Mineral County Delegate, State of West Virginia Officials Go All Out to Court Pepper Sauce Plant

Despite the upcoming antagonisms of election year politics, one issue has linked West Virginia Democrats and Republicans hand in hand.

Hot pepper sauce.

Since the 1970s, Huy Fong Foods has crafted Sriracha hot pepper sauce in Irwindale, California.  David Tran, a South Vietnamese Army veteran, fled his homeland to escape Communism.  His creation has grown into a staple at many restaurants and a cult food classic.

Last year, four residents complained to the city of an odor coming from the plant.  Despite ruling the claims groundless, city council called the plant a public nuisance.

Using the same tactics that attracted some attention from firearms manufacturers looking for friendlier areas, West Virginia elected officials immediately contacted Tran.  Delegate Gary Howell (R-Mineral), State Agriculture Commissioner Walt Helmick, and the offices of both US Senators and David McKinley have joined efforts to lure Huy Fong to Mineral County.

Mineral County boasts industrial park space and abundant agricultural land.  West Virginia University extension agents can help interested farmers learn to cultivate the peppers.  The plant itself would bring over $300 million in investment and benefit not just local farmers, but also regional truckers.

A Facebook page started by local residents to support the proposal met with near universal support.  The few sour posts came from Maryland residents.  Of course Allegany County, Maryland has lost population, jobs, and business establishments over the past 12 years.  Mineral County has slowly grown in jobs and population.

Helmick and others plan to travel to California to meet Tran personally to lay out the proposal.

When leaders in different parties agree on the basics, like the need for jobs and development, there is ground to work together for the betterment of all.

Senator Manchin Helps to Sink Obama Department of Justice Appointee

Joe Manchin and six other Senate Democrats voted this week to reject Obama's appointment to head the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.  They, along with every Republican, slammed to door on Debo Adegbile's bid for the office.

Adegbile supported the release of convicted police officer murderer Mumia Abu-Jamal.  As the National Review notes, Abu-Jamal was found guilty of murdering a Philadelphia police officer.  Adegbile, apart from his activism, has worked for the NAACP and currently serves as counsel for Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee.

Bob Casey (D) Pa explained his vote, saying that support for Abu-Jamal was important.  He described the pain still felt by the officer's family and the city of Philadelphia.

The Civil Rights Division is supposed to "uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans."  Whoever oversees the division has some latitude to interpret and decide who to go after and why.  The character of that man or woman is vital to ensuring that civil rights cases do not devolve into witch hunts.

In a larger sense, this illustrates an important split in the Democratic Party.  Traditional liberals and moderates rejected a left wing appointee of a left wing president.  Only two of these Democrats face voters this year.  Manchin's electorate would not decide his fate based on this vote alone.

This also sets up a subtext to the 2016 presidential election.  Will a moderate run on the Democratic side?  The appearance of one not connected to the Obama Administration could make for a lively race and produce headaches for Republicans.

And Now Some Good Numbers For the Mountain State . . .

Last week, a Mercatus study forecast ominous signs for the West Virginia state government's future finances. It articulated concerns about the state's ability to pay its obligations in the near and long term future.  West Virginia, however, sits on a much more secure position than many other states, including some of the nation's largest and most prosperous.

A Washington Examiner study shows that the Mountain State's economically conservative policies of gradual tax reduction and paying down liabilities have benefited.   The state sits at 39th in unfunded pensions and total debt.  For debt per person, the state ranks higher, at 29th.

This is a ranking where being lower is better.

Credit, in part, goes to Governors Manchin and Tomblin for imposing common sense.  Manchin to a great extent and Tomblin to a lesser kept the lid on spending and gradually reduced the taxes that harmed the least able to pay.

They also took advantage of a boom in coal production and revenues that started under Bush, but is now grinding to a halt under the onerous policies of Obama's EPA.  Gas production continues to rise, but not fast enough to replace falling tax revenues from coal.

Mercatus concerns center around the state's need to address the problem of prosperity.  Manchin and Tomblin rightly deserve credit for helping to keep the state's financial position sound, but they did not take the opportunity to enact enough needed reforms.  The state needs to change its business regulation and tax regime so that small business has opportunity to start and a fighting chance to survive.  Economic observers praise the state's personal liberty, but blast the lack of economic freedom.

