2016 West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture election
November 8, 2016
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County results Leonhardt: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Helmick: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in West Virginia |
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The 2016 West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture, concurrently with elections for president of the United States, the U.S. House of Representatives, governor, and other state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic commissioner Walt Helmick, the only remaining Democratic agriculture commissioner in the United States at the time of the election, lost re-election to Republican state senator Kent Leonhardt in a rematch of the 2012 election for the same office.[1][2] Libertarian candidate Buddy Guthrie received over 10% of the vote, the highest third-party vote share of any single candidate in West Virginia in 2016.[3][4]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Walt Helmick, incumbent agriculture commissioner (2013–present)[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Walt Helmick (incumbent) | 194,220 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 194,220 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Kent Leonhardt, state senator from the 2nd district (2014–present) and nominee for agriculture commissioner in 2012[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kent Leonhardt | 147,782 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 147,782 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Walt Helmick (D)
Kent Leonhardt (R)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kent Leonhardt | 321,560 | 48.41 | ||
| Democratic | Walt Helmick (incumbent) | 274,191 | 41.28 | ||
| Libertarian | Buddy Guthrie | 68,502 | 10.31 | ||
| Total votes | 664,253 | 100.00 | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | |||||
References
- ^ Daigneau, Elizabeth (February 23, 2016). "Where Have All the Democratic Agriculture Commissioners Gone?". Governing. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
Today, there are 11 Republican commissioners and just one Democrat: West Virginia's Walt Helmick.
- ^ McElhinny, Brad (November 8, 2016). "10 big deals on the line in W.Va. on Election Day". WV MetroNews. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ Marks, Rusty (September 29, 2016). "Agriculture candidates tout experience". WVNews. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "West Virginia Election Results 2016". The New York Times. June 15, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ Mancini, Jess (September 8, 2025). "Former West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Walt Helmick dies at 81". The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
Walt Helmick, 81, served one term as commissioner from 2012-2016.
- ^ a b "Primary Election - May 10,2016". West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "W.Va. Sen. Kent Leonhardt Expected to Announce Ag Commissioner Bid". West Virginia Public Broadcasting. August 17, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "Gazette endorsement: Walt Helmick for agriculture commissioner". Charleston Gazette-Mail. October 24, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "Endorsement: Walt Helmick deserves second term as agriculture commissioner". West Virginia Press. October 24, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "WV AFL-CIO Endorses Candidates in 2016 General Election". West Virginia AFL-CIO. June 17, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "Election 2016 Boilermaker Endorsements". International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. October 17, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "Endorsement: Leonhardt right for Ag commissioner". West Virginia Press. October 23, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ McElhinny, Brad (September 19, 2016). "W.Va. Farm Bureau expresses beef with state Agriculture Department". WV MetroNews. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "General Election - November 8, 2016". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2026.