Published: May 12, 2008 11:11 pm         

West Virginians have plenty of reasons to vote

BECKLEY, W.Va — You can’t dismiss this primary election as another dull, cut-and-dried affair for southern West Virginia voters.

Consider what’s at stake.

For starters, right at the top of the ticket, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have turned the state into a virtual battleground, leaving no arrows in their quivers, firing shots inside the state, right up to election eve.

Clinton spent time Monday in rural Wyoming County, while her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination staged a rally in Charleston. One other big-name Democrat is still on the ballot, John Edwards of North Carolina.

Once the dust settles, West Virginia Democrats should learn just how the rest of the super delegates, among them Gov. Joe Manchin and Sen. Robert C. Byrd, intend to vote at the Denver convention.

On the Republican side, delegates are pledged to early dropout Mike Huckabee, even though Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive nominee, is merely awaiting the coronation at the GOP convention in late summer.

Five other Republicans provide additional choices — Jerry Curry, Rudy Giuliani, Alan Keyes, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney.

Non-affiliated voters, or “independents,” can vote either party’s ticket, but they must request from the poll worker the ballot from their party of choice. Otherwise, all the independent will receive is a ballot for the board of education races.

In state politics, Manchin is primed to win the party’s nomination for a second term, but he isn’t without a challenge.

Freshman Delegate Mel Kessler of Raleigh County passed up a shot at a second term in the 27th District for a shot at upsetting the governor — admitting a victory would be “a miracle” but often lacing interviews with a Bible subliminal reference to David and Goliath.

When it appeared no Republican was eager to take on Manchin in the fall, another Beckleyan, former state Sen. Russ Weeks, stepped up and filed as a candidate. Unlike Kessler, he feels his chances of upsetting the incumbent in the fall are good.

A longtime senator, Majority Whip Billy Wayne Bailey of Wyoming County, is yielding his Senate seat in the 9th District to seek the secretary of state’s job, facing two fellow Democrats — House Majority Leader Joe Delong and ex-broadcaster Natalie Tennant. Delegate Richard Browning in the 22nd District is seeking to replace Bailey in the upper chamber.

Veteran Sen. Shirley Love, D-Fayette, is retiring this year, and three Democrats are vying for the right to succeed him — four-term Fayette County Sheriff Bill Laird, longtime educator Sue Blake Andersen of Craigsville, and Jerry Cook of Rainelle.

Mountain State candidate Andy Waddell of Maysel and Republican hopeful Aubry Wilson of Buckhannon are unopposed.

Another key legislative race is in the 10th District, where a former senator, Anita Skeens Caldwell of Princeton, is attempting a comeback, running against James McNeely of Peterstown in the Democratic primary for the right to take on Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth of Athens in November. Caruth is running without opposition.

Eyes also are riveted on two House of Delegates contests.

In the 29th District of Clay, Fayette and Nicholas counties, former lawmaker Tom Louisos is seeking to return after narrowly losing two years ago to John Pino, one of three incumbent Democrats up for another term; the others are Margaret Staggers and David Perry. A fifth Democrat also is on the ballot, William Sulesky of Scarbro.

A second major battle has flared in the 27th District of Raleigh and Summers counties, where five delegates serve.

Ten Democrats are on the ticket, including incumbents Rick Moye, Virginia Mahan and Louis Gall.

The other seven are two former delegates, Sally Susman and Bill Wooton, joined by newcomers Mick Bates, Jack Covey, Al Martine, Andrew Moscarito and Kelley Sponaugle.

Retired school teacher Linda Sumner is the lone Republican incumbent, and she is on the ballot with five other Republicans — Wayne Conner, Kevin Honaker, Jeffrey Pack, Dereck Severt and Philip Stevens.

Gall was appointed by Manchin to plug a vacancy created by Ron Thompson of Beckley, who resigned last summer to continue his treatment for advanced depression, known as bipolar two.

A plethora of county races are also being contested, including the offices of sheriff, assessor, commissioner, circuit court judge, prosecutor, magistrate and family court judge. Board of education seats are up for grabs as well.

Polls will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.





Mannix Porterfield writes for The Register-Herald in Beckley, W.Va.