What We Learned From West Virginia Election Results

Think about this for a second. On the face of it, state Republicans lost ground in the Legislature and the Board of Public Works. However the way that the Republicans showed remarkable resilience in the final results should give the Democrats reason to worry.

The Democratic Party actually tried in this election cycle to rid the United States Congress of Shelley Moore Capito. They got national help and assistance from the liberal media. Capito remains as resilient as ever. Her star power remains high in West Virginia and we should not be surprised if she begins to garner national attention.

Clark Barnes also is a Republican star on the rise. He fought off a very well-supported challenger who once sat on the seat he occupies. His popularity in both parties reflects that of Capito. Incidentally, both did well in strongly Democratic Hardy County.

Gary Howell, as we mentioned before, came within a hair's breadth of seizing the 14th senatorial. His opponent outspent him four to one, but Gary nearly captured the heavily Democratic county of Tucker.

Dan Greear, Beth Walker, and Mike Teets also captured large numbers of Democratic votes. Greear came closest to capturing his goal, the attorney general's office.

What we learned is that Republican campaigns that get the candidate out to directly meet the people and deliver their message can effectively counter media bias and massive amounts of money. The message that Republican candidates take to the voters is earning a response. This should encourage the state GOP and hopefully inspire more financial support.

The Republican Party: Where We're At

Sometimes it takes a failure of massive proportions to force renewed vigor and imagination. This is the state we are in right now nationally.

Mineral County Republicans can pat themselves on the back. Charles Minimah, Beth Walker, Dan Greear, Mike Teets, Gary Howell, John McCain, and others carried the county soundly while Republicans kept many of the county offices. Bob Schadler and Jay Courrier ran unopposed. Republicans in this region remained vigorous and confident. They marched in parades, maintained blogs that kept people talking, organized fundraisers and events for local and statewide candidates, and made phone calls. They also never forgot that, as Doug McKinney has put it, we are Republicans for a reason.

If it was just about hard working people, Republicans would have won in a landslide. Look at Doug and Sue McKinney putting about half a million miles on their car going from town to town. Look at Gary Howell who fought every single day against overwhelming odds and came within a hair of upsetting a candidate beloved by the special interests. His friends and neighbors supported him overwhelmingly and he even almost won heavily Democratic Tucker County. Look at our statewide candidates who were everywhere pounding the pavement. Hopefully our campaigns at the very least kept the conversation going about corruption and cronyism. Look at Christy Barnett, a one woman campaign machine trying to rally the Potomac Highlands. This is not failure; it's a foundation. But we must build upon it.

Here are some suggestions.

We must stop clinging to the shadow of Ronald Reagan. He was one of our greatest Americans, but many new voters have no memory of him except in history books. Reagan's revolution has lessons that will always be relevant, but they need updating. By clinging too much to Reagan and not moving decisively towards a future blueprint, we risk looking like the stodgy old FDR Democrats of our parents' and grandparents' generation. Time for us to find the next great thing. Luckily we have a pitbull in waiting.

Start emphasizing science, technology, and research. The Republican Party may have fewer friends in the research fields, but it has many in engineering. We must emphasize that American technology constantly needs investment. Blue collar jobs will continue to grow less prevalent while science, technology, and small business entrepreneurship will keep growing. Leading the world was a constant goal in the twentieth century. Why not recapture that spirit for the twenty-first century?

On the state level, we have a dedicated state party chair who volunteers countless hours to be wherever he is needed to promote the cause. We had outstanding candidates with the vision and spirit to lead West Virginia forward. The problem was that our state party does not have the resources to function as it should. Dan Greear, Mike Teets, Gary Howell, and others ran very tight races despite being outspent sometimes 5 to 1. Additional organizational and financial support could have put these people over the top to help bring about a better West Virginia. The state party needs more resources and more support if we are to ever make this state great again.

In 1888 Democrats had dominated West Virginia for sixteen years, but the elections kept getting closer. By 1896, a strong Republican organization with a real vision captured the state and did not let it go for decades. Remember that example.

