WV Dems to choose between Pushkin, Toriseva at Saturday organizational meeting
Members of the West Virginia State Democratic Executive Committee will meet Saturday in Charleston to elect a chair and other party leaders.
Wheeling attorney Teresa Toriseva, currently the party’s first vice chair, announced earlier this week she’ll challenge Party Chair Mike Pushkin, a delegate representing Kanawha County, in the election for chair.
Sam Petsonk, a Charleston and Oak Hill attorney and the party’s second vice chairman, will run for first vice chair. Former state delegate Del. Cindy Lavender Bowe will run to be the party’s second vice chair. The three announced their candidacies in a joint statement sent by Toriseva’s law firm.
“The public is demanding a reformed and revitalized Democratic Party, and the Party must satisfy those demands urgently,” the press release said. “It is not enough to fill Democratic candidate vacancies; the Democratic Party and its chair must work to support those candidates to victory, including raising sufficient funds and ensuring transparency and collaboration. Under the current chair, the Democratic Party has lost seats in the West Virginia House and Senate. The Party must grow and be ready in November to gain seats in the Capitol.”
https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/06/04/wv-dems-to-choose-between-pushkin-toriseva-at-saturday-organizational-meeting/