Republican Delegate Results

May 18th, 2012

Governor Mitt Romney was the overwhelming choice when delegates were elected to the Republican National Convention in the May 8th primary.  Romney received 21 of the 28 delegates elected in the primary. Former Senator Rick Santorum won 2 delegates and 5 were uncommitted.  No delegates were received by Congressman Ron Paul or former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Three GOP State Party officials are automatically delegates to the August convention in Tampa.  They are National Committeewoman Donna Gosney and National Committeeman James Reed and newly elected party chair Conrad Lucas.  All three are committed to Romney.

Romney will have 24 of the 31 delegates going to the convention in August.

Romney delegates elected At-Large (statewide) were Donna Boley, St. Marys; Bob Ashley, Spencer; Michael Greer, Bridgeport; Rachel Amrine, Fairmont; Rick Barnett, St. Albans; Daniel Amrine, Fairmont; Mark Browning, South Charleston; Bonnie Hersman, Buckhannon; Jerry Mays, Martinsburg;  Andy McKenzie, Wheeling; Bill Phillips, Elkins; Todd Gunter, Charleston; Brian Long, Glen Dale; Tom O’Neill, Buckhannon; and James C. Kline, III, Charleston.

Others chosen At-Large were Santorum delegates are Cindy Frich and Kris Warner both of Morgantown and uncommitted Bill Maloney, Morgantown; and Betty Ireland, Charleston.

Elected from the first congressional district were Romney delegates Tom Azinger, Parkersburg; Bob Harman of Keyser and uncommitted Frank Deem of Vienna.  Second district Romney delegates includes Charlottee Lane and Chris Dodrill from Charleston and uncommitted Mike Hall of Hurricane.  Romney delegates in the third congressional district are Marty Gearhart, Bluefield and Conrad Lucas of Huntington.  Rick Snuffer, Beaver is uncommitted.

More results may be found on the Secretary of State website.

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Political Tidbits…Pre-Primary

May 6th, 2012

WANTED…this is not a partisan blog…even though it might seem like it at times…we need information about activities from Democrats, Republicans, Independents & Tea Party activists…just like a newspaper the news may not always make it…after a non-partisan review…send to news@phillipsbillboard.com.

Republican primary voters…and Independents choosing the Republican ballot…will find a long one…the GOP will be electing delegates to their National Convention…voters will elect 19 at-large delegates…and 3 in their congressional district…to the August Tampa convention…LOOK  & VOTE FOR THEM.

An interesting Treasurer race…for the Republican nomination…according to GOP based rumors…Putnam Sen. Mike Hall [Senate Leader] had told party recruiters he had no plans to seek statewide office…the result Steve Connolly a Putnam County assistant prosecuting attorney [may come in handy running against John Perdue]…was then recruited…both filed…word has it Connolly may be the sleeper…after visiting many Lincoln dinners.

A sign of the times…Newcomers received 77% in an online poll taken by The Inter-Mountain [Elkins] while Incumbents got 23%.

The State Republican Chairman race is taking on a life of its own…never has there been such interest…I recall the days when you begged someone to take the job…credit goes to many hard workers over the last years at all levels and outgoing leader Mike Stuart…who strengthen the organization…along with recent growth shown at the polls…not in registration.

An outsider Dick Morris [national columnist] urging party committee members to vote for Bob Adams [state chair race]…may backfire…in an email of endorsement…Morris said voters turned the state to red…”even as the Party is broke and disorganized”…Senate candidate John Raese is pushing Adams…seems strange [a candidate would get mixed up in this one] as unity after the May 12th vote may not be the order of the day…all the while Joe Garcia seems to have scattered support among County Chairs…he led them for many years…Conrad Lucas appears to be getting stronger as he visits Lincoln Day Dinners and events across the State…and Dan Greer a former AG candidate entered the race late…expect the campaigning to heat up this week…it may get more coverage than the results from Tuesday’s primary election.

CLARIFICATION…several candidates around the State…for various offices in the May 8th primary…have posted on phillipsbillboard…asking for support or money…we welcome comments on a phillipsbillboard post or policy…but cannot turn the comment section into an advertising panel.

With the 2012 election likely to be won or lost in Eastern WV…the Young Republican organization there…is planning a Red Primary Party…the impression is that candidates from across WV will make this their base Tuesday night…rather than Charleston.

