Craig Philip Blair (born October 17, 1959) is an American politician and a former Republican member of the

West Virginia Senate The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature. There are seventeen senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who serve staggered four-year terms. Although the West Virginia Democratic Party, Democratic P ...

representing District 15 from 2012 to 2024. Previously, Blair served in the

West Virginia Legislature The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI ...

from January 2003 until January 2011 in the

West Virginia House of Delegates The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature in West Virginia. Only three states—Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia—refer to their lower house as the House of Delegates. Organization Regular se ...

in the District 52 seat. Blair is also the father of former WV Delegate Saira Blair. As president of the state senate, Blair concurrently held the title

lieutenant governor of West Virginia The president of the West Virginia Senate is a member of the West Virginia Senate who has been elected to be its president by the other senators. The current Senate president is Randy Smith, who has been in office since January 8, 2025. In ad ...

from January 2021 to January 2025. Blair lost renomination in 2024.

Elections

2024 Republican Primary Republican Tom Willis defeated Blair in the West Virginia Republican primary on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. 2023 (president) In the months leading up to the 2022 senate elections, senator

Patricia Rucker Patricia Rucker (born Patricia Elena Puertas on April 27, 1974) is a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the West Virginia's 16th Senate district, 16th district since January 11, 2017. R ...

challenged Blair for the caucus' nomination. After the elections, however, Rucker withdrew her bid, and Blair was re-elected by acclamation. He was once again nominated by Charles Trump, and nominations were closed by minority leader Mike Woelfel.

2021 (president)

Blair was elected as President of the Senate by acclamation, being nominated by Charles Trump. Further nominations were closed minority leader

Stephen Baldwin Stephen Andrew Baldwin (born May 12, 1966) is an American actor. He has appeared in the films ''Born on the Fourth of July (film), Born on the Fourth of July'' (1989), ''Posse (1993 film), Posse'' (1993), ''8 Seconds'' (1994), ''Threesome (1994 ...

, leaving Blair uncontested. He replaced Mitch Carmichael, who lost renomination in the previous year's elections.

2020

Blair narrowly defeated challenger Kenneth Mattson, a former military police officer and small business owner, in the Republican primary, and beat

Mountain Party The Mountain Party, also known as the West Virginia Green Party and the West Virginia Workers’ Party, is a political party in West Virginia affiliated with the Green Party of the United States. It is a progressive and environmentalist party ...

challenger Donald Kinnie in the general election. *

2016

Blair easily defeated challenger Larry Kump in the Republican primary and Democratic challenger Brad Noll in the general election. *

2012

After his unsuccessful run in 2010, Blair was redistricted to District 15, and with incumbent Senator

Clark Barnes Clark S. Barnes (born August 6, 1950) is a former member of the West Virginia Senate The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature. There are seventeen senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who s ...

redistricted to District 11, Blair was unopposed for the May 8, 2012 Republican Primary. He went on to win the November 6, 2012 General election with 28,766 votes (80.8%) against Constitution Party candidate Daniel Litten.

2010

Rather than run for re-election to the House of Delegates, Blair challenged Senate District 16 incumbent Democratic Senator John Unger. Blair was unopposed for the May 11, 2010 Republican Primary, but lost the November 2, 2010 General election to Senator Unger by 318 votes (less than 1%).

2008

Blair was unopposed for the 2008 Republican Primary, and won the November 4, 2008 General election with 4,994 votes (54.8%) against Democratic nominee Mike Roberts.

2006

Blair was unopposed for both the 2006 Republican Primary and the November 7, 2006 General election.

2004

Blair was unopposed for the 2004 Republican Primary, and won the November 2, 2004 General election with 5,193 votes (62.5%) against Democratic nominee Scott Funk.

2002

When House District 52 Democratic Delegate Vicki Douglas retired from the Legislature and left the seat open, Blair won the 2002 Republican Primary with 624 votes (55.2%) against Jerry Mays and won the November 5, 2002 General election with 2,735 votes (64.5%) against Democratic nominee Craig Shibley.

References

External links

Official page
at the

Senate PageCampaign site
*
Craig Blair
at

Ballotpedia Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...

Craig P. Blair
at the National Institute on Money in State Politics {{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, Craig 1959 births 21st-century members of the West Virginia Legislature Living people Politicians from Martinsburg, West Virginia Presidents of the West Virginia Senate Republican Party members of the West Virginia House of Delegates Republican Party West Virginia state senators