Filing for candidates running for U.S. Senate in West Virginia this year closed on July 23, for candidates seeking the primary nomination of one of the three ballot-qualified parties. Three candidates filed in the Democratic primary, eleven filed in the Republican primary, and one, Jesse Johnson, in the Mountain Party primary. The primary is August 28. Here is the list of candidates.
Candidates of unqualified parties, and independent candidates, get on the November 2 ballot by filing 1,784 valid signatures by August 23, and paying the $1,740 filing fee.
The shortened time frame between the special primary and general election that Manchin got when the recently requested the WV legislature to change the law favors Manchin and appears to be a ploy to eliminate or hinder primary challenges by other democrats and republicans (as opposed to Manchin and Capito, who decided not to run) and to give them, third parties and independents less time to campaign than usual.
The original 2010 primary had a filing period of Jan. 11, 2010 to Jan. 30, 2010 – 20 days, and the primary was over 3 months later on May 11, with the general election about 6 months later Nov. 2. ALMOST 6 MONTHS LATER!!! (note third party/independent deadline was July 30 over 3 months before general election). So how can they have a 4 day filing period now for Byrd’s seat, with a primary in only 5 more weeks, August 28, and then only 2 months until general. They should have put the primary for Byrd’s seat in Nov. followed by a special general election in the spring.
Manchin appears to want to rush a primary so they can add national senate seat election to Nov. ballot. But there is not adequate time for 3rd party candidates, independents, and other republicans and democrats, other than Capito (who choose not to run) and Manchin, to put together a campaign. Don’t they all have to form committees, collect donations, develop adds, get name recognition, get their platforms out. The primary will be in just 5 weeks and the final election in 2 months. Manchin appears afraid to allow time for people to get the word out about all his negatives – not giving any primary challenger time to mount a real campaign. He already has the advantage of an incumbent. Most letters sent out by the state have his name on it, as does most informational literature often with his picture. He gets a lot of free PR in the paper by being governor. Now he wants to shorten the campaign time!!!
Normally there is about 6 months between primary and election, but he wants to make it 2 months. Plus only 5 weeks to get ready for the primary, compared to the usual many months. Unions and numerous others should complain about changing the law, and also mention a possible constitutional challenge, for truncating the campaign times. Manchin seems to want to truncate the time in which there will be less time for a public discussion of caol contribution to him, his treatment of state employees, teachers, and retirees, and mountain top removal and other issues in relation to this primary and then election. If he becomes senator will all retirees be forced onto Medicare Advantage? What will happen to Medicare. Will they invest Social Security in the stock market (i.e. in coal companies which is really just helps big coal owners and brokers). Wikipedia says,”
Since 1996, coal interests have contributed more than $4 million to candidates for governor, the state Supreme Court and the West Virginia Legislature. The 2004 election was a record-setter for the coal industry. Gov. Joe Manchin received $571,214 from coal interests for his campaign and $174,500 for his inaugural. West Virginians for Coal, the West Virginia Coal Association’s political action committee, contributed more money than any other coal industry donor.[58 . . . 58. ^ Wvoter-owned.org ”
WV not open for business (Manchin’s slogan), but open for monkey busines as usual (Manchin’s actions). You’d think he’d have been afraid to use that slogan, and seen the monkey business allusion coming.
It is great that both Ken Hechler, a democrat but 95, and Jesse Johnson of the Mountain Party filed even though the quickie new law with truncated campaign times favors ManchinNone of the toher 14 who filed will have adequate time. Manchin doesn’t act like a true democrat. All for giveaways to big coal owners, CEO’s etc. He was just awful to state workers and teachers, while getting himself a big $55,000 raise that could raise his pension by about 1 million. He wanted to giveConnsol Energy $200 million in tax abatements and roads etc. and then do it about 4 more times = that’s a billion dollars!!! Manchin has previously had large amounts donated from coal interests. Guess they got their money’s worth. It’s unfair to other businesses that a few wealthy coal companies (owners, CEO’s, brokers) would benefit from preferential tax treatment over other businesses. Won’t other businesses and taxpayers have to pay more, if rich coal companies pay less. Then there was Manchin having the taxpayers buy a 3rd plane so he could personally fly it, and also taking state plane to fly down to pick up yacht, not to mention WVU football game plane trips with family and buddies, his daughter’s retroactive MBA (years after she attended) from WVU after he appointed a friend as WVU president over faculty objections. – It cheapened everyone else’s degree. Manchin was a coal broker, so there you have it. Wikipedia has a nice summary of the Mountain Party’s platform which is quite comprehensive in many areas. They are better democrats than Manchin, and seem to want to help the average worker and businesses. They are more conservative than the Republicans where it counts. They are for “Elimination of the sales tax on food and clothing; tax relief for small businesses; elimination of corporate welfare” and for FAIR TRADE as opposed to supposedly free trade. Ballot Access might be interested in their election reform ideas. Again quoting Wikipedia they want “Election law reform: Promote political justice, Enhance voter access, Full Public Financing of elections, Same day registration, Independent, non-partisan election commission, Free airtime and access to debates * Accurate and verifiable voter rolls, Instant runoff voting and other progressive voting systems”
People get what they want. This is why Manchin most likely will be elected Senator. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth fighing for justice, fairness, and equality. Because sometimes it appears the people do not really care whether they have it or not.
Long term – Candidate/incumbent lists of legislative body replacements during a term of office. NO more special elections for vacancies.
Pending which – Approval Voting in such vacancy elections — vote for 1 or more – NO primaries are needed.
Might even elect somebody who is NOT a party hack extremist.
Jesse Johnson of the Green Party is the favorite…no doubt..
😉
This hasn’t been remarked upon…
That is a low and generous signature requirement of under 2,000 signatures for a state wide U.S. Senate race.
The filing fee for independents is the same as the Green Party and other two ballot qualified parties.
Seems plenty fair to me..
Agreed, GPF! 2,000 out of about 2 million people is a good number! And it’s the same for both the Greens and the independents!
Ballot order for the primary has been determined. On the Democrat side, they are, from top to bottom: Ken Hechler, Sheirl Fletcher and Joe Manchin.
(I think this will help the nonagenarian; well, that and his photos with Daryl Hannah.)
On the Republican side, the positions are, from top to bottom: Thomas Ressler, Harry Bruner, Frank Kubic, John Raese, Daniel Scott Rebich, Kenneth Culp, Albert Howard, Lynette Kennedy McQuain, Scott H. Williams and Mac Warner.
(Raese has name recognition, but his name is buried in the mix. Albert Howard made news for exposing election fraud in the Republican’s 2008 New Hampshire presidential primary.)
The WV Sec of State did not draw for ballot position for the Mountain Party because only one candidate, Jesse Johnson, filed to run.
(Duh!)
FYI, Both the Republican and Democrat parties allow voters registered as “No Party Preference” or “Other Party” to vote in their primaries. Voter registration deadline is August 9.