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This is the 1978 race. The latest: 2014 →

1978Final resultsIncumbent defeated

1978 Democratic primary for West Virginia Delegate District 17

West Virginia House of Delegates · West Virginia

Martha Wehrle (D) won with 6.8% of the vote, defeating Helaine Rotgin (D) by 4.0 points.

Martha WehrleDemocrat · winner · incumbent
6.8%14,986
Darrell E. HolmesDemocrat · winner · incumbent
5.2%11,407
Roger W. TompkinsDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.5%9,807
Lyle SattesDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.5%9,761
John Slack IIIDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.2%9,308
Thomas A. KnightDemocrat · winner
4.1%9,078
Rudy SeacristDemocrat · winner
4.0%8,845
Walton ShepherdDemocrat · winner · incumbent
3.6%7,963
John S. Governor IVDemocrat · winner
3.6%7,875
W. L. DoodDemocrat · winner
3.6%7,826
June BledsoeDemocrat · winner
3.1%6,842
J. Edward Hafer Jr.Democrat · winner
3.1%6,712
Roy RogersDemocrat · winner
2.9%6,464
Helaine RotginDemocrat · incumbent
2.9%6,320
Harry NewellDemocrat
2.8%6,212
John PayneDemocrat
2.8%6,094
George PriceDemocrat
2.7%5,934
Lawrence BarkerDemocrat
2.5%5,518
Doug MillerDemocrat
2.2%4,816
Bernard D. FerrellDemocrat
2.1%4,601
Mary Ellen Loy MabeDemocrat
2.0%4,303
Joyce LouderbackDemocrat
1.9%4,114
David B. HallDemocrat
1.7%3,638
Ronald MeredithDemocrat
1.6%3,419
James E. AmburgyDemocrat
1.5%3,340
Thomas McQuianDemocrat
1.5%3,336
Charles H. BurfordDemocrat
1.4%3,057
Kermit W. PauleyDemocrat
1.3%2,925
Danny L. BakerDemocrat
1.3%2,873
Richard A. KennedyDemocrat
1.3%2,864
C. Page HamrickDemocrat
1.2%2,651
Harvey HansonDemocrat
1.2%2,638
Paul NuchimsDemocrat
1.2%2,630
Paige CampbellDemocrat
1.1%2,490
Rex StewartDemocrat
1.0%2,228
Ezra GraleyDemocrat
1.0%2,109
Bobby J. ProffitDemocrat
1.0%2,090
Thomas J. Hamilton Jr.Democrat
0.9%1,894
John R. AdkinsDemocrat
0.8%1,817
Frederick L. Coleman Sr.Democrat
0.8%1,693
Joe R. HudnallDemocrat
0.8%1,646
J. Stan GivenDemocrat
0.7%1,526
John E. Davis IIDemocrat
0.7%1,440
Eugene AdkinsDemocrat
0.5%1,115
Delwyn L. MaggardDemocrat
0.5%1,095
219,300 votes

Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET

The candidates

Martha Wehrle (D)Darrell E. Holmes (D)

Also on the ballot: Roger W. Tompkins (Democrat), 4.5%; Lyle Sattes (Democrat), 4.5%; John Slack III (Democrat), 4.2%; Thomas A. Knight (Democrat), 4.1%; Rudy Seacrist (Democrat), 4.0%; Walton Shepherd (Democrat), 3.6%; John S. Governor IV (Democrat), 3.6%; W. L. Dood (Democrat), 3.6%; June Bledsoe (Democrat), 3.1%; J. Edward Hafer Jr. (Democrat), 3.1%; Roy Rogers (Democrat), 2.9%; Helaine Rotgin (Democrat), 2.9%; Harry Newell (Democrat), 2.8%; John Payne (Democrat), 2.8%; George Price (Democrat), 2.7%; Lawrence Barker (Democrat), 2.5%; Doug Miller (Democrat), 2.2%; Bernard D. Ferrell (Democrat), 2.1%; Mary Ellen Loy Mabe (Democrat), 2.0%; Joyce Louderback (Democrat), 1.9%; David B. Hall (Democrat), 1.7%; Ronald Meredith (Democrat), 1.6%; James E. Amburgy (Democrat), 1.5%; Thomas McQuian (Democrat), 1.5%; Charles H. Burford (Democrat), 1.4%; Kermit W. Pauley (Democrat), 1.3%; Danny L. Baker (Democrat), 1.3%; Richard A. Kennedy (Democrat), 1.3%; C. Page Hamrick (Democrat), 1.2%; Harvey Hanson (Democrat), 1.2%; Paul Nuchims (Democrat), 1.2%; Paige Campbell (Democrat), 1.1%; Rex Stewart (Democrat), 1.0%; Ezra Graley (Democrat), 1.0%; Bobby J. Proffit (Democrat), 1.0%; Thomas J. Hamilton Jr. (Democrat), 0.9%; John R. Adkins (Democrat), 0.8%; Frederick L. Coleman Sr. (Democrat), 0.8%; Joe R. Hudnall (Democrat), 0.8%; J. Stan Given (Democrat), 0.7%; John E. Davis II (Democrat), 0.7%; Eugene Adkins (Democrat), 0.5%; Delwyn L. Maggard (Democrat), 0.5%