Over the next two years we need to emphasize our vision, rally behind our successful candidates, and build an organization with the resources to help our candidates get over the top. We should be very proud of the personal efforts of our candidates and volunteers. They are something to build upon for the next go round.

Nationally we have faced challenges on this scale before. In 1976 and 1992 we bounced back aggressively. We found bold leaders, updated our message, and changed America for the better. We cannot continue to cling to the shadow of Reagan, but we must adapt his ideas to create a blueprint for the future. It is not a question of if we do it. We must.

And we will.

Dan Greear up by 8 points - Howell endorsed by Home Builders

Public Policy Polling reports Dan Greear is leading incumbent Attorney General Daryl McGraw by 8 points. The poll shows Greear leading 50 to 42.

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State Senate Candidate Gary Howell has received the endorsement of WV BUILD PAC. WV BUILD PAC is the political arm of the Home Builders Association of West Virgina. Chairman Fred McDonald said, "We look forward to working with (Mr. Howell) during the next session of the Legislature as well as future years.

Dan Greear releases new TV Commercial

Potomac Highlands Dinner a Sucess

The Potomac Highlands Republican Club held its annual Reagan-Eisenhower Dinner in Moorefield this past Saturday night. With the top Republican candidates in the state present and Shelley Moore Capito giving the key-note speech well over one hundred attended.

Congresswoman Capito address the group.
WV Supreme Court Candidate Beth Walker speaks with Attorney General candidate Dan Greear and Agriculture Commissioner candidate Mike Teets.

Dan Greear and Senate candidate Gary Howell

State Party Chair Dr. Doug McKinney

State Senator Clark Barnes was the nights Master of Ceremonies to the right are Tom Collins Representing John McCain and State Senator Dave Sypolt.
Dr. Harry Boggs talks with PHRC President and Hostess Christy Barnett.

Dan Greear releases new TV Commercial

Who Is Truly Ready to Make a Difference in West Virginia?

West Virginia received some good news today. Beth Walker's run for State Supreme Court has impressed exactly half of the state's voters. The most recent polls show that the race between Walker and the second place Democratic opponent remains too close to select a leader. In a state where 2/3 of the voters register with the Democratic Party, this is good news to anyone looking to change our anti-business climate.

A Walker victory means a shift away from our state's "judicial hellhole" reputation. She can join others on the bench who join many West Virginians in being tired of crackpot lawsuits and their damaging effect on our economy. Why would anyone want to do business in a state that does nothing to discourage the most ridiculous claims against honest business owners while allowing benefits to the friends of the powerful? We need rule of law in West Virginia, not rule of lawsuits.

On the other hand, Nancy Guthrie has swallowed the Obama change mantra hook, line and sinker. She has adapted it to her own political campaign, albeit clumsily according to Vic Sprouse's Change West Virginia blog. How West Virginia Democrats can run on a change platform is beyond my comprehension, unless they tell the whole state to do something it has rarely done in the past seventy-five years, vote Republican.

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They may have reached that decision anyway. With Democrats putting signs for Gary Howell, Dan Greear, Russ Weeks, Beth Walker, and others in their yards, maybe our state is finally fed up with seventy-five years of misrule.

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Has anyone else noticed the change in Obama lately? Mean spirited, sarcastic, no longer confident and pleasant looking. We may be seeing the real Obama here folks. As was said so eloquently on the movie Super Troopers, "desperation is a stinky cologne." The weird inability to stay on message is also a telling sign that the wheels fell off some time ago.

As for Biden, has anyone seen him at all lately? Do the Democrats have a bunker that they stuffed him into? What an inspired choice for them. It is almost as if they saw Biden as Obama's Dick Cheney. Taking pages from the Bush victory story is something I never thought I would see a Democrat attempt. Maybe they ought to listen to the Republican experts that say personally attacking Palin is a horrible idea. I can honestly say that Uncle Joe would have done that campaign a lot more good than Biden.