A state that ranks near the bottom for business friendliness and freedom cannot prosper.  With the federal government assaulting the state's main industry, the Governor and Legislature need to look at ways to unleash West Virginia's entrepreneurial spirit.

West Virginia Citizens' Defense League Releases First Round of Candidate grades.

The West Virginia Citizens' Defense League, a group dedicated to fighting for Second Amendment rights, released its grades of candidates running in 2014.  These were not endorsements, but ratings based upon return of a survey and record.  

For United States Senate, the WVCDL gave both Shelley Moore Capito and Pat McGeehan an A+ rating.  Capito's House of Representatives and McGeehan's House of Delegates voting record on gun rights was spotless.  The WVCDL noted that Capito repeated some of its arguments in the days after the Sandy Hook shooting.

Natalie Tennant received an F for supporting gun control schemes and previous statements.

So far, WVCDL has only rated two candidates for the 2nd Congressional District.  Alex Mooney received an A+ for a strong record of defending gun rights at the legislative level.  Meshea Poore of Charleston received the dreaded F- rating, along with the admonition "DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS CANDIDATE."

The group also handed out grades for state legislators.  In the Eastern Panhandle, Craig Blair, Gary Howell, Allen Evans, Dave Sypolt, Larry Faircloth, John Overington, Larry Kump, Jason Barrett, Michael Folk, and Eric Householder all received A+ ratings.  John Unger only earned an A, but the WVCDL expected him to rise to A+ at the end of this session.

Senator Joe Manchin is not running, but WVCDL marked its displeasure with the Democrat by criticizing statements made supporting his gun proposals.

WVCDL rated many Democrats among its A+ grades, indicating that West Virginia's stance on full Second Amendment rights remains a bipartisan affair. 

Second West Virginia Legislator Switches to Republican Party

Former US Senator Zell Miller complained in 2004 that he did not leave the Democratic Party.  It left him.

Two members of the West Virginia Legislature in the past year have come to the same conclusion.  Months ago, State Senator Evan Jenkins of Cabell County switched and announced a run for Congress.  Now, Delegate Ryan Ferns of Ohio County has done the same.

Ferns' home district in Ohio County resembles what Washington insiders call "Hillary country."  Wheeling has a long industrial history that has faded in the past twenty years.  Its blue collar roots have been supplemented by the luring of major retail outlets on the Interstate 70- corridor.

A "Hillary country" Democrat going red is a bad omen for Clinton in West Virginia. It shows that Obama's tenure has alienated a great deal of the blue collar bases depended upon by the Clintons.

Also interesting are the long standing ties between the Ferns family and Senator Joe Manchin.  Delegate Ferns' father and Manchin are reputed to be close friends.  Manchin family ties with Republicans are not unusual.  Governor Arch Moore worked closely with A. James Manchin, for instance.

This, however, invites scrutiny because of the increasingly isolated position in which Manchin finds himself.  In October, a Roll Call article described a centrist senator regretting leaving the Governor's Mansion.  Last week, he defied Senate leadership on a pivotal vote which removed minority filibuster power on nominees.

Manchin's discontent as a Senate Democrat seems clear.  His home state drifts toward the Republican Party by staying true to its traditional values. Manchin's few clashes with his base quickly, if temporarily, eroded his popularity.  Following the example of Ferns and Jenkins is one option.  Abandoning all party identification, like former Senator and vice presidential nominee Joe Lieberman, is another.

Clearly Manchin, Ferns, Jenkins, and many of their traditionally Democratic brethren in West Virginia share the same dilemmas.  Switching to the GOP means breaking with generations of tradition in a state where party identification ranks a close third to family and denomination.  But how long can such ties remain when the national Democratic Party stokes hostility with values held dear by most West Virginians?

And what will this mean politically for the state in the next few years?

West Virginia Keeps Doing It Right

Good news, West Virginia!  State leaders continue to make strides to make the area more attractive to investors and residents.

The State Journal reported that a recent Tax Foundation study rated West Virginia as having the 23rd friendliest tax climate.  This places it slightly ahead of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky yet far ahead of Ohio and Maryland who ranked a dismal 41.

The Mountain State scored best in corporate taxation at 20.  Property taxes scored at 27.  Individual income and sales taxes rated between the two.

