GOP Sheriff May Challenge Longtime Congressman In WV

Herald Dispatch.com ^ | August 5, 2005 | Curtis Johnson

[Clintonfatigued]

Cabell County Sheriff Kim Wolfe announced that he is thinking about challenging Congressman Nick Rahall III for reelection.

[Clintonfatigued]

This is an interesting developement. Looks like West Virginia is experiencing growth in GOP strength.

[ken5050]

can find the 2004 vote count?

[AuH2ORepublican]

In 2004, Bush carried the WV-03 by 53.21% to 46.06%; in 2000, Gore carried it 51%-47%. This is the least Republican district in the state, and Congressman Rahall is well suited for the constituency (very liberal on economics, but pro-life and pro-gun). I think Sheriff Wolfe would really need to hit Rahall hard on the War on Terror (Rahall is an Arab-American and has tended to oppose ethnic profiling and other tools in the WOT) if he's to have a chance at an upset.

But even if Wolfe doesn't win, it's good that the WV GOP gets some good candidates to run against Dem incumbents.

[California Patriot]

A race against Rahall sounds like a non-starter this year. But candidacies like this are necessary in order to build the GOP in West Virginia. It is a good growth opportunity for us, and with patience and hard work, there will be some results in the next few cycles.

And of course, if Byrd retires, we have a good chance in the Senate race.

[JohnnyZ]

You never know, Byrd may be forced to retire and then dominoes would start to fall. We have to be ready for that possibility.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"You never know, Byrd may be forced to retire and then dominoes would start to fall. We have to be ready for that possibility."

---

Although I don't think that Rahall, who's been in the House since the 1970s, would run for the Senate even if Byrd retired and the RATs begged him to run, I agree with you that we should be ready in case all of a sudden guys like Rahall become vulnerable. I was recently looking at the 1992 election percentages for House Democrats in districts that had recently voted GOP for president, and a whole slew of Democrats who had been elected or reelected with 58%-65% ended up losing in the GOP tsunami (I hope it isn't too close to the 2004 tragedy to use that word?) of 1994. And there were several additional Democrats who faced severely underfunded (and in many cases nominal) opposition in 1994 yet only won with 52%-54% who would have been toast had the GOP run a top-tier, well funded candidate (some of those RATs who escaped in 1994 are still around to haunt us, while others were able to hand over their seat to another Democrat). I don't think the GOP should let any House Democrat off the hook if his district was either carried by President Bush or if President Bush was very competitive in such district.

[ken5050]

The more I see and hear Byrd of late, the more convinced I am he's gonna retire..his health is worsening, daily..and if he runs, it will NOT be a walkover campaign...he'll have to work for it..and he's not up to it physically, and the comparison of his failing health to a younger candidate could tip the scales..No..Byrd comes back this fall...announces his retirement, and does the grand tour...lapping up honors and accolades..he's smart, he has a sense of timing..includign when to leave the stage..and he'll make the announcement at his own time..

[Clintonfatigued]

Very true. And it's possible that Rahall may have some financial peccidello come up. He nearly lost in 1990 due to that. That's yesterday's news, but who knows what he's been up to since then?

[Clintonfatigued]

ping

[Sonny M]

You never know, Byrd may be forced to retire and then dominoes would start to fall. We have to be ready for that possibility.

I doubt it, that SOB would rather drop dead with the longest senate record (current holder Strom Thurmond) then quit.

Hell, I think the only reason he hasn't passed away yet is his ego is keeping him alive.

[mombrown1]

In 2000 WV was a red state. Bush took it by 2 pts. if I recall. A great surprise to the democrats.