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Del. Fehrenbacher announces run for West Virginia Senate seat

Will face Sen. Azinger in 2026 GOP primary

Del. Bob Fehrenbacher announced a run for state Senate, challenging incumbent Sen. Mike Azinger in the 2026 Republican primary. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

PARKERSBURG — Del. Bob Fehrenbacher has spent three years in the West Virginia House of Delegates, but he is ready to take on a new challenge with a run for the state Senate in 2026.

Fehrenbacher, R-Wood, announced his candidacy Wednesday morning for state Senate District 3 in a gathering at the Blennerhassett Hotel in downtown Parkersburg. Fehrenbacher was joined by fellow lawmakers, county officials, former co-workers, and friends.

“You’ve reached out to me, and you’ve supported me in my election to the House of Delegates, and I’ve been proud and privileged to serve in the House for this, my third year there,” Fehrenbacher said. “Today, I’m going to tell you about a decision I’ve made to run for the state Senate for District 3.”

District 3 covers all of Wood, Wirt, Ritchie, and Pleasants counties. The district is represented by Senate President Pro Tempore Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, and Sen. Mike Azinger, R-Wood, who is up for re-election for a third four-year term in 2026.

Fehrenbacher is a retired plant manager at the Chemours Washington Works plant with involvement with the Wood County Development Authority and the Parkersburg-Wood County Area Development Corporation. He was first elected to the House in 2022, edging out former Republican Del. Roger Conley in the GOP primary that year. Fehrenbacher was re-elected for a second term in 2024.

Earlier this year, Fehrenbacher was appointed as chairman of the House Energy and Manufacturing Subcommittee and vice chairman of the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee. Fehrenbacher has helped work on several economic development issues in the Legislature, such as site development and readiness, child care, data center attraction and tax credits.

Fehrenbacher said he is running for Senate to help bring back earlier momentum by lawmakers and state officials to continue efforts at economic development in the state.

“Ten years ago, when Republicans gained control of the Legislature after over 80 years, we made a lot of substantial progress,” Fehrenbacher said. “However, I feel like things have slowed down, and frankly, earlier this year, I concluded that things, if you will, at best, were kind of neutral, and perhaps we took a step back. I see that I can help push some things I consider to be important, not just for myself and those of you in this room, but for all West Virginians and frankly, the Mid-Ohio Valley.”

Fehrenbacher’s campaign will focus on his efforts to improve economic conditions, recruit new businesses, and reduce taxes for residents. Fehrenbacher also said he would continue to fight for conservative values, such as protecting Second Amendment gun rights, school choice and religious freedom.

“I believe that if we’re successful in taking care of business, things like the Second Amendment, God and freedom of religion … and then focusing on other programs, including economic growth, job creation, schools, health, well-being, addressing, frankly, some of the substance use issues that we have that we are plagued with, we can have a much brighter future,” Fehrenbacher said.

Schools need to be more flexible to meet the individual needs of students, including a focus on vocational training and trades, he said.

“We need to have that blend; our educational system needs to be flexible enough, robust enough to give the opportunities, but also courage to create the challenges,” Fehrenbacher said. “If we’re going to teach to the lowest level, then what about those talented individuals that have skills, capabilities, aspirations, for something different?

“I think that there are great opportunities, but we can’t have a cookie-cutter approach that tailors the educational offering to one group,” he continued. “It’s got to be diverse enough to give people the opportunity to go with their passion, but also their skills and capabilities where it matches up.”

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.

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