Carol Miller Bio
Carol Miller (née Devine; born November 4, 1950) is an American politician, educator, and farmer serving as the U.S. representative for West Virginia’s 1st congressional district. A Republican, she represents the southern half of West Virginia, including the cities of Beckley, Bluefield, Charleston, and Huntington. Before her time in Congress, she served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2007 to 2019.
Miller is recognized as the first woman to represent West Virginia’s 3rd congressional district. She has built her public image around conservative values, agricultural interests, and a long career in public service at the state level.
Early Life and Background
Carol Miller was born on November 4, 1950, in Columbus, Ohio, in the United States. She is the daughter of Samuel L. Devine. Growing up in the Midwest, she would later move to West Virginia, where she built her family, education, and political career.
Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina. Her college studies gave her a strong grounding in government and the American political system, which shaped her future path into public service.
Path to US Politics
Before entering politics, Miller worked as an educator and farmer. She taught manners classes to elementary school students in Huntington, West Virginia, earning her the nickname “Miss Manners.” She also owned and personally managed a bison farm, giving her firsthand experience with agriculture that would later influence her work in the state legislature.
Her entry into electoral politics began with the West Virginia House of Delegates. In 2004, she ran in the Republican primary for District 15 but lost the general election. Two years later, in 2006, she ran again and won, unseating one of the three Democratic incumbents. This victory launched a long career in state government that lasted more than a decade.
Carol Miller Career
Early Career (2007-2018)
After winning her 2006 race, Miller served in the West Virginia House of Delegates, first representing District 15 from 2007 to 2013 and then District 16 from 2013 to 2019. During this period, she built a strong base of support in southern West Virginia and earned a reputation for her focus on local issues and conservative values.
She ran several times for seats in competitive multi-member districts, often placing at or near the top in Republican primaries. Her persistence paid off in 2017, when U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. Miller declared her candidacy to fill Jenkins’s House seat, setting the stage for her move to Congress.
Breakthrough (2018-2019)
In May 2018, Miller won the Republican primary for West Virginia’s 3rd congressional district, taking 23.8 percent of the vote and winning three of the district’s 18 counties. She went on to face State Senator Richard Ojeda in the general election. Many pollsters considered the race a tossup or slightly favorable to Republicans.
On November 6, 2018, Miller defeated Ojeda with 56.4 percent of the vote, winning all but two counties in the district. Her victory made her the first woman to represent West Virginia’s 3rd congressional district and the only Republican woman to win an open seat in 2018. She was sworn into Congress in January 2019.
Republican Era (2019-Present)
Since joining Congress, Miller has supported an America First trade policy, opposing trade deals she believes send jobs overseas. In December 2020, she was one of 126 Republican members of the House to sign an amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit that challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Following the 2020 Census, West Virginia lost a congressional seat and Miller’s district was renumbered as the 1st district, covering the southern half of the state. She won the 2022 Republican primary with 66 percent of the vote and defeated perennial candidate Lacy Watson in the general election with 66.7 percent. In the 2024 election, she won reelection with 66.4 percent of the vote. In April 2025, she traveled to El Salvador and toured the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, a maximum security prison used to hold removed immigrants.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most defining moments of Miller’s career came in 2018, when she became the first woman elected to represent West Virginia’s 3rd congressional district. Her strong performances in three consecutive congressional elections, winning with margins above 56 percent each time, have cemented her position as a leading Republican voice in the state.
Carol Miller Career Wins
Carol Miller has compiled a strong record of election victories at both the state and federal levels, beginning with her 2006 win in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Her wins in the 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024 congressional elections show consistent support from her district.
Congressional Election Highlights
Miller first won her congressional seat in 2018 with 56.4 percent of the vote against Richard Ojeda. She followed that with a commanding 71.3 percent win in 2020 against Hilary Turner. After redistricting, she won the Republican primary for the new 1st district with 66 percent and the general election with 66.7 percent in 2022. In 2024, she secured another term with 66.4 percent of the vote.
Other Wins & Achievements
Beyond her election victories, Miller has been a leading voice in West Virginia politics, particularly on agricultural and trade issues. In October 2023, she signed a letter with 15 House Republicans opposing the inclusion of the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act in the 2023 farm bill, citing concerns about states’ rights and foreign-owned agribusinesses. She has also served on key House committees during her time in Congress.
Carol Miller Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Carol Miller is the daughter of Samuel L. Devine. She was raised in Columbus, Ohio, before moving to West Virginia, where she built her life and career. Her roots in the Midwest and her later life in Appalachia have shaped her approach to public service.
Personal Life
Miller is a Baptist and owns a bison farm that she personally managed until she was elected to Congress. She is the mother of Chris Miller, who ran for Governor of West Virginia in the 2024 Republican primary and finished third with 20 percent of the vote. Her husband owns auto dealerships that received loans of more than $3 million through the Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were later forgiven.