MT. HOPE — A Republican state senator is voicing opposition to reopening West Virginia’s GOP primary elections, warning that doing so could weaken the party’s grassroots and invite outside influence.
Sen. Brian Helton (R-Fayette) said he supports conservative-leaning independents but believes the Republican primary should remain limited to registered party members.
“While I value conservative independents, we can’t risk diluting the Republican primary,” Helton told The Beckley Bugle. “If you share Republican values, I encourage you to join the Republican Party and help choose its nominees. Primaries shouldn’t be changed because the polling isn’t going someone’s way.”
Helton said altering the primary system in response to political pressure would set a dangerous precedent and undermine the purpose of party primaries.
“Opening Republican primaries invites manipulation by outside groups and weakens the voice of grassroots conservatives,” he said. “We’ve seen this happen in other states, and West Virginia shouldn’t repeat that mistake.”
The comments come as Republican leaders debate whether to maintain the party’s closed primary system, a policy adopted in 2024 that restricts participation to registered Republicans. Supporters of reopening the primaries argue that excluding independents limits voter participation among moderates, while opponents say closed primaries protect party values and prevent strategic voting by nonmembers.
Longtime Democrat and Former U.S. Senator Joe Manchin weighed in this week by publicly urging West Virginia Republicans to reconsider their decision to keep the party’s primaries closed, releasing a statement as GOP officials prepare to meet on the issue. In his remarks, Manchin warned that maintaining a closed primary would exclude thousands of unaffiliated voters and limit competition. His comments renewed debate within the Republican Party and drew sharp criticism from GOP lawmakers who said his involvement highlights concerns about outside influence in the party’s nomination process.
In a Mountaineer Journal interview, Del. Chris Anders cited Manchin’s remarks as evidence of what he described as Democratic interference in party affairs. Anders, a Republican from Berkeley County, pointed to Manchin’s comments urging open primaries as an example of Democrats attempting to influence Republican nominations after years of electoral losses in the state. Anders said the push underscores concerns that reopening GOP primaries would allow non-Republicans to shape the party’s candidates and direction.
Republican officials are expected to take up the issue this weekend as internal discussions continue over the future of the party’s nomination process.