Ryan Ferns

Ryan Ferns
Majority Leader of the West Virginia Senate
In office
January 11, 2017 – January 9, 2019
Preceded byMitch Carmichael
Succeeded byTom Takubo
Member of the West Virginia Senate
from the 1st district
In office
January 14, 2015 – January 9, 2019
Preceded byRocky Fitzsimmons
Succeeded byWilliam J. Ihlenfeld II
Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
from the 3rd district
In office
January 12, 2011 – January 14, 2015
Personal details
Born
Ryan James Ferns

(1982-12-02) December 2, 1982 (age 42)
Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (Before 2013)
Republican (2013–present)
EducationWheeling Jesuit University (BS, DPT)

Ryan James Ferns (born December 2, 1982) is an American politician from the state of West Virginia. He was a member of the West Virginia Senate for the 1st district. Ferns was defeated for reelection in 2018 by Democratic candidate William J. Ihlenfeld II.[1]

Biography

Ferns was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2010, as a member of the Democratic Party.

On April 20, 2012, he was arrested for drunken driving in Wheeling, West Virginia. On April 23, 2012, he entered a guilty plea and paid a $500 fine. Ferns' blood-alcohol level was 0.22, nearly three times West Virginia's legal limit.[2] That year, he was reelected by 280 votes. He switched his allegiance to the Republican Party in November 2013.

In 2014, he challenged Democrat Rocky Fitzsimmons in an election to the West Virginia Senate. Ferns narrowly defeated Fitzsimmons. He was chosen as the West Virginia Senate Majority Leader in December 2016.[3]

In 2018, Ferns was defeated for reelection by former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia William J. Ihlenfeld II.

Electoral history

West Virginia Senate District 1 (Position A) election, 2018[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William J. Ihlenfeld II 18,450 52.88%
Republican Ryan Ferns (incumbent) 16,438 47.12%
Total votes 34,888 100.0%
West Virginia Senate District 1 (Position A) election, 2014[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan Ferns 13,762 51.77%
Democratic Rocky Fitzsimmons (incumbent) 12,821 48.23%
Total votes 26,583 100.0%
West Virginia House District 3 election, 2012[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Erikka Lynn Storch (incumbent) 10,705 37.64%
Democratic Ryan Ferns (incumbent) 7,431 26.13%
Democratic Shawn Fluharty 7,151 25.15%
Republican Larry Tighe 3,150 11.08%
Total votes 28,437 100.0%
West Virginia House District 3 election, 2010[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Erikka Lynn Storch 5,410 28.23%
Democratic Ryan Ferns 4,958 25.87%
Republican Dolph Santorine 4,518 23.58%
Democratic Shawn Fluharty 4,277 22.32%
Total votes 19,163 100.0%

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Latest: West Virginia approves abortion amendment". The News & Observer. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  2. ^ Staff. "Wheeling delegate to resign after DUI arrest". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  3. ^ "Ryan Ferns Selected West Virginia Senate Majority Leader". theintelligencer.net. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
  4. ^ "Statewide Results: General Election - November 6, 2018". West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  5. ^ "Statewide Results: General Election - November 4, 2014". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  6. ^ "Statewide Results: General Election - November 6, 2012". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  7. ^ "Statewide Results: General Election - November 2, 2010". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
West Virginia Senate
Preceded by Majority Leader of the West Virginia Senate
2017–2019 		Succeeded by


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