This makes West Virginia an average state, but also shows improvement.  Under Governors Manchin and Tomblin, the state has looked at gradually reducing tax burdens anticipating a payoff in better economic growth.

In other words, counting on a Laffer Curve type of result.  Laffer was one of President Reagan's chief economic advisers early on, arguing that lower taxes brought better economic returns.

One must give credit to Democratic governors who don't shy away from an idea because it came from Reagan.

The State Journal also noted that recent administrations have focused on making the overall tax climate more friendly to all levels of business growth, instead of offering drastic temporary tax breaks to lure investment.  This results in a more evenly developed economy with more opportunities for in state entrepreneurs.

Governor Tomblin, however, warned that the state's expected expenditures next year would outstrip revenues.  He said that either taxes would have to rise or spending be cut.  With Republicans pushing hard at taking over at least one house of the Legislature next year, most likely spending will drop.

Certainly increased federal demands of states under Obama have pushed many states to have to stretch their budgets.  West Virginia is no exception.  Just last week a state official warned that the state expansion of Medicaid would likely force a funding cut to higher education.

West Virginia has done very well in making the tax regime more entrepreneur friendly.  If it makes equal strides in reducing regulation and establishing a state court of automatic appeal, the Mountain State could grow into a serious competitor for attracting business from anywhere.

National Democrats Convince Cannon Fodder Candidate

By all accounts, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant will enter the US Senate race to take on presumed Republican nominee Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito.

On the surface, it looks like an appropriate move for a popular young statewide officeholder with definite ambitions to rise higher.  She has a strong background as an elected secretary of state with experience as a Charleston television news figure.  Even in a loss, Tennant can use the campaign to reintroduce herself to voters across the state in preparation for a run at the Governor's Mansion.

It is this ambition most threatened by her Senate run. A deeper look shows how dicey this campaign could be for Tennant.

Images like this one have already reappeared.  Standing in front of a sparse crowd of Obama supporters will not win Tennant any support in a state whose Democrats preferred a prisoner in 2012.  Obama has only lost popularity since then.  She struggles to argue that coal jobs have slightly ticked up, but cannot defend the power plant closings that are coming.  Or the dramatic rise in health insurance costs from Obamacare.

In a race for governor in 2016, Obama matters less.  Tennant will have difficulty shaking the perception that she will be anything but a water carrier for the presidency and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Senator Joe Manchin learned that even piecemeal support for Obama policies can take a drastic toll on polling numbers.

Capito's fundraising prowess, formidable campaign team, and popularity have vanquished all comers since 2000.   Few major donors outside of the Democratic Party will seek to invest in a race that has little chance of success.

Tennant's run only makes sense in the national Democratic big picture.  A viable candidate forces the Republican Party to spend resources and raise money in a race that they should ultimately win.  Those resources will not go to tighter races with less chance of success.

She will also have to tie herself even more securely to the highly unpopular national Democratic Party agenda.  A gubernatorial race allows her to stand aloof as Earl Ray Tomblin did.  Tennant cannot erase images from a Senate run that will place her even more strongly into the camp of individuals heartily disliked across West Virginia.  She also cannot haul out the well worn liberal "War on Women" card against a respected, accomplished, and popular female candidate like Capito.

This serves the purposes of the West Virginia Republican Party nicely because it will weaken an individual who was expected to make a strong run  for governor in 2016.

Witness For the Prosecution and Congresswoman Capito's Outrage

George Zimmerman may or may not be found guilty. But the prosecution in his trial in retrospect took a huge chance when they billed Rachel Jeantel as a star witness.

She proved a problematic witness on many counts.  Her voice and style of speech flustered the court reporter, jury, and television audiences.  At one point she could not read a letter that she had supposedly written.

The Daily Mail posted a long story detailing the problems undermining the credibility of Jeantel.

Defense lawyers grilled her on her own inconsistent testimony as well as racial slurs used by the victim Trayon Martin to describe Zimmerman.

In other news, now former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested on charges of murder this morning.

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Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito released a statement yesterday expressing the outrage that she shares with other members of the congressional delegation, as well as many West Virginians.  Obama's proposal to circumvent Congress to impose unconstitutional environmental regulations was called by Capito a "tyrannical . . . job killing plan."

Representative David McKinley and Senator Joe Manchin have released similarly strong statements.