Personally I would almost bet that the Democrat power brokers have privately folded their tents. They will return to do penance at the Temple of Hillary, and wait for the next favorable time to unleash her on the electorate.

Have You Seen These People?

The following respected West Virginians have come up missing in the last few months. If anyone sees any reports on these people's whereabouts in the state media, Katie bar the door because it is a sure sign the Apocalypse is on the way.

Russ Weeks, Republican Nominee for Governor: This former Vietnam vet and state senator published a book and has toured the state using personal money. He has probably used a much higher percentage of his assets to run than some multi-millionaire incumbents. Weeks has strong positions against cronyism and corruption, but on any given day could be pushed off the news pages by reports of a cat stuck in a tree. Distinguishing characteristics include blunt honesty and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

Charles Minimah, Republican Nominee for Secretary of State: Another veteran, a successful businessman, and another candidate spending more time meeting the people than his opponent. While his opponent spent her youth in a mascot costume, Minimah was serving his country. Minimah is well known for promoting black heritage in the Kanawha Valley and is determined to help the handicapped have better access to voting. When the national media bashed West Virginia as a state of racists after the Democratic primary, you might think that proud newspapermen and women would have cited this gentleman as proof positive of the opposite. Distinguishing characteristics include a strong desire to continue Secretary Ireland's reforms and preventing the bosses from getting their rotten influence back.

Dan Greear, Republican Nominee for Attorney General: If you get your political news from Phil Kabler, you might assume that Greear's consultant Vic Sprouse was running for some sort of statewide office. Amazingly, Kabler's vendetta against Sprouse gets more attention than any of these people actually running for office this year. If you get your news from the Wall Street Journal, you know that Greear is West Virginia's best chance to overthrow an attorney general infamous even within his own party for questionable practices. Distinguishing characteristics include tremendous speaking ability and a passion for cleaning up state government and how the attorney general's office operates. If you see trial lawyers wandering around looking for job handouts, you will not find Greear in the vicinity.

J. Michael Teets, Republican Nominee for Commissioner of Agriculture: The entire country is entering a revolution in agri-energy. West Virginia should be poised to take a strong role in creating new products as well as providing raw materials. Teets may not have been in office for many, many, many years. However his home is in Hardy County where the capital city of state poultry production is located. Distinguishing characteristics include amazing energy and the constant presence and support of his wife, Joyce.

Jay Wolfe, Republican Nominee for United States Senate: Wolfe can be spotted on the correct side of energy debates. He supports the expansion of drilling for oil to reduce prices and foreign dependence. Wolfe also supports reforming the tax code to promote prosperity for all and making revenue collection more fair. Jay Wolfe is pretty easy to spot. He stands head and shoulder above a lot of politicians.

Beth Walker, Republican Nominee for West Virginia State Supreme Court of Appeals: Walker is an amazing individual among those seeking the position of justice. She regards the law as her guide rather than special interests or personal whims. When she joins Brent Benjamin on the bench, the state will finally have a strong and solid group on the bench dedicated to interpreting law correctly and fairly. Walker has legal experience in a wide variety of issues.

If you just read state newspapers (outside of The State Journal, The Charleston Daily Mail, the Mineral Daily News Tribune, and a few others) you won't know that these people even exist because of the bias that permeates the profession. It is up to you, the voters, to go out and educate yourselves since the press won't do it for you. Look up their websites. See what they stand for as individuals. Read non partisan blogs such as Lincoln Walks at Midnight or partisan outlets such as Change West Virginia or The Republican Gazette. In all these places you will see information that will balance the bias of the state news establishment. You know that every vote for the people described above is a vote against seventy-five years of Ruling Party mediocrity.

Greear says legislative effort to slow Attorney General did not go far enough

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2008

Contact:
Greear for AG Committee
Suzette Raines, 304-437-1306

Huntington, WV – Charleston attorney and former member of the House of Delegates, Dan Greear, spoke to the Cabell County Republican Women's Club today as he campaigns for the office of Attorney General. The meeting will take place at noon at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington.

