A state senator handpicked by congressional Democrats to run against Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito dropped from the field Saturday, the last day to file for political office in West Virginia.
A state senator handpicked by congressional Democrats to run against Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito dropped from the field Saturday, the last day to file for political office in West Virginia.
State Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, had been tapped by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as its choice to take on Capito in her quest for a fifth two-year term. Unger waited until Saturday afternoon to make the announcement.
But even as Unger left the race, an eleventh hour filing came in the form of Anne Barth, state director to U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Barth, a democrat, filed to run against Capito in the 2nd District. Barth said that various people, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had called her throughout the day encouraging her to file for candidacy.
In the primaries she faces South Charleston Democrats Richie Robb, the city's longtime mayor, and lawyer Thornton Cooper.
Unger gave no reason for changing course.
"The true meaning of the political process has been burdened and crippled by the chase for money and the decisions politicians make based on power, not the good of the people," Unger said in a press release. "While some have mastered the art of trading their votes for campaign contributions, I have always chosen not to fall victim to the pursuance of greed and believe we can do better as a state and nation than sustain a political elite whose sole purpose is self-preservation."
The move came as a surprise to political observer Robert Rupp, a West Virginia Wesleyan professor.
"Since this is a Democratic year, any Republican congressional member would be more vulnerable," Rupp said.
The state's other two congressmen, Reps. Nick Rahall and Alan Mollohan, both D-W.Va., already had endorsed Unger. Both of them were running without opposition late Saturday.
Filing was set to end at midnight Saturday.
Democrats had two races considered wide- open: for secretary of state and state Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard had appeared a shoo-in for re-election until pictures of him vacationing in Europe in 2006 with Massey Energy chief Don Blankenship recently surfaced. The court had just ruled 3-2 in Massey's favor in a $76 million-plus lawsuit.
With two seats available, Democrats Menis Ketchum, a Cabell County lawyer; Bob Bastress, a West Virginia University law professor; and Margaret "Peggy" Workman, a former Supreme Court justice, were vying with Maynard for a spot on the court. Republican Charleston lawyer Beth Walker also was challenging them.
Rupp speculated the Blankenship connection has damaged Maynard politically and positioned the coal executive - who has spent millions in the past four years to influence state elections - as the object of the three Democrats' campaigns.
"Blankenship has become a liability and that's a great turnabout," the professor said.
Three Democrats are running for secretary of state, following the retirement of Republican Betty Ireland. Charles Minimah, a Charleston Republican, also has filed to run.
Natalie Tennant, a former television anchor in Charleston and Clarksburg, is facing House Majority Leader Joe DeLong, D-Hancock, and state Sen. Billy Wayne Bailey, D-Wyoming, for that nomination.
Rupp said in a Democratic year any of the three will have a great chance to defeat an unknown Republican.
"The only question is, who is going to take that [nomination]?" he said.
Former state Sen. Jay Wolfe, R-Harrison, announced he planned to file to run again against Democratic U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller. Wolfe had not filed by early Saturday evening.
Rockefeller crushed Wolfe in 2002, winning 63 percent of the vote.
"I've been thinking about it for six years," Wolfe said Saturday afternoon when confirming his plan to file against the four-term senator.
Gov. Joe Manchin picked up Raleigh County opposition from both Republicans and Democrats last week in his quest for a second, four-year term.
Russ Weeks, a former GOP state senator, is the only Republican running for governor, and Delegate Mel Kessler, D-Raleigh, is the only Democrat to file to face the incumbent.
In other statewide races, Republicans appeared to have no candidates for auditor, treasurer or agriculture commissioner.
Democrat Oscar Casto of Gay filed for a primary run against Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass, while Auditor Glen Gainer and Treasurer John Perdue were both unopposed.
Two Republican lawyers, Hiram Lewis of Morgantown and Dan Greear, a one-term delegate, of Charleston have both filed to take on Democratic Attorney General Darrell McGraw. McGraw appeared to have no primary opposition.
There will be races for both Kanawha County state Senate seats.