Strutting Our Stuff: West Virginia Needs to Show Off More Often

Our West Virginia congressional delegation and their staffs showed Washington DC that they know how to throw a party.  Last night, the Hart Senate Office Building hosted "Taste of West Virginia Day" to honor 150 years of state existence.

The celebration was kicked off by brief talks from the state's delegation.  Unfortunately, the House of Representatives had scheduled an important vote at the same time, so Representatives Capito, McKinley, and Rahall could not address the assembled crowd as they normally would. 

The pride expressed by each speaker was obvious and genuine.  Politics and agreement on issues aside, there is no doubt that our delegation loves and takes full pride in their state, native or adopted.

Food and spirits attracted a wide variety of people who quickly packed the room.  High ranking military officers in full dress uniform mingled with congressional staffers from all states, representatives of West Virginia businesses, and some local elected officials from nearby counties.

Highlights of West Virginia cuisine included excellent cupcakes from Keyser's own Candlewyck Inn, perfectly prepared angus roast beef from Burlington's Flying W, excellent beer from two Canaan Valley area breweries, and delicious candies from the Greenbrier among many other vendors. 

West Virginians have every reason to take pride in our history and accomplishments as a state.  And we should take our show on the road more often!

What Is Joe Manchin's Endgame?

It's a good question.

Unlike many Democratic lawmakers who thinly praise, or opt out of the discussion altogether when it comes to Obama, Senator Manchin has gone on the offensive. Most recently, he blasted Obama for failed leadership on the issue of budget deficits.

This is not really a position of tremendous political courage for Manchin. West Virginia despises Obama and overwhelmingly approves of their newest U. S. Senator. However, he is right to compare his own leadership favorably to the absent Obama. Manchin, albeit with a few accounting gimmicks, could show a balanced budget every year. He also used surpluses to reduce state pension debt. Despite the (D) after his name, Manchin exercised some fiscal conservatism. His example has been followed by current West Virginia governor Earl Ray Tomblin and even New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Common sense dictates that in a poor economy, tax hikes and drastically expanded spending cannot work.

Joe Manchin is the consummate politician. He has an endgame here. Does it involve a bid for higher political office under the Democratic banner? Or is his rhetoric, which sounds moderate for a Republican and actually runs right of Mitt Romney in some ways, prefacing a party switch?

This coming election cycle could be one of the most raucous and unpredictable in some time. Some things that would have been impossible a few years ago might be seen as bold solutions now, especially if a true maverick like Newt Gingrich ends up on the GOP ticket.

For now, it is interesting to see Manchin again target Obama on the economic warpath.

Commentary By Mac Warner From Monongalia County GOP Site

I am not sure where I stand myself on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I lean towards repeal, personally. However, I agree 100% with Mac's description of Manchin as "gutless" in skipping out on such an important issue. Either vote your conscience, one way or the other, or resign.


