Governor Patrick Morrisey appoints Trenton Barnhart and Guy Ward to fill vacant seats in the West Virginia Senate and House of Representatives. (West Virginia Legislative Photography)
Gov. Patrick Morrisey has Del. Trenton Barnhart, R-Pleasants, appointed to fill a seat left vacant when former Sen. Donna Boley resigned earlier this month.
Boley, 90, was the one the longest-serving state senator in West Virginia history. She announced her resignation on January 8, citing the need to focus more on her family and health.
Barnhart, a banker from St. MarysWas first appointed to the House of Representatives in 2019 by former Governor Jim Justice. Barnhant was elected 2020 and re-elected 2022 And 2024. He is a graduate of the University of Charleston.
“Delegate Barnhart has served West Virginians in the 7th District with energy, integrity and a deep commitment to conservative principles,” Morrisey said in a news release Tuesday evening. “It is an honor to appoint him to the West Virginia Senate to succeed Senator Donna Boley, whose decades of work have shaped our state for the better.”
The governor also appointed former Rep. Guy Ward to the vacant seat representing the 74th House District. Del. Mike DeVault, R-Marion, resigned from the House headquarters just before the start of the legislative session earlier this month.
According to a, Ward was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and 2020 Biography on his campaign website. Accordingly, he lost to DeVault in the 2022 Republican primary election for the 74th District seat West Virginia Secretary of State website. He also served as an alderman and mayor of the City of White Hall and a member of the Marion County Commission.
According to the governor’s office, Ward “has built a strong track record of advocating conservative values and practical solutions for West Virginia families.” According to Morrisey, he is a supporter of the Second Amendment, a powerful supporter of pro-life policies and an advocate for petite businesses across the state.
“Guy Ward has a long history of serving the people of West Virginia,” Morrisey said in the release. “He knows the importance of protecting our constitutional freedoms, supporting life, supporting our law enforcement and first responders, and helping small businesses grow.”
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