If you think this edition of Political Tidbits is a little Republican…it is…as the Democrat primary has been quiet…EXCEPT FOR Manchin and Tomblin…being undecided about their vote for President in November…then again the two Democrat races which will be watched closely on Tuesday night is to replace Gus Douglass as Commissioner of Ag and the Supreme Court contest…where real money has been spent.

Stay tuned.

PS …Joe Messineo running to replace Douglass emailed to say he was left out of Ag Department post  ‘Insides vs. Outsiders” phillipsbillboard post…well he has been both.

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Unusual

May 2nd, 2012

The political environment is most unusual in WV.  The presidential race got attention when Senator Manchin expressed his uncertainty about his vote in that contest.  Now this morning the Charleston Daily Mail has a story about Governor Tomblin.  To keep my non-Kanawha Valley readers informed of all the political developments just visit the Charleston Daily Mail here.

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WV Voters Pick

May 1st, 2012

The West Virginia Poll conducted for the Charleston Daily Mail was released this morning.  Voters picked Romney, Manchin and Tomblin if the election were held today. 

There are some surprising numbers in the results.  For those campaigners needing encouragement remember the old saying “A day is a year in politics”.  The same goes for those encouraged by today’s picture.

The poll also looks at the six-way Supreme Court race for the Democratic nomination.

To see the results, numbers and analysis click on Charleston Daily Mail.

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Insiders vs. Outsiders

April 30th, 2012

What a mess it has become to replace Gus Douglass as Commissioner of Agriculture.  Maybe that is why Doulgass stayed all those years. 

The Charleston Daily Mail has reported two Ag department officials Steve Miller and Bob Tabb should have left the state payroll when they became a candidate.  They are likely in violation of the federal Hatch Act.  That act does not allow running for partisan office if employment includes a connection with programs financed by federal money.  No one even checked.

This is on top of the fact when Miller and Tabb decided to run for Ag Commissioner last week The Charleston Daily Mail had a story that the department’s lawyer agreed to change the department’s employee handbook so they could be on the payroll and still run for political office.  Does this whole thing sound like an inside job?

An insider at the Capitol for over twenty years Sen. Walt Helmick decided to run for the Doulgass position.  Helmick has never been known as a farmer but as a legislator with a background in economic development.  A Kanawha County based court set aside a 1911 law to make him a farmer.

Republican farmer Mike Teets an outsider who filed for Commissioner in January set aside his nearly assured victory and left the race.  He added to the messy replacement of Douglass when he later endorsed insider Helmick.

Maybe the outsiders are where the voters should turn to replace Douglass.  Sally Shepherd [Democrat] has somewhat of an agriculture background or Kent Leonhardt [Republican] a true farmer in Monongahela County.

A house cleaning at the WV Department of Agriculture after 50 years of the same leadership may be the order of the day.

Posted in 2012 Agriculture Commissioner Race, General | No Comments »

Joe and the Challenge of 2012

April 29th, 2012

Sen. Joe Manchin is defending his loyalty as a Democrat in an op ed appearing in the Sunday Gazette-Mail.  It all started when he told the National Journal he was uncertain who he would vote for as President in November.    

There is no doubt Sen. Manchin is a Democrat.  It appears as he discusses his votes in the United State Senate and taking on the President he is doing what many West Virginia Democrats started doing in 1996.  That was voting for what is best for West Virginia not just their party. 

I have always believed when Democrats voted for Governor Cecil Underwood that year they started putting the State ahead of party.  I thought it was confirmed when George W. Bush became the first non-incumbent Republican in 70 years to win WV.  It took a lot of registered Democrats to accomplish that feat and again in 2004 & 2008.

However, after the Manchin news broke a prominent lifelong Democrat contacted me saying “Joe’s distancing himself from his President reinforced his reputation as a DINO (Democrat In Name Only) and wimp.”  Further, the negative reaction was much stronger than he would have thought possible and it was coming from liberals, moderates and others.

That assessment was confirmed as Manchin felt compelled to host a call of Democrat County Chairs and State Committee members.  Reports are that Party Executive Director Derek Scarbro compared it to a big family airing their differences.

Despite the belief no one believes Obama is going to win West Virginia, Republicans take it at their own peril to believe so.  The fact the ever popular Manchin had to convene his party’s leaders in an attempt to calm them is a signal they are prepared to battle for Obama’s success and that of their other candidates in November.

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Who Has The Money?

April 28th, 2012

Political races are often determined by who has the money – but not always.

The most watched statewide primary campaign is who Democrats will nominate as their candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture.  At least is receiving more than normal attention in the Charleston newspapers.

