Legislative, statewide races filing period soon.

shermangeneral wrote:Will there be any races that create interest?

I know we have at least 4 members of the forum from the 4th Senatorial District, and I have heard rumblings of a potentially interesting race in the republican Primary.

Aaron wrote:Here's a good question. Who are the Republicans going to send to slaughter in the Governor's race?

Two Raleigh County residents filed Thursday to take on Gov. Joe Manchin, with a former state senator seeking the GOP mantle and a freshman Democratic delegate challenging Manchin in the primary.


Republican Russ Weeks said he decided to run to give voters a choice, and because they "must hear the truth about state government.''


Delegate Mel Kessler, meanwhile, said he's been spurred on by what he called the governor's heavy-handed dealings with the Legislature and such key constituent groups as seniors and teachers.


"I didn't come down here to be a puppet,'' Kessler said after Thursday's House floor session. "I just don't like what I'm seeing.''


Weeks, 65, won a 2004 upset by unseating then-Senate Judiciary Chairman Bill Wooton. After losing his 2006 re-election bid, the retired Navy veteran wrote a self-published book that targeted Manchin and others he encountered during his legislative stint.


"There are a lot of people in government today that I hope are scared,'' Weeks said. "They know that I know where the skeletons are buried.''


Kessler, a 59-year-old semi-retired businessman and former United Auto Workers union local official, was elected to the House in 2006.


Manchin, 60, remains focused on his own re-election effort, spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said.


"The governor looks forward to the campaign ahead and sharing his record, as well as his ideas for the future, with the people of West Virginia,'' Ramsburg said. "As always, he focuses on running for the office, not against any other candidate.''


Manchin filed to run for a second term on Tuesday. Supporters say the governor enjoys strong approval ratings and already has an estimated $2.1 million on hand for his re-election campaign.

Stephanie wrote:Where are all these people who like him? I'm serious. Do any of you like Manchin? My husband and I don't. My father-in-law doesn't. I don't know anybody here that thinks he's doing a good job. Is it the name thing? He's part of a WV political dynasty of sorts, isnt' he?

TerryRC wrote:Besides the fact that he is a misogynist? That (and the fact that he has been bought and paid for) would do it for me.

I heard (from multiple sources) that he, in session, addressed Delegate Mahon (D-Summers) as "little lady".

TerryRC wrote:Who bought and paid for him?

Big Coal, Big Gambling.

His push to cut back on the DEP list of protected streams was telling, particularly as the list had already been minimized by the [sarcasm] completely-neutral-and-unbiased-by-the-coal-companies[/sarcasm] then Director, Mike Callaghan.

He is a lobbyist's wet dream.

Take a look at how he reacts to ANYONE that asks him how much he received from lobbyists.

Aaron wrote:

Stephanie wrote:Where are all these people who like him? I'm serious. Do any of you like Manchin? My husband and I don't. My father-in-law doesn't. I don't know anybody here that thinks he's doing a good job. Is it the name thing? He's part of a WV political dynasty of sorts, isnt' he?

Why don't you like him? I ask because as I sat here thinking about your question, it came to me that I don't know if I like him or not? I mean, I can't think of anything overly bad he's done. Of course, I can't think of anything overly good either. You seem adamant so I figure you have a reason and I'm wondering what it is.

TerryRC wrote:So he's a typical West Virginia democrat politician.

Fixed that for you.

Stephanie wrote:

Aaron wrote:

Stephanie wrote:Where are all these people who like him? I'm serious. Do any of you like Manchin? My husband and I don't. My father-in-law doesn't. I don't know anybody here that thinks he's doing a good job. Is it the name thing? He's part of a WV political dynasty of sorts, isnt' he?

Why don't you like him? I ask because as I sat here thinking about your question, it came to me that I don't know if I like him or not? I mean, I can't think of anything overly bad he's done. Of course, I can't think of anything overly good either. You seem adamant so I figure you have a reason and I'm wondering what it is.

He is a misogynist. You don't know if you like him or not because you can't think of anything that he has done. What has he accomplished aside from the massive renovation of the mansion he's living in courtesy of the taxpayers?

Taxes are very high here but services are sparse and the roads are crumbling. He is supposed to be the leader of this state yet I see no vision. I see silly contests to pick the slogan people read on signs at the state's borders.

Remember I've only been here a little over a year so perhaps I'm not the best to judge his accomplishments but I'm not seeing much of anything and I see a ton of work that needs to be done. I'm not hearing any serious proposals coming from him to correct these things. What has he done by way of economic development? Bring casino gambling to the state. Now there's a brilliant idea.