Monongalia County GOPManchin: Gutless and AWOL in Don't Ask, Don't TellGutless. Absolutely gutless. At a time of war when so many West Virginia soldiers are deployed, risking their lives in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism, we deserve a Senator who will represent West Virginia values -- not run and hide to protect his own political career.Yet, where was our new Senator, Joe Manchin, on Saturday when it was time to represent West Virginia values on repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy? He was purposely avoiding the controversy, hiding at “a pre-planned Christmas party.” Yes, Senator Manchin, the career politician who has been angling for this job the last decade and quit being governor two years early to get this position, now chooses to sit it out when the votes aren’t easy. Less than one month on the job, he thought it better to let others decide whether DADT is right or wrong for our fighting forces.In a case resembling Senator Kerry's "I voted for it before I was against it" fiasco, Joe Manchin voted for the policy before he apologized to fellow Democrats, saying he'd probably be against it in time. You see, Joe Manchin knows West Virginians are largely a conservative, family-value type of people. Joe had hoped DADT would go away after his first vote (a parliamentary issue) with the new Congress being seated in January. He even hoped the President would act unilaterally, saving Joe from having to make a decision. He was trying to pull in DC what he's gotten away with for so many years here in West Virginia, having it both ways. But, when Senator Lieberman continued to push for repeal of DADT in the lame-duck session, Joe Manchin felt very lonely. He had been the only Democrat to vote against lifting the ban. So, when push came to shove, Joe ran. Joe ran out of town, and hid from his place of duty in DC. In less than one month, Joe's Achilles heel was revealed: no principal, no morals, no solid ground on which to stand.You see, his job is to represent us, the people of West Virginia. The people of West Virginia know that open homosexuality will not enhance the US military. That should have been Senator Manchin's vote. Or, he could have stood on principal -- again, open homosexuality is not a family value, and it should not be foisted upon our troops as a social experiment. But, Manchin's political career has taught him to avoid principal, to not make morals the basis for action, and to ride the tide of polls and the political sentiment of the day. When the tide of his own Democrat Party no longer provided him safe harbor, he chose the path of least resistance. Joe ran. The reasons why the policy should not have been lifted are many-fold, but in the interest of time, I briefly mention three. First, the survey used as the basis for this action was flawed. The questions were framed so as to skew and predetermine the outcome. The survey did not ask soldiers if they thought gays should be allowed to serve openly, but rather phrased the question so that if the soldier answered negatively, it made the soldier appear bigoted or insecure. Second, sexual attraction goes to the heart of human nature. Unlike skin color, religion, gender and other benign bases for civil-rights advancements, action based on sexual attraction must be regulated to maintain good order and discipline in our Armed Forces. That is why adultery, fraternization, bestiality, and certain other sex-based actions are prohibited by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Third, take this to its logical conclusion. What logical basis is there now for not housing men with women? Upon what basis should the military provide separate showers or latrines? What about bisexuals, transgender individuals, bigamists, polygamists, pedophiles, and people with sexual desires/fixations on objects other than the opposite sex?Don't get me wrong. Our military faces much larger threats than repeal of DADT. Our soldiers are resilient, mature, and intelligent. They'll make this work. But, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you ought to do it. DADT worked because it was a compromise -- it kept both a lid on open homosexuality in a conservative, mission-oriented environment, and yet it provided for a reality that has existed in armies since the beginning of time. Gay people serve, fight and die just as straight people do. Until it could be shown that repealing the policy would actually help mission accomplishment (not just be tolerated or used to celebrate a social agenda), the policy should have remained in effect. Senator Joe Manchin wants the advantage of 20/20 hindsight. He wanted to be able to claim victory either way. You watch -- he'll have his spin, put on the Mo-Joe, and tell us how great our Armed Forces are. But, we need to remember that when the battle lines were drawn, and the engagement commenced, Joe Manchin was AWOL. West Virginia deserves better. We deserve leadership, not gutless avoidance. Remember Joe's failed response to DADT in November 2012.Mac Warner3110 North Greystone DriveMorgantown, WV 26508(304) 826-0998

Election Thoughts

First thought. Congratulations to the Mineral County Republican Executive Committee, Potomac Highlands Patriots Tea Party, volunteers, and candidates. This was a huge amount of effort that resulted in a conservative sweep in Mineral County. Great job, folks!

Mineral County's closest race was between Gary Howell and Charles Messick. Howell won by about ten percentage points. Richard "Doc" Lechliter defeated Wayne Spiggle for county commission by about twelve points. The other Mineral County numbers and percentages were much, much higher.

Thank you Lauren Ellifritz, Mineral County Clerk. Last night we saw that there was a very heavy turnout. Her staff, helped by Rose Ann Maine, Mary Margaret Rinehart, Janice LaRue, Cindy Pyles, and others made the election night go very, very smoothly. Thanks again, Lauren and everyone else!

Thank you to all the volunteers who got almost all the signs up last night. Some people do not mind them, but to other citizens they are an imposition that they tolerate becauseof the season. Getting the signs up quickly ensures that we retain their goodwill.

The narrow John Raese defeat, if seen from August, should be considered a Republican victory of sorts. Joe Manchin successfully deflected the message of the race away from his pro Obama statements and towards Raese himself and the Republican campaign. That is why he ultimately won. That all being said, who would have predicted that this race would have gotten this close three months ago?

