1954 Huntington, West Virginia, United States |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Julia Woelfel |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Marshall University (BA) West Virginia University (JD) |
Legislature
Woelfel was first elected in 2014 to succeed Evan Jenkins who left the Democratic Party and chose to run for Congress as a Republican. Woelfel's victory was a rare pick up for the Democratic Party during a year that otherwise saw major Republican gains in West Virginia.[4] In 2020, Woelfel was appointed as Minority Whip for the Senate Democratic caucus.[5] Two years later, Woelfel became the Minority Leader after his predecessor, Stephen Baldwin, lost re-election. In 2023, Woelfel voted against HB 3018, to establish 18 as the age of consent for marriage.
Personal
Woelfel maintains a private personal injury law firm with his son, Matthew Woelfel.[6] Prior to his time in the Senate, Woelfel served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Cabell County and was appointed, on a part-time basis, to a juvenile judicial office for the Supreme Court of Appeals.[6] He also served as an adjunct professor at Marshall University.[7]
Election results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Woelfel (incumbent) | 13,542 | 54.0 | |
| Republican | Melissa Clark | 11,552 | 46.0 | |
| Total votes | 25,094 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Woelfel (incumbent) | 20,305 | 59.66% | |
| Republican | Larry Brooke Lunsford | 13,732 | 40.34% | |
| Total votes | 34,037 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Woelfel | 12,511 | 49.80% | |
| Republican | Vicki Dunn-Marshall | 11,818 | 47.04% | |
| Independent | Roy L. Ramey | 793 | 3.16% | |
| Total votes | 25,122 | 100.0% | ||