Greear discussed the constant struggle the West Virginia Legislature has encountered with Attorney General Darrell McGraw. McGraw has dispersed settlement money at his own discretion rather than allowing the Legislature to appropriate the money as is their constitutional duty.

In response to the conflict with the Attorney General, H.B. 104 was passed during a recent Special Session and requires McGraw to inform the Legislature of potential monetary settlements.

Greear stated it will not prevent McGraw from employing his normal practice of distributing settlement money, but will only require him to disclose that information to the Legislature. Greear praised the Governor and Legislature for taking the first step, but said HB 104 did not go nearly far enough.

"The Attorney General should be solving legal problems, not creating them," said Greear. "Once again, McGraw is forcing the Legislature to pass legislation to try to curb his abuses. Considering all the problems our state faces, the Legislature should not be forced to fix the messes of a constitutional officer," said Greear.

"This bill was supported by Democrats and Republicans alike. I believe the bi-partisan support says a great deal about the dissatisfaction with McGraw, but much more must be done to reign in his abuses," added Greear.

Greear is a lifelong resident of Kanawha County, graduating from South Charleston High School in 1986 as a National Merit Scholar. He graduated from the WVU School of Law in the spring of 1992 where he also served as associate manuscript editor for the West Virginia Law Review. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates representing Kanawha County’s 30th District in 1995 and 1996. Dan currently resides in South Charleston with his wife Amy, a social worker for Kanawha Hospice Care, and their two children, Joshua, 8 and Ben, 6.

WV GOP out of debt

State Party Chairman Doug McKinney proudly announced that the WV GOP is out of debt, at the Winter meeting held in South Charleston Saturday.

Many in the state party worked hard to pay of the debt lead by Larry Pack and Jim Reed. Bob Fish and the crew of the state Presidential Convention also deserve credit from bringing positive cash flow.

Many candidates were on hand for the event including US Senate Candidate Jay Wolfe, Gubernatorial Candidate Russ Weeks, Attorney General candidate Dan Greear, Secretary of State candidate Charles Minimah, and Agriculture Commissioner candidates Lawrence Beckerle and Michael Teets. The party is upbeat and ready to take on the Democrats in November.

WVRC concludes candidate recruitment drive

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lisa Peana

January 28, 2008 304-730-4599

WVRC concludes candidate recruitment drive
Club vows gains in all three branches of state government

Charleston, WV – With the filing period to run for public office concluded, Republican activists are working to make gains in all three branches of West Virginia’s government in the November General Election.

“The West Virginia Republican Club is happy that more than ninety-five Republican candidates have filed for legislative and statewide offices, thanks to the efforts of various Republicans around the state." announced Lisa Peana, President of the West Virginia Republican Club.

Over eighty Republicans filed for legislative offices. The West Virginia Republican Club also assisted state party leaders in the recruitment of candidates for high-profile state-wide races.

“Russ Weeks' entry into the gubernatorial race was a pleasant surprise for us all. Russ is a terrific candidate that brings experience, passion and understanding of the issues most important to West Virginians.

“There are many other races that we are keeping a close eye on, such as the Attorney General’s primary, where we feel that whoever wins in May will defeat Darrell McGraw in the general election, whether it is Dan Greear or Hiram Lewis.”

The club hailed Charleston attorney Beth Walker as a candidate that can win a seat on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals in November.

“Beth Walker is an excellent candidate to fill the vacancy left by Larry Starcher who has been an embarrassment to the high court,” said Peana.

Peana said that she was also aware of candidacy papers making their way through the postal system for two more statewide candidates, and at least five more House of Delegates candidates.

Peana believes that the West Virginia Republican Club will be able to meet its goals of winning the Attorney General and Supreme Court races, and making substantial gains in the West Virginia Legislature.

“We look forward to mobilizing our volunteer army to assist Republican candidates across the state in both local and statewide races,” added Peana.

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