Ryan Ferns


Ryan James Ferns is an American politician from the state of West Virginia. He was a member of the West Virginia Senate for the 1st district. Ferns was defeated for reelection in 2018 by Democratic candidate William J. Ihlenfeld II.

Biography

Ferns was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2010, as a member of the Democratic Party. He switched his allegiance to the Republican Party in November 2013. In 2014, he challenged Democrat Rocky Fitzsimmons in an election to the West Virginia Senate. Ferns defeated Fitzsimmons. He was chosen as the West Virginia Senate Majority Leader in December 2016.
In the early morning hours of April 20, 2012, he was pulled over by Wheeling, West Virginia Police and arrested for drunken driving. Quickly thereafter on April 23, 2012 entered a guilty plea before the local Magistrate and paid a $500.00 fine. "After Ferns pleaded guilty to the DUI charge, Wheeling police said he should have been charged with aggravated DUI, which applies to drivers with a blood-alcohol content of more than 0.15. Ferns' blood-alcohol level was 0.22, nearly three times West Virginia's limit of 0.08"

Election results