BACK WITH POLITICS & POLICY…everyone needed a break after the special primary…but things never stopped for the gubernatorial candidates…Acting Governor Tomblin continued official duties & signs…while Bill Maloney staffed up…and started hitting the parades…Tomblin has a General Election Kickoff Celebration June 14th…Maloney’s staff is putting plans in place.
2012 Republican presidential politics is underway in WV…Chairman Stuart named a Presidential Selection Steering Committee…they are charged to decide if the 2008 convention should be repeated or return to electing delegates to the national convention in a May 2012 primary…as was done for years.
GOP County Chairs convened Saturday in Glenville…where Ohio County chair Elgine McArdle…a member of the Steering Committee give an initial overview of the work underway…despite her well done report…there were more questions than answers.
SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS could have a greater impact on the future of WV government than even the forthcoming election of a new governor…Veteran Putnam County Commissioner….Jim Caruthers went over the details with County Republican Chairs…the Charleston Daily Mail had an Op Ed piece by House Minority Leader Tim Armstead…this is a must read…already an issue in the governor’s race…more on Single Member Districts later.
Republicans who are serious about taking out Obama…should read a piece from Friday’s WSJ’s Opinion page.
Back to County Chairs gathering…the new leadership of Paul Hartling produced the attendance of nearly all the county leaders…he had a strong agenda…with a lot of focus on planning the October governor’s race…Maloney rallied the troops after arriving from a parade in Union…Ralph Clark who ran against Maloney in May was there to show his support…Mark Sorsaia sent his regrets.
Speaking of troops…Maloney’s team now as two new members…Roman Stauffer…who left the State Chamber & Mik Carpenter…rested from managing Spike Maynard’s 2010 campaign for Congress…they join Matt Dabrowski [campaign chief] and Eric Hollander who helped send Marco Rubio to the U. S. Senate.
All the talk in Charleston…is the Tomblin Administration should send Culture & History Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith on his way….after reading Phil Kabler Monday not a bad idea…he reported 75 employees working for Randall Reid-Smith have either quit, retired, transferred or been fired since Reid-Smith became commissioner in 2006.
Political rumors…Mark Sorsaia who ran for governor in May is thinking about getting in the Attorney General’s race next year…so is State GOP Chair Mike Stuart…Mike Teets who nearly defeated 50 year Commissioner of Ag Gus Douglas will likely run again.
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