A state senator handpicked by congressional Democrats to run against Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito dropped from the field Saturday, the last day to file for political office in West Virginia.
State Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, had been tapped by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as its choice to take on Capito in her quest for a fifth two-year term. Unger waited until Saturday afternoon to make the announcement.
But even as Unger left the race, an eleventh hour filing came in the form of Anne Barth, state director to U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Barth, a democrat, filed to run against Capito in the 2nd District. Barth said that various people, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had called her throughout the day encouraging her to file for candidacy.
In the primaries she faces South Charleston Democrats Richie Robb, the city's longtime mayor, and lawyer Thornton Cooper.
Unger gave no reason for changing course.
"The true meaning of the political process has been burdened and crippled by the chase for money and the decisions politicians make based on power, not the good of the people," Unger said in a press release. "While some have mastered the art of trading their votes for campaign contributions, I have always chosen not to fall victim to the pursuance of greed and believe we can do better as a state and nation than sustain a political elite whose sole purpose is self-preservation."
The move came as a surprise to political observer Robert Rupp, a West Virginia Wesleyan professor.
"Since this is a Democratic year, any Republican congressional member would be more vulnerable," Rupp said.
The state's other two congressmen, Reps. Nick Rahall and Alan Mollohan, both D-W.Va., already had endorsed Unger. Both of them were running without opposition late Saturday.
Filing was set to end at midnight Saturday.
Democrats had two races considered wide- open: for secretary of state and state Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard had appeared a shoo-in for re-election until pictures of him vacationing in Europe in 2006 with Massey Energy chief Don Blankenship recently surfaced. The court had just ruled 3-2 in Massey's favor in a $76 million-plus lawsuit.
With two seats available, Democrats Menis Ketchum, a Cabell County lawyer; Bob Bastress, a West Virginia University law professor; and Margaret "Peggy" Workman, a former Supreme Court justice, were vying with Maynard for a spot on the court. Republican Charleston lawyer Beth Walker also was challenging them.
Rupp speculated the Blankenship connection has damaged Maynard politically and positioned the coal executive - who has spent millions in the past four years to influence state elections - as the object of the three Democrats' campaigns.
"Blankenship has become a liability and that's a great turnabout," the professor said.
Three Democrats are running for secretary of state, following the retirement of Republican Betty Ireland. Charles Minimah, a Charleston Republican, also has filed to run.
Natalie Tennant, a former television anchor in Charleston and Clarksburg, is facing House Majority Leader Joe DeLong, D-Hancock, and state Sen. Billy Wayne Bailey, D-Wyoming, for that nomination.
Rupp said in a Democratic year any of the three will have a great chance to defeat an unknown Republican.
"The only question is, who is going to take that [nomination]?" he said.
Former state Sen. Jay Wolfe, R-Harrison, announced he planned to file to run again against Democratic U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller. Wolfe had not filed by early Saturday evening.
Rockefeller crushed Wolfe in 2002, winning 63 percent of the vote.
"I've been thinking about it for six years," Wolfe said Saturday afternoon when confirming his plan to file against the four-term senator.
Gov. Joe Manchin picked up Raleigh County opposition from both Republicans and Democrats last week in his quest for a second, four-year term.
Russ Weeks, a former GOP state senator, is the only Republican running for governor, and Delegate Mel Kessler, D-Raleigh, is the only Democrat to file to face the incumbent.
In other statewide races, Republicans appeared to have no candidates for auditor, treasurer or agriculture commissioner.
Democrat Oscar Casto of Gay filed for a primary run against Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass, while Auditor Glen Gainer and Treasurer John Perdue were both unopposed.
Two Republican lawyers, Hiram Lewis of Morgantown and Dan Greear, a one-term delegate, of Charleston have both filed to take on Democratic Attorney General Darrell McGraw. McGraw appeared to have no primary opposition.
There will be races for both Kanawha County state Senate seats.
Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, picked up opposition in the May primary from Rod Harless of South Charleston, a politically unknown. Alan Long of Charleston filed as a Republican for that same 17th Senatorial District seat.
