Meanwhile, back at the ranch

According to the West Virginia Blue, a partisan Democratic blog site at http://www.wvablue.com/tag.do?tag=John+Unger

State Senator John Unger has decided not to file as a candidate to run against Shelley Moore Capito, despite having raised about a quarter of a million dollars for a campaign for that congressional seat. According to bloggers, Unger decided not to run because there were other announced Democratic candidates and he did not want to spend considerable time in the primary election campaign which would distract him from his work for constituents during the legislative session at a time when an economic downturn requires his full attention on their behalf. However, other bloggers intimate that Unger was chagrined to receive little or no support from the Governor and the state party leadership, and speculate on reasons why this might be so. Richie Robb, one-time mayor of Charleston is in the running, and some think that he wouldn't be there without the Governor's blessing. The conspiracy theorists suppose that the Democrats consider '08 to be a good year for them, with prospects of sweeping the presidential and congressional elections and all the state offices. If Unger were to run, it is theorized, he would have a good shot at winning, which would put the "Charleston seat" in the House of Representatives in the hands of a politician from the Eastern Panhandle-- an idea which is anethema on the lower end of the district. Hence, Unger gets taken to Coventry and a Charleston worthy gets the nod.

Capito Should Capitalize Just Fine in 2008

Recently state political pundits reported that State Senator John Unger of Berkeley County recently received complete assurance that he would defeat Shelley Moore Capito in the 2008 congressional elections. Unger should feel secure with his future victory, after all, Illinois congressman Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Caucus, promised!

How lucky Senator Unger is to have a supporter with his finger on the pulse of West Virginia politics. Emanuel’s vast experience with this state, especially with Ms. Capito’s heartland of support in the Potomac Highlands, must give him powers of cognition that the rest of us lack. When Emanuel came to this region and talked at length with the people, it must have been incognito, or maybe we just were not paying attention.

Ms. Capito resembles her father in that her moderate viewpoints and willingness to work with people of different political viewpoints to get the job done have won her tremendous support. She would not continually dominate the Second District unless she performed her job to the satisfaction of Democrats and Republicans. Opponents often point to congressional power rankings that are arbitrary and subjective. However these do not reflect the attention she provides to her constituency. The schoolchildren in Moorefield who raised over $10,000 towards the reconstruction of the Pentagon in 2001 wanted assurance that their fundraising would go to the proper purpose.

Without hesitation, Ms. Capito sponsored the Show Pride in Your Military bill that made sure the funds went to the right place. That will not show up in the power rankings, but it does reflect her care and concern with even non voting constituents. This spring, Capito secured a $400,000 grant to build the Green Spring sewer project in Hampshire County. Rankings also fail to reflect her down to earth personality. I have had the pleasure of speaking with her a few times and she is as approachable and friendly as anyone in state politics.

Representative Emanuel is probably comfortable with his prediction of an inevitable victory should Unger run. Unger, unless he simply looks to be a Democratic placeholder in an uphill battle, should consider the time and resources the challenge will require, as well as the dim prospects for success. Unless Shelley Moore Capito has alternative plans, she will be representing her district in Congress for years to come.