Posted on 12/29/2013 6:54:53 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Democrats in West Virginia have pretty much taken their two Senate seats for granted for a long time now. (And with good reason, since the last time the GOP held those spots, Ike was still president.) They’ve also had a fair bit of success in hanging on to at least some of their three congressional seats in the modern era. This stands in contrast to a seemingly constant ideological shift to the right among voters, demonstrated by the fact that no Democrat presidential candidate has carried the state since Bill Clinton. This shift may be setting the stage for some very interesting events in the 2014 cycle, with the retirement of Senator Jay Rockefeller and two spirited House races shifting into high gear. Specifically in WV-02, Roll Call recently rated that contest on their list of the most fascinating races to watch.
For some reason, they seem to think this is good news for Democrats, but the district still leans Red and the Dems have hooked their wagon to Nick Casey. Casey looks like a terrible choice, given the current frame of mind of West Virginia’s voters. He’s a former lobbyist for progressive groups such as FarinessWV.org and is well known to voters from his time as the incendiary chairman of the state Democratic Party. His long standing support for the President, Obamacare, gun control and a raft of other liberal touchstones doesn’t seem as if it will play well with the more socially conservative base in his district. Further, he’s sharing a media market with the 3rd district and may have a negative impact on their Democratic candidate, Nick Rahall.
In terms of filling the Senate seat, even the Paper of Record is seeing some hard times coming for the Democrats this time around
An accelerating rightward tilt here was reflected recently in an awkward two-step by the Democratic nominee for an open seat, Natalie Tennant, as she distanced herself from the White House after a fund-raising trip to New York.
In a Sheraton ballroom, Ms. Tennant, West Virginia’s secretary of state, listened to Michelle Obama urge donors to write “a big old fat check” to her and other women running for the Senate.
But back home, where President Obama is deeply unpopular, Ms. Tennant’s campaign quickly sought to wriggle out of the embrace of the White House, insisting to the local news media that “what the first lady said is not an endorsement.”
Running away from an endorsement by the First Lady is one thing, but this little slip of the lip about her husband was a doozy.
In an interview, Ms. Tennant even seemed to downgrade the president’s title. “I don’t answer to Senator Obama,” she said. “I answer to the people of West Virginia.” (A spokeswoman later said that was an unintentional slip of the tongue.)
Charleston Democrat leaders are already tossing out statements saying that the GOP can’t “run against Obama” in these races, and if voters want to vote against the President they should, “wait until he runs for school board in Illinois.” It’s obvious at this point that the entire Democrat Party in West Virginia is in full speed retreat away from Barack Obama and all things related to him, but it’s going to be hard for their candidates to erase their combined records of previous support.
West Virginia would be an excellent pick-up opportunity in the GOP’s efforts to take the Senate majority next fall, and solidifying their hold on their House seats would just be icing on the cake. Only a year or so ago I’d have not even listed this race on the radar, but it’s looking extremely competitive now.
DeathCare and Benghazi, then there’s the IRS, NSA, Fast and Furious!
The rats forgot that the people there like their God, and guns.
Mike Huckaby, Karl Rove, Paul Ryan...these are all people I supported at one time. It just shows to go ya how wrong you can be. The ability to admit to being wrong is a trait that I really admire.
Robert Byrd won here for so long because he regularly brought home the pork and thumbed his nose at the national DNC.
Politics is a fickle thing. In this case the Democrats pushed so far to the left it outweighed what they had once meant to coal mining. This is an example of how God lets a group of persistently foolish people (those Democrats, in this place) come to a crashing end. Not that Republicans are so astoundingly holy but they are not quite as badly compromised. (After all they did not boo God.) They would do very well to embrace a fuller holiness again once they get this reprieve.
I had the opportunity to go to Morgantown this year for the West Virginia/Texas game. Showed up in my burnt orange with 6 other guys. I have never been treated so well in my life. We went to the tailgating area for about 5 hours before the game and we literally couldn’t go a dozen paces without people welcoming us and offering us something to eat or drink. It’s probably the closest that I’ll ever be to being a celebrity. People wanted to have their pictures taken with the Texans. The biggest shock to me was the proliferation of moonshine their. It seemed that everyone had it. I came to the conclusion that West Virginians are happy drunks.
The false “conservatives” rule us through deceit and have for a long time. There are scores of them and it will take a long time to sort through all of them.
It has to start at the grass roots, for too long things have been run top down which is why “they” have all the power and we don’t.
Had some last night. Good stuff!
Funny how the Republican establishment are ashamed of people who believe in God but the Democrats have no problem accepting abortionists, homosexuals, lesbians, transexuals and cross dressers. What is wrong with this picture?
I don't think anyone will ever be held accountable for any of this, unfortunately.
Not ashamed enough YET to boo God. That’s something good to be said, and counting this blessing puts us in a position to receive more blessings. Because God is funny like that. He wants the glory.
God will.
All ANY GOP opponent has to ask (and I never hear them do it!) any democrat who runs as a blue dog is: AND just WHO will you vote for for SPEAKER/MAJORITY LEADER?...Because I don’t care how conservative you say you are...when you vote for Nancy/Harry...you are voting for the liberal agenda. PERIOD. You’re conservative ideas will NOT be considered. You’re PRO-COAL? Not when you vote for Nancy you aren’t!”
Lol. Pathetic.
Yes He will, vengeance is mine, saith The Lord, but