Charles S. Trump

Charles Trump
Justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2025
Preceded by	John A. Hutchison
Member of the West Virginia Senatefrom the 15th district
In officeDecember 1, 2014 – December 10, 2024
Preceded by	Donald Cookman
Succeeded by	Darren Thorne
Minority Leader of the West Virginia House of Delegates
In officeJanuary 13, 1999 – December 1, 2006
Preceded by	Bob Ashley
Succeeded by	Tim Armstead
Member of the West Virginia House of Delegatesfrom the 51st district
In officeDecember 1, 1992 – December 1, 2006
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Daryl Cowles
Personal details
Born	Charles Samuel Trump IV (1960-10-03) October 3, 1960 Winchester, Virginia, U.S.
Party	Republican
Spouse	Susan Keller Johnston
Children	3
Education	Princeton University (BA)West Virginia University (JD)

Charles Samuel Trump IV (born October 3, 1960) is an American lawyer serving as a justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. He is a former Republican member of the West Virginia Senate. He represented the 15th district, which covers parts of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. He was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals for a 12 year term beginning on January 1, 2025 in the May 2024 non-partisan election. Trump is unrelated to Donald Trump, the current president of the United States.

Biography

Trump graduated with an A.B. in politics from Princeton University in 1982 after completing a 118-page long senior thesis titled "Realignment and Dealignment: Two Eras of Political Upheaval in West Virginia."^[1] He then received a J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law.^[2] Trump was elected recorder of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia in 1987. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1992 until 2006, serving as minority whip from 1994 until 1998 and minority leader from 1998 until 2006. Trump was a member of the Electoral College in 2000 for George W. Bush. He successfully ran for the Senate in 2014.^[3] He resigned from the Senate in December 2024 prior to taking office as a justice of the state supreme court.^[4]

Personal life

Trump and his wife, Susan, have three children: Charles, Rebecca, and Michael.^[3]

Election results

West Virginia Senate District 15 (Position A) election, 2018^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles S. Trump (incumbent)	25,937	71.06%
	Independent	Jason A. Armentrout	10,562	28.94%
Total votes			36,499	100.0%

West Virginia Senate District 15 (Position A) election, 2014^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles S. Trump	17,609	67.13%
	Democratic	Donald H. Cookman (incumbent)	8,622	32.87%
Total votes			26,231	100.0%

References

1. Trump, I. V. (1982). "Realignment and Dealignment: Two Eras of Political Upheaval in West Virginia".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
2. "West Virginia Senate Biography". www.wvlegislature.gov. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
3. "Charles Trump IV's Biography". Project VoteSmart. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
4. "Charles Trump resigns state Senate in advance of taking office as West Virginia Supreme Court justice". www.wvmetronews.com. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
5. "Statewide Results: General Election - November 6, 2018". West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
6. "Statewide Results: General Election – November 4, 2014". West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.