Anderson Wins West Virginia House District 50
Democrat Mathew Anderson captured the District 50 seat after Republican David Elliott Pritt withdrew amid federal charges.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Democrat Mathew Anderson won West Virginia House of Delegates District 50 with 51.8% of the vote, according to a Charleston, W.Va. report. The Associated Press called the race in his favor on Wednesday afternoon.
Why it matters
The outcome follows Republican David Elliott Pritt's withdrawal from the race and resignation in August 2026 over federal child sexual exploitation charges, reshaping the district's representation. Anderson, an educator from Canvas, has said he hopes to promote health, education and affordability.
Anderson received 51.8% of the District 50 vote, ahead of independent Tom Louisos at 27% and Constitution Party member Stacey L. Hensley at 13%. Write-in candidates made up the remaining share, with Bill Vest at 4.2%, Eric Walton at 3.3% and J. Pino at 0.3%.
The players
Mathew Anderson
Mathew Anderson is a Democrat and educator from Canvas who won the West Virginia House of Delegates District 50 seat.
David Elliott Pritt
David Elliott Pritt was a Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates who withdrew from the District 50 race and resigned after facing federal child sexual exploitation charges.
Associated Press
The Associated Press is a national news agency that called the District 50 race in favor of Anderson.
The details
Pritt withdrew from the race in August 2026 and resigned from the House of Delegates, and Bill Vest was appointed to fill the remainder of his term. Vest could not appear on the ballot as a Republican under state law and ran as a write-in candidate.
Timeline
August 2026: Pritt withdrew from the District 50 race and resigned from the House of Delegates.
November 4, 2026: The Associated Press called the District 50 race for Anderson on Wednesday afternoon.
Political Context
The District 50 result extends a pattern in which an appointed replacement for a resigned legislator faces a write-in or substitute contest, as Vest did after Pritt's resignation. Opposition from independent Tom Louisos and Constitution Party candidate Stacey L. Hensley shows the seat drew multiple challengers beyond the major parties.
District 50 voters now have Anderson as their state delegate, and the seat's representation changed after Pritt's resignation. Anderson has said he hopes to focus on health, education and affordability in the Legislature.
The takeaway
Local races can change hands quickly when an incumbent exits mid-term, so voters should track both the primary and any appointment process that fills a vacancy. Checking candidate filings and results from official county sources helps confirm who represents a district.
Further reading
For more on the candidates and results, see Elections coverage across West Virginia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WOWK 13 Huntington.
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