By: Caity Coyne for West Virginia Watch, www.westvirginiawatch.com
West Virginia State Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, who is the longest continuously serving senator in state history, resigned from the Legislature on Thursday citing a need to focus more on her family and health, according to a news release from the state Senate.
Boley, who turned 90 years old in December, was first appointed to the state Senate in 1985 by former Gov. Arch Moore. She’s served continuously since then, winning every election she ran in for her seat.
In a resignation letter sent to Senate President Randy Smith on Thursday, Boley said she was stepping away with “a heavy, but grateful, heart.” Her resignation is effective immediately.
“It has been the honor of my life to represent Pleasants County and the Third Senatorial District for more than 40 years. I would not have been able to do that without the support of my constituents who chose to elect me 11 times,” Boley wrote in her resignation letter. “To all of you, the words ‘thank you’ are not enough. I will be forever grateful and proud to have been your voice in Charleston, and I enjoyed my time in service to you.”
Boley held numerous leadership positions during her decades in the Legislature. From 1991 to 1997, she served as the minority leader in the Senate when Democrats controlled the body. For two of those years — 1991 and 1992 — she was the lone Republican in the 34-member body. Those years, she worked as the minority chair for every single Senate committee.
Since 2015, she’s served as president pro tempore for the body.
In statements Thursday, Smith said it was “hard to find the words to honor” Boley’s years of service, where she brought an “energy that few could ever match.”
“She stood as a strong conservative voice in the Senate, even when she was the only conservative voice. Her institutional knowledge and her ability to work with all people — no matter their politics — is an inspiration to us all,” Smith said. “She’s truly one of a kind. I’m blessed to not only call her my fellow Senator, but my friend. We will miss her every day, but I am so happy to know my friend Donna will be enjoying her retirement surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren she loves so much.”
During a call with reporters on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said she could not say “enough great things” about Boley, who was first appointed to the Legislature by Capito’s father. Capito called Boley a “great mentor” and a “strong woman” who served her constituents “honorably and bravely.”
“I think [Boley’s service] tells everybody, men and women, that a strong woman can do anything when she sets her mind to it, because that’s what Donna Boley did,” Capito said. “I hope that she is OK. I’m concerned about her and I certainly will follow up with her and her family, but I wish her good wishes, and thank her for the many, many years of service and the many conversations and fun times that we’ve had together.”
Gov. Patrick Morrisey commended Boley’s dedication to her constituents, calling it “unparalleled.”
“Through the decades, she earned the trust of West Virginians and served with integrity,” Morrisey said. “I thank Sen. Boley for her extraordinary service. West Virginia is stronger thanks to her contributions.”
As Boley represents a multi-county district — made up of Wood, Ritchie, Pleasants and Wirt counties — a committee will be formed by one man and one woman from each county, who will be responsible for submitting three names to Morrisey for people to fill the now-vacant seat. The committee has until Jan. 23 to submit those names and Morrisey will then have five days after they are submitted to choose a successor for Senate District 3.
The 2026 regular legislative session began on Jan. 14.
West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com.
