Betty Ireland

The primary is just over two weeks away with early voting beginning in just days. A discussion about the GOP primary is long over due. I'm voting for Betty Ireland and I urge you all to do so as well. There are some very good reasons why Mrs. Ireland is the best candidate.

First of all, she has a background in business. She understands what WV needs to do in order to lure industry to the state and to assist small businesses and new companies not only survive, but thrive. We need her expertise in this area.

Also, Betty Ireland has a good deal of political experience. She has served on a variety of boards and in local government in addition to her time as WV's SOS. As SOS she demonstrated great leadership skills by cleaning up voter rolls and eliminating fraud and abuse.

This leads to another important reason why Betty Ireland is the best Republican candidate. She has successfully won a state-wide election here. This is something no other Republican has done in a very long time. She has the name recognition and public confidence to beat whoever the Democratic nominee will ultimately be.

Finally, Mrs. Ireland actually has a plan! Really, I've been supporting this woman since she announced her candidacy and the fact that she has this well organized, carefully strategized, much needed 11 point plan demonstrates not only how dedicated she is, but how well prepared she is to take on this role.

I know I said finally, but there is something else I'd like to add. I live not too far from Charleston and I've had the opportunity to meet or at least hear several of these candidates speak. A couple of them I've had prior contact with for various reasons. Mark Sorsaia, for example, is the Putnam County prosecutor. I've been in his company numerous times over the years. He's a competent prosecutor and I think in the future he might make an excellent candidate for AG or maybe even the House should Shelley decide to take a stab at the Senate or Governor's office herself in the future. Clark Barnes is a man that has helped my cohorts and I ward off the Real ID for years and has provided invaluable assistance on other legislative matters. I hope Senator Barnes continues to work for WV and much like Mark Sorsaia I believe he will make an excellent candidate for higher office in the future.

As terrific as these gentlemen are, and as outstanding as the accomplishments of Bill Maloney and some of the other candidates are, Betty Ireland is the ONLY Republican I have heard express concern or an interest in helping to develop a field of Republican candidates to run in future elections. This is critically important.

The Democrats have held WV in a stranglehold for just shy of 80 years. They dominate both chambers of the Legislature and have held the Governor's office for 75% of that time. I don't think it matters too much what your political leanings are most reasonable people would agree this state is not moving in the right direction and this historically one party domination exacerbates, if not causes, many of these problems.

For more information about Betty Ireland and her 11 Point Plan to Get West Virginia Working Again go to www.votebettyireland.com . Whatever you decide, please go out and vote. Vote early! There are a lot of commencements being held on the 14th of May and if it's a pretty day I know a lot of us will want to be out working in our gardens or out for a ride or a round of golf.

As always, thanks for reading!

I do have to agree with you that among the republican candidates, she is head and shoulders above the rest. Yes, I do plan to vote for her as does my wife. I do pray that she isn't talking to get elelcted and then after the election she'll fall in line with the rest the gaggle of morons.

Cato I have spoken with her a few times in recent weeks and it is obvious she shares all of our concerns. For example, all of her children have left WV because there simply aren't jobs here for them to support their young families.

She's also said (without prompting from me or anyone else) things I really liked hearing. For example, she will move a mountain if she has to in order to get a court of appeals here. She expressed a desire to see drug users sent for treatment and drug dealers & pushers to prison. That's the way it should be, imho.

Stephanie wrote:Cato I have spoken with her a few times in recent weeks and it is obvious she shares all of our concerns. For example, all of her children have left WV because there simply aren't jobs here for them to support their young families.

She's also said (without prompting from me or anyone else) things I really liked hearing. For example, she will move a mountain if she has to in order to get a court of appeals here. She expressed a desire to see drug users sent for treatment and drug dealers & pushers to prison. That's the way it should be, imho.

Stephanie,

I am afraid I don't share your optimism with Ms. Ireland. Yes, she has said a number of the right things and yes, I do plan to vote for her, but she's a politician and I have absolutely no trust for any politician. I have so many times voted for people who said the right things and once elected reverted to business as usual. I hope and pray she is different, however, only time will tell.

One other thing to remember is that she is only one person. She will head the executive branch of government in the state and will have veto power as well as being able to set the agenda. However, we need to remember that no matter how good she is, she is still bound to some degree by the legislature and the baffoons that make it up.

I heard her speak at the state republican convention a few years back. She is down-to-earth and makes some sense. At the same time, my personal experience is that she won't hang up her cell phone to talk to a prospective voter. She does care for her elderly mother, however...

She expressed a desire to see drug users sent for treatment and drug dealers & pushers to prison. That's the way it should be, imho.

There's a lot of pragmatic sense in prison reform. Something as simple as making the penalties for crack cocaine the same as the penalties for regular cocaine can save millions of dollars and clear out the prisons. Prison reform is the new conservative mantra and a subject on which we can all agree. All kidding aside Betty Ireland is the real deal.

ohio county wrote:I heard her speak at the state republican convention a few years back. She is down-to-earth and makes some sense. At the same time, my personal experience is that she won't hang up her cell phone to talk to a prospective voter. She does care for her elderly mother, however...

LOL! I spoke to her about that very thing just last week! She claims she was on the phone "yelling at somebody". I dunno...she's human. Humans have faults and make mistakes. You're right, though.......she is the real deal.