Republican Moore Defeats Longtime W.Va. State Treasurer Perdue In General Election

Republican Riley Moore, a former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, has defeated incumbent Democrat John Perdue for the office of West Virginia State Treasurer.

Moore won the seat of state treasurer after gaining 56 percent of the vote, according to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office. His opponent, Perdue, has held the office since 1996 — the longest-serving treasurer in West Virginia’s history.

Moore said he’s grateful to his family and voters, and recognizes the historic significance of his win.

“No Republican, from my understanding, has ever beat a 24-year incumbent, statewide, in West Virginia state history,” Moore said. “And on top of that, we’ve not elected a Republican State Treasurer in 92 years.”

One of the platforms Moore ran on in his campaign was to create term limits for the office of state treasurer. He said he plans to suggest this change to the West Virginia Legislature during the 2021 session.

“I want to see term limits in these constitutional offices,” he said. “I think it’s good for government. I don’t think we should have anybody, whether it’s me, or anybody, just lording over these offices for decades at a time.”

Moore said his first goal, however, will be to create a savings account program for individuals coming out of trade and technical schools. The savings account would allow graduates to buy tools, equipment, licenses and certifications. Moore said he wants to help people get into the workforce.

“We [already] have a college savings account,” he said. “Twenty-five percent of our population goes to college. This is for the other 75 percent of West Virginians that don’t, because we need to be out there also trying to help them on their career path. Because the more we help them, the more we help West Virginia … have a more robust and diversified economy with a strong middle class.”

Riley Moore lives with his family in Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County. He will move to Charleston when he begins his term as state treasurer.