Delegate Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, will first have to get by political unknown Paul W. Gunnoe of Tad to win the 8th Senatorial District seat. No Republican had filed for that race Saturday evening.
Races popped up in all three of the county's House of Delegates districts.
In the single-member District 31, incumbent Delegate Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha and House Judiciary Committee chairwoman, will face Meshea Poore of Charleston, another political unknown, in the May primary. No Republicans had yet to file.
In the seven-member District 30, six Democratic incumbents filed to run, but have challengers.
Incumbents Dave Higgins, Bobbie Hatfield, Danny Wells, Sharon Spencer, Nancy Peoples Guthrie and Bonnie Brown will face fellow Democrats Roger Decanio of Charleston, Barbara Lacy of Charleston, former Delegate Mark Hunt of Charleston, Doug Skaff Jr. of South Charleston, Jerry Mollohan of St. Albans, Jeff Wood of Charleston, Jim Canterbury of Belle, Cody Britton of St. Albans, Doris Rowe of Dunbar and Brenda Nichols Harper of Charleston in the May primary.
Republicans filing included John Miller Jr., a Charleston city councilman, Victoria Casey of Charleston, Fred Joseph of Charleston, Todd Carden of St. Albans, Lance Byron Vaughn of South Charleston, Elijah E. Young of Charleston and Edward R. Burgess of St. Albans.
Mountain Party candidate John Wellbourn of Charleston also has filed.
All three incumbent Republican delegates from the 32nd District - House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, Patrick Lane and Ron Walters - filed for re-election and are unopposed in the May primary.
Five Democrats also filed for the three seats, including Charles Black of Charleston, Jon Cain of Cross Lanes, Clint Casto of Charleston, Carmela Ryan-Thompson of Elkview and Curtis Robinson of Quick.
With seven state senators stepping aside this year, both parties are jockeying for the right candidates to fill those seats.
The premier Senate race, however, will be a repeat of 2004 when Republican Elkins businessman Clark Barnes upset Democratic Sen. Mike Ross. Those two are unopposed in their primary races and headed for a November showdown.
In other state Senate races:
s In the 1st District, former Delegate Chris Wakim, R-Ohio, filed to run against Delegate Jack Yost, D-Brooke, and Democrat Shawn Mallet for that seat now held by Sen. Andy McKenzie, R-Ohio.
s Democratic Fayette County Sheriff Bill Laird was unopposed to succeed Sen. Shirley Love, D-Fayette, in the 11th District.
s Delegate Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, was unopposed for the seat of retiring Sen. Billy Wayne Bailey, D-Wyoming.
s Former Sen. Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson, will try to win his seat back, facing either Republican Bob Adams or Rusty Morgan in November for the 16th District seat.
s Delegate Doug Stalnaker, D-Lewis, will face Douglas Facemire of Braxton County for the seat being vacated by Sen. William Sharpe, D-Lewis in the 12th District.
s Summers County prosecutor Jim McNeeley, a Democrat, will face Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth, R-Mercer, for the 10th District seat.
s Senate Health Chairman Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, was unopposed in his re-election.
s Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, will face Republican Billy Marcum of Chapmanville in the general election.
s Sen. Robert Plymale, D-Wayne, was unopposed.
s Former Point Pleasant mayor John Roach, a Democrat, filed to take on Sen. Karen Facemyer, R-Jackson for the 4th District seat.
s Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, was unopposed.
s Sen. Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, faces Moundsville Republican Fred Bruner for the 2nd District seat.
In some filings of note, Bill Wooton, a former Raleigh County Democratic senator, filed for the House of Delegates, as did former delegate Sally Susman, D-Raleigh. Tamara Petite, a public spokeswoman for the Chester racetrack and casino and a former Democratic delegate, filed for her old seat, and Tom Louisos, a longtime Democratic delegate from Fayette County who lost by four votes in 2006, filed to run again.
To contact staff writer Tom Searls, use e-mail or call 348-5198.
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