Background
McGraw, Warren Randolph was born on May 10, 1939 in Wyoming County, West Virginia, United States.
McGraw, Warren Randolph was born on May 10, 1939 in Wyoming County, West Virginia, United States.
After graduating from the Wyoming County public school system, McGraw attended Morris Harvey College (now the University of Charleston) where he earned his Artium Baccalaureus in 1960. McGraw then attended West Virginia University Graduate School and later Wake Forest University law school where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1963.
McGraw began his political career in 1968 when he was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, serving there until 1970. He was then elected to the West Virginia Senate in 1972, serving three consecutive terms. During his third term, McGraw was the Elected 44th Senate President.
In 1984, he decided to run for Governor and in the Democratic primary challenged then-Speaker of the House Clyde M. See, State Attorney General Chauncey Browning, and State Highway Commissioner Dusty Rhodes.
McGraw edged out Browning for second place but lost the primary to Secretary After his service in the West Virginia Legislature, McGraw returned to Wyoming County where he was elected to the Board of Education in 1986 and later as Prosecuting Attorney in 1996.
In 1998 McGraw successfully campaigned for an unexpired six-year term in the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Although he was elected for a term ending in the year 2004, he filed as a candidate in the year 2000 for the term ending in 2012.
Hechler, 542 South.E.2d 405 (WVa 2000).
Under the Court"s rotation scheme, he served as the Chief Justice during the 2001 term. McGraw was defeated for reelection by Brent Benjamin in 2004. Afterwards, McGraw filed a lawsuit against Charleston attorney George Carenbauer and West Virginia Media Holdings over a campaign ad which McGraw claimed portrayed his speech during the 2004 United Mine Workers of America"s Labor Day rally in Racine, West Virginia in an unfair light.
The speech, sometimes referred to as the "Scream at Racine" or the "Scream from Racine", was featured in several campaign ads run by both the West Virginia Republican Party and the Benjamin campaign, and played a large role in McGraw"s reelection defeat.
However, the suit was dismissed in July 2005. In 2008 McGraw successfully ran for a Circuit Court Judge post, which he continues to hold.
Trustee 1st United Methodist Church, Pineville. Participant Marshall U.'s Taft Lecturer Series. Elected West Virginia delegate Democratic National Convention, 1972, 74, Wyoming County Board Education, 1986, 44th president West Virginia Sen., 1980, 82.
Delegate State Democratic Judicial Convention, State Democratic Convention. Past president Junior Chamber of Commerce. Member National Conference Lieutenant Governors, Heart Fund, Wyoming County Cancer Fund, Delaware and Sen.
District Executive Committees. Past chairman Wyoming County Democratic Executive Committee. Co-chairman Crime Commission.
Member Wyoming Bar Association, Raleigh County Bar Association, Rotary International.
Married Peggy Shufflebarger. Children: W. Randolph, H. Suzanne, Rebecca L.