West Virginia gives GOP first Senate gain

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) won an easy victory in West Virginia’s Senate race Tuesday night, giving Republicans their first pickup of the night, according to multiple projections.

Capito defeated Democrat Natalie Tennant, West Virginia’s secretary of State, who never managed to gain much traction in her underdog bid for the seat. 

{mosads}Seen as a long shot from the start, national Democrats largely wrote off the race as a win for Republicans after Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) announced his plans to retire, and other higher-profile potential contenders opted out.

West Virginia’s red lean, and President Obama’s deep unpopularity there, were both too strong for Tennant to overcome, despite her efforts to distance herself from the president.

Capito, meanwhile, was a top recruit for Republicans. She benefited from her family’s deep ties to her state and prevailing goodwill towards her father, well-liked former Gov. Arch Moore (R).