WV Gubernatorial history yesterday…and in the making…now Governor Earl Ray Tomblin…in his inaugural address…stayed with his campaign message…the 2012 primary election filing only 57 days away…potential opponents were in the audience…but no signs of a campaign.
At least one sign…was seen at a recent WVU basketball game for ACTING Senate President Jeff Kessler…not a homemade one…but printed…Kessler for Governor 2012…but WV State Senators…may end or start that gubernatorial campaign…when they vote this week for a new Senate President to replace Tomblin.
As inaugural visitors walked the “hallway of gubernatorial portraits”…they were greeted outside SOS Natalie Tennant office…by a computer screen with Tennant on a loop…plus an exhibit [of some type]…WHY…guess exposure to lots of POLITICOS…attending the historic inauguration.
Tomblin may be from the South…but the traffic was heavy on I-79 going North…after the ceremony…the same could be said for Tomblin being a Democrat…Congresswoman Capito & husband Charlie were the VIP Republicans on hand…along with many who served in the Underwood administration.
Being received warmly was former Governor Bob Wise…and Sen. Joe Manchin introduced Governor Tomblin…with what sounded like a legacy speech…Manchin’s applause was only exceeded…by Tomblin’s commitment to fighting EPA and standing strong for coal.
Dignitaries were introduced…and members of the House of Delegates arrived…with redistricting still unsettled…hundreds attended…including foes & friends…seated on platform benches [behind Tomblin]…politicos and the state’s citizens in January 2013…may want to change the state’s constitution…after the attending the warmest inauguration on record.
SPEAKING OF POLITICOS…here are a few political tidbits…from the morning political news…
Is Romney Inevitable? Asked who they believe will win the primary contest, regardless of who they want to win, 48 percent of Republicans named Romney in our new poll. Alex Burns story (POLITICO) out this morning on Romney grinding down conservative resistance: http://politi.co/tp7NNL.
Look what the Supercommittee is considering….Robert Pear writes page 1 NYT…“[T]he panel would decide on the amount of new revenue to be raised but would leave it to the tax-writing committees of Congress to fill in details next year, well beyond the Nov. 23 deadline for the panel itself to reach an agreement…http://nyti.ms/sYyV2I
A Pizza Party with Herman Cain…interviewed by General Quarterly…read it here “http://gqm.ag/rsONqD
PERRY: “Perry drops ‘values’ mail in S.C.,” by Maggie Haberman: “Perry, whose advisers eschewed direct mail in his gubernatorial campaign last cycle, is dropping a hefty amount of it into South Carolina. … [T]here’s … separate section dealing with his ‘detailed plan to secure the border,’ an unnamed nod to the questions that have arisen about Perry and immigration since the Orlando debate in late September.” http://bit. ly/sYlwN9
Gingrich robocalls in Florida: The Washington Post Morning Fix says…A GOP source in Florida passes along this robocall from Team Gingrich. In the call, Gingrich plays up the momentum created by his debate performances. “The debates have gone exceedingly well, and I can tell you more than a few conservatives can’t wait to see me and President Obama in a one-on-one debate,” Gingrich says in the call. “Poll numbers are moving steadily upwards, and voters in the early states are starting the take notice.” Gingrich doesn’t have much of a campaign operation these days, but the robocalls suggest the beginning of a media campaign to capitalize on his momentum.