So let’s take a look at the last pre-primary financial reports that were due in the Secretary of State’s office yesterday.  We will then provide the reports filed by the most likely winners of the gubernatorial campaigns.

Commissioner of Agriculture

Walt Helmick

Joe Messineo

Steve Miller

Sally Shepherd

Bob Tabb

Governor

Bill Maloney

Earl Ray Tomblin

If you want to see every pre-primary financial report filed across the state click here.

 

Posted in 2012 Agriculture Commissioner Race, 2012 WV Governor's Race, General | 1 Comment »

Have We Met?

April 25th, 2012

The bruising GOP presidential primary has come to an end.  The real Mitt Romney is reflected in his “A Better America Begins Tonight” speech last evening.  Below are a few excerpts from POLITICO.  The full text is included.

 –FROM ROMNEY’S SPEECH last night in Manchester, “A Better America Begins Tonight”: “Tonight is the start of a new campaign to unite every American who knows in their heart that we can do better! The last few years have been the best that Barack Obama can do, but it’s not the best America can do! … This has already been a long campaign, but many Americans are just now beginning to focus on the choice before the country. In the days ahead, I look forward to spending time with many of you personally. I want to hear what’s on your mind, hear about your concerns, and learn about your families. I want to know what you think we can do to make this country better…and what you expect from your next President.

“And I’ll tell you a little bit about myself. I’ll probably start out talking about my wonderful wife Ann – I usually do – and I’ll probably bore you with stories about our kids and grandkids. I’ll tell you about how much I love this country, where someone like my dad, who grew up poor and never graduated from college, could pursue his dreams and work his way up to running a great car company. Only in America could a man like my dad become governor of the state in which he once sold paint from the trunk of his car.

“I’d say that you might have heard that I was successful in business. And that rumor is true. But you might not have heard that I became successful by helping start a business that grew from 10 people to hundreds of people. You might not have heard that our business helped start other businesses, like Staples and Sports Authority and a new steel mill and a learning center called Bright Horizons. And I’d tell you that not every business made it and there were good days and bad days, but every day was a lesson. And after 25 years, I know how to lead us out of this stagnant Obama economy and into a job-creating recovery!

“Four years ago, Barack Obama dazzled us in front of Greek columns with sweeping promises of hope and change. But after we came down to earth, after the celebration and parades, what do we have to show for three and a half years of President Obama? Is it easier to make ends meet? Is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one? Have you saved what you needed for retirement? Are you making more in your job? Do you have a better chance to get a better job? Do you pay less at the pump? … There was a time – not so long ago – when each of us could walk a little taller and stand a little straighter … Those days are coming back. That’s our destiny.” Full text http://mi.tt/IDj3qp

(Editor’s Note:  In the interest of full disclosure I am involved with Gov. Romney’s WV efforts.)

 

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Morning Reading

April 24th, 2012

IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE

Ann Romney detailed her own health struggles and opens a window onto her life as a mom…there more to this than politics or a campaign speech.  Read the full story here.

A Smart Strategy for Romney

William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard offers a smart strategy making Mitt Romney President Romney. Read the strategy here. 

Republican Disenfranchisement Ends

Many Republicans felt disenfranchised by their party in 2008.  Delegates to the Republican National Convention were selected at a state convention.  Less than six-tenths of 1 percent of registered Republicans took part in the delegate selection process.  Not this time.

State Executive Committee members who govern the Republican Party listen to the complaints from 2008 and fixed the problem.  Their action will assure national convention delegates are selected by the voters during the May 8th primary as has been done historically.  Read more below.

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Republican Disenfranchisement Ends

April 24th, 2012

 Many Republicans felt disenfranchised by their party in 2008.  Delegates to the Republican National Convention were selected at a state convention.  Less than six-tenths of 1 percent of registered Republicans took part in the delegate selection process.  Not this time.

State Executive Committee members who govern the Republican Party listen to the complaints from 2008 and fixed the problem.  Their action will assure national convention delegates are selected by the voters during the May 8th primary as has been done historically.

There will be those who feel when they vote for the presidential candidate that takes care of their responsibility.  It does not.  When voting they will need to look down the long ballot for the candidates to the National Convention.  Voters will select 19 statewide at-large delegates and three more delegates in their congressional district.

Taking time to vote for the National Convention delegates will send a message to never return to a state convention for this process.

State Party committee members were responsive to the call of registered GOP voters.  Now it is up to registered Republicans and like minded Independents to participate.

Posted in 2012 WV Election, Bill's Blog | 3 Comments »

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