The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

November 27, 2009

Ex-nun plans to challenge Shelley Moore Capito


A former Catholic nun is launching what she calls a dark horse candidacy to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito.

Virginia Lynch Graf, president of the Jefferson County Organization of Democratic Women, announced her intentions Wednesday in Charles Town before a crowd of supporters.

The 70-year-old former nun acknowledges she has no money and no campaign organization yet.

But she says she feels compelled to run because of Capito’s position on a variety of bills in Congress.

Capito, the state’s only congressional Republican, is in her fifth term in office.

So far, only one Democrat, a political unknown from South Charleston named David Harless, has filed pre-candidacy papers indicating he plans to challenge Capito.