Biography
Wes Holden is the Democratic candidate for West Virginia State Senate District 17, challenging incumbent Tom Takubo (R) in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1][2] A U.S. Army veteran who worked for Senator Jay Rockefeller for 30 years, he has run for office before.[1]
Wes Holden was born in West Virginia and lives in Sissonville.[1] He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and attended West Virginia State University and the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies.[1] His career experience includes working for Senator Jay Rockefeller for 30 years and for eight years while Rockefeller was governor.[1] Holden ran for the West Virginia House of Delegates, District 39, in 2016, when incumbent Ronald Walters (R) defeated him and Chris Reed in the general election.[1] In 2024 he ran as an Independent in the general election for West Virginia's 1st Congressional District and received 7.4 percent of the vote.[1] He advanced from the Democratic primary for State Senate District 17 on May 12, 2026.[1]
- 1.Wes Holden - Ballotpedia · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.West Virginia State Senate elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia · Ballotpedia Reference
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
West Virginia Senate District 17
Wes Holden is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for West Virginia Senate District 17 as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.