Across the state, we saw some legislative setbacks. Craig Blair, a well known GOP figure, may have lost in his bid to jump from the House of Delegates to the State Senate in the Eastern Panhandle. The race is still statistically 50-50 with the mercurial John Unger leading by a few hundred votes. Mitch Carmichael's delegate race was much closer than it ought to have been in a district that is mostly Jackson County, but at this point he looks to have won. Former delegate Debbie Stevens was unable to regain the 46th from incumbent Stan Shaver. Republicans also failed to do well in the 57th and 58th districts in Jefferson County. Republicans certainly did better across the state in areas where they have not enjoyed success for some time. Over the next two years, the party needs to focus on local committees and get them up to the fight in every single county. Gary Howell's brief tenure as Mineral County chair demonstrated what can be done on the local level. Thousands of voter guides were distributed on foot and through the newspapers. Door to door walks were done on behalf of several candidates. The committee organized sign distribution and pick ups in a systematic fashion. Unopposed candidates, such as Krista Dixon and Lauren Ellifritz, remained involved throughout the fall with party functions. This is evidence of what can be done by the committees across the state.

Also do not forget the Tea Party. They held dinners and had some of the largest Tea Party rallies in the entire state. They participated in candidate walks. They raised money and paid for billboards in Keyser and the northern part of the county. Their activity was an essential part of victory last night for Republicans in this county. It could not have been done without their work and support. When Tea Parties and Republicans get behind good candidates instead of sniping at each other, they can do great things. The Tea Party brought people into politics who might otherwise have not been involved. Republicans need to recognize how essential the Tea Party movement has been and follow through on promises made to fight for smaller government and the expansion of freedom.

David McKinley, barring any surprise in any recount, seems to have won a slender victory over Mike Oliverio. This was a seat held by Democrats for a very long time. It reflects frustration with federal anti-mining and industrial policies combined with the growing affluence of Morgantown and Fairmont. McKinley is the star of the moment and the biggest success of this election, so long as Democratic lawyers don't find a way to steal the victory from him.

So both locally and across the state, we have a lot of work to do. Election day may be closer than we think. There is a chance of having a special gubernatorial election early next year. In any event, 2012 is closer than we think.

Tom Stark's Letter to the Editor About Lies In the U. S. Senate Race

This is a heart felt letter from Tom Stark, former candidate for Congress.

This election cycle produced some of the most blatantly false political advertisements I have ever experienced. Of particular concern is the venom almost palpable in the Manchin and DSCC ads attacking John Raese. Keep in mind that John’s ads have said nothing worse about Manchin than his “rubber stamp” reference which is clearly documented as factual based on Manchin’s own words and actions. Not one word from Joe on his own accomplishments or lack thereof. Let's take them one at a time: -

Raese “lives” in Florida where he bought/built a home to avoid WV taxes.

Taxes are higher there than here. Many West Virginians own homes in FL. John owns the home in FL to provide a place for his wife and daughters to live while the kids attend a special school known to be the best at accommodating the disability one of his daughters has. I’d say that was admirable, not a bad thing at all. -

Liz Raese cannot vote for her husband because she lives in FL. John’s wife resides there during the school year to take care of her children, and he visits during the school year when he is able. She qualifies to vote in FL because she lives there more than she lives here and would be unable to come back to WV to vote with any consistency. It is unfortunate that she cannot vote for her husband, but her civic responsibility is also to be admired. I doubt they enjoy the separation, but do it for their children. -
Greer Industries has a bad safety record.
At least one of Greer’s safety awards (among many they have received) was presented to them by Joe Manchin. In fact, the mine pictured in the background of Manchin’s ad criticizing Greer’s record has a far worse safety record than any of the Greer facilities. -

Raese is not “in touch” with the people of WV because he’s rich.
The Democrat brand of politics relies heavily on “class warfare” and “class envy.” Divide and Conquer. Truth be known, if most people who resent and hate the wealthy people in this world spent as much energy and time in productive pursuits rather than resentment and hate, perhaps God would reward their spirit and shower them with blessings as well. The Raeses are both good people who have been fortunate, but that is no reason to claim they are out of touch. Liz and John Raese have done many good things for their community in WV. The Raeses and the Greers have contributed to the health of the WV economy for over a century, and providing jobs for thousands heads the list. What scares Democrats about John Raese is that he is not a career politician. He is committed to his beliefs in the Constitution and freedom. That threatens the control that Congress and the administration are determined to force on the American people.
John needs our help on November 2 to stop them.
Vote.
Tom Stark

A Tempest In a Teapot: Manchin's Desperate Ploy Against John Raese

It's all the Democrats have got at this point. Photogate.








The photo to the left was taken at the Byrd memorial service in Charleston. Predictably the Byrd family expresses howls of outrage. Of course it's only obvious that this was at the Byrd memorial because that is almost the only time that Obama has visited this state. That is part of the story that the media is conveniently missing.

Democrats cannot counter the accusations that Manchin has grown increasingly servile to a president that over 70% of this state dislikes, so they have hung their hats on photogate. I could see if there was actually a picture of Byrd involved in this, but again, it's not obvious to most people where this picture was taken.

It's a desperate ploy, completely ignoring the issues while undermining the message. Manchin's victory parade has taken an untimely detour into falling poll numbers. He wants the story to be anything except his buddying up to Obama as the election draws near. And that is a legitimate position to attack. West Virginians do not like the War on Coal, escalating debt, Obamacare, or other features of Obama policy.

If Manchin cannot distance himself from these policies that have proven destructive to West Virginia and the nation as a whole, he ought not go to the Senate.

Rasmussen Moves West Virginia to Leaning Democratic in Senate Race

West Virginia may be able to duplicate Scott Brown's achievement. Brown won a special election to fill the seat of Democratic icon Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts. Now John Raese has scored surprisingly high poll results in the latest Rasmussen Poll. Joe Manchin leads by a relatively slender 48-42% margin.

Clearly West Virginians understand that Democratic control of Congress is potentially destructive to the state and nation at large. Manchin remains personally popular and a high percentage approve of his job as governor.

This race should attract a great deal of attention, especially since this is expected to be a high Republican turnout year. Raese's principles and business experience have helped him rise in polls and public esteem.

What A Difference A Day Makes

A couple of days ago, most folks were speculating on a good and solid race between Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito and Governor Joe Manchin for the United States Senate. She, as far as I am concerned anyway, took the safe and smart decision and passed on this race, this year. Certainly she had a very strong chance of winning, but with the GOP possibly in position to take the House this year, she stands to emerge as one of the more powerful members. She publicly admits wanting the position, but is biding her time. That all being said if she lands a coveted committee position, that would be difficult to abandon with her relatively safe seat.

Yesterday we learned that former Secretary of State and congressman Ken Hechler jumped into the fray. He plans to make opposition to mountaintop removal the centerpiece of his campaign. He does not expect to win, but he is running to raise awareness of the issue.

This gives Republican contender John Raese a golden opportunity. Hechler could "steal" a large section of Manchin support. Raese was a Tea Partier before there was a Tea Party. He can also self fund to his heart's content. His staunch economic conservatism has always been seen as a liability in West Virginia, but this year the rules have changed.

Analyzing the Goodwin Selection

Last week, confirming the weeks long speculation of some in the state Republican Party, Governor Joe Manchin selected Carte Goodwin to fill Senator Byrd's former seat.

To many this came as a shock, but it represented a fairly logical selection on the part of the Governor, despite some protests.

First of all, the situation is as such: the Governor wants to run for this Senate seat and has to appoint someone on an interim basis. Some suggestions for nomination included Gaston Caperton and Bob Wise because of their past political position. Others included Nick Casey, former Democratic Party chair. Why would Goodwin represent a more logical selection than the aforementioned?

Frankly the Governor needed someone who would not "welsh" on a promise to step back for the special election. Goodwin has worked closely with Manchin for years and has his political career for the most part in front of him rather than behind. He has decades of life to run for the Senate again if he so chooses. Also, Goodwin is an up and coming guy in the party. He has intelligence, experience crafting legislation, and charisma not unlike the Governor's. Much like a baseball team will bring up its prospects in September and October to get them major league experience before they emerge as stars, the Democratic Party benefits from getting one of its own future leaders in the limelight and the public eye.

Like I have said before, I am a Jackson County guy originally and know the Goodwin family pretty well. This was a good selection ideologically, from a conservative point of view, when you look at the alternatives and Goodwin himself. Some people will express outrage unless a person along the same ideological lines of John Raese was selected. We were not going to get a conservative or a libertarian. What you do get with Goodwin is the same sense of pragmatism that you often get with the Governor. You will get an outlook that will be more fair to business and more reflective of West Virginians than most other selection possibilities. Another benefit, compared to Wise or Caperton, is that Goodwin actually lives in the state.

