Mary Catherine Brooks
PINEVILLE — Richard Browning of Oceana will keep his House of Delegates seat, serving the residents of the 22nd District, which includes Wyoming County and portions of both McDowell and Mercer counties.
Browning was among the Democrats across the state targeted by Don Blankenship’s And For The Sake Of the Kids.
Despite the expensive media blitz against him, Browning took the early lead and held it throughout the evening against Mike Burdiss of Mullens, also a Democrat, and Jack Fincham of Brenton, the lone Republican challenger.
Two delegates were elected. With 42 of 50 precincts reporting, Browning had 3,602 votes; Burdiss took the other seat with 3,314 votes, and Fincham had 1,875 votes.
Browning has served 14 years in the state Legislature, while Burdiss is a newcomer to state politics.
“Once again, I am honored to go back and serve the 22nd District,” Browning said Tuesday night. “I pledge to continue to do what I’ve always done, which is to work hard to provide a better quality of life for the residents of this district.
“It was a tough campaign,” Browning noted. “I appreciate the voters’ rejection of (Don) Blankenship’s propaganda campaign.”
Burdiss campaigned on the strengths of the Democratic Party.
“Were it not for the Democratic Party, there would be no legal rights for working people, no Medicare or Medicaid, no Civil Rights Act, no free and reduced meals for poor school children,” he said prior to the election.
“The role of good government ... is to provide the people with common welfare ... I will do everything I can to promote the common welfare,” Burdiss said.
“I’m very appreciative of the support people gave me and the people who worked for me,” Burdiss said after the election. “I’ll be out (today) taking down my signs.”
Fincham wanted to see Democrats lose their 75-year control of the Legislature. Endorsed by several groups, he supported eliminating the tax on food and reducing insurance costs, as well as simplifying the state tax code.
House Majority Leader Rick Staton, who has served in the Legislature since 1988, was defeated in the May primary; his term ends Dec. 31.
— E-mail:
mcbrooks@register-herald.com
