Rick Snuffer

He ran for West Virginia's 27th House District. He was one of five candidates who won that seat, obtaining 13% of the vote in second place. The others were incumbent State Delegate Linda Sumner (14%), State Delegate Ricky Moye (12%), John David O'Neal (12%), and Virginia Mahan (9%).^[4]

• Energy, Industry and Labor/Economic Development and Small Business
• Government Organization
• Roads and Transportation
• Senior Citizen Issues^[5]

In 2003, he decided to challenge incumbent Democrat U.S. Congressman Nick Rahall of West Virginia's 3rd congressional district. In the Republican primary, he defeated Marty Gearheart 58%-42%.^[6] In the general election, Rahall defeated Snuffer 65%-35%, a thirty-point margin. Rahall, first elected in 1976, fared worse in only five other elections. Snuffer won just one county, Raleigh, his home county by two points.^[7]

Snuffer then decided to challenge incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd. He lost the Republican primary, ranking third out of six candidates with just 6% of the vote. He won just one county, Raleigh, with 48%. Businessman John Raese won with 58% of the vote.^[8]

Snuffer decided to challenge Rahall again in 2012. He won the Republican primary with 54% of the vote.^[9]