The downside for Goodwin personally is that he has been sent to join one the of the least popular Congresses in recent years. If he can separate himself somewhat from the Democratic Party leadership, he may not end up friends with the (likely) outgoing Harry Reid, but he will score points with potential future voters. Goodwin has been placed into a very difficult position at a tough time in history for the Democrats. It will be interesting to see how he negotiates the storm that currently grips the nation's politics. Personally I think he will do a good job considering the circumstances.

The Military Has a Term For This: FUBAR

If you know what FUBAR means, you get it. If you don't, ask a friend in the military or look it up. In any case, this term perfectly describes the process that will take place between now and 2013 to deal with Senator Byrd's seat being unexpectedly open.

According to West Virginia MetroNews, Governor Manchin can appoint an interim replacement. That interim can hold the seat until November 2012 at which point there will be an election. The same elected seat will have two races. One will be to see who will serve out the last five or six weeks, the other will be to see who takes over afterward.

As far as I can see, this is a combination of the state code and a 1994 State Supreme Court case over the replacement of a judge.

Major media outlets have bombarded the Secretary of State's office to ask clarification of the succession. The Secretary claimed that the office originally wanted to hold off on discussion out of respect for the dead. I see her point, but the plain fact is that this is a question that needed answered this morning in a quiet press release. That is, unless the process is so Byzantine that it actually took them all day to figure it out.

I blame the State Legislature. It's not like no one has asked these questions before. It's also not like this situation was sneaking up on us. We needed the State Legislature to create a rational and simple process and they did not do so. They must address this in the next term, even if it does not apply to the present situation. Fact is that it is not a secret that our other Senator is no spring chicken himself.

Add to this whole mess is the fact that it is probably open to a number of interpretations. We may not have seen the final process mapped out in how we get from today to the final man or woman who will end up in the seat.

Rule of law means that we need a code of law that is easy to understand, efficient, and restrained. In this case, the state law is not any of those desirable characteristics.

Finally, the Governor has not yet indicated who he will appoint, or when that appointment will occur.

Please, Mr. Governor, Stay Out of Football Scheduling

When times are bad, one of the worst things an elected leader can indulge in is frivolity. It opens him or her up to charges that their eye is not on the ball. Governor Manchin's name in a Mitch Vingle article once again surfaced. The Charleston Gazette sports reporter claimed that Manchin remained "on standby" in case negotiations failed between West Virginia and Marshall to schedule a football series.

In pure football terms, this is a series neither school really wants. Marshall is tired of getting pounded every season and needs to alter its schedule to assure its participation in the post season. West Virginia is tired of playing a team that has littl epositive impact on its strength of schedule.

In pure political terms, Manchin's association at this point is silly. He wants to project himself as a firm hand on the economic wheel as economic storms batter the state. We have done well thus far, but attacks by the federal government on our economy have proven disastrous. How do we counter the EPA? How do we keep our pension funds solvent? How do we reduce unemployment? Manchin has so many questions to address; he hardly needs to waste his time forcing a football game on two reluctant schools.

Advocates of the game say "it's good for the state." How so? If West Virginia and Marshall both host teams from outside the state that weekend, we get an influx of outside money spent in both Huntington and Morgantown. Regardless, Marshall's move from the Mid American Conference to Conference USA deprived it of thousands of fans per game (since most schools are within driving distance.) This reduced the amount of money spent by outsiders in the state. If we have been looking at football as an economic development opportunity (desperate days indeed!) then Manchin should have nixed this conference jump in the first place.

Finally, the national media has poked fun at the governor's penchant for interfering in college football a couple of times in the past. If he wants to be seen around the country as a serious political leader, maybe a contender for the vice presidency at some point, he needs to stop fooling around in trivial affairs like football games.

WVGOP Senate Caucus response to Gov. Manchin State of State Address

As Governor Joe Manchin prepares to deliver his State of State address to the people of West Virginia this evening, Senate Minority Whip Clark Barnes urges West Virginians to not get caught up in the governor's rhetoric. With unemployment hovering at 10% jobs are leaving West Virginia at a rate faster then they can be created and Obama and the EPA have all but declared war on West Virginia prosperity.

Republicans are worried that the democratic leadership is just covering up the problems until they become unfixable. Senator Barnes is urging state law makers to return back to basic conservative values that can save the state from a fiscal, energy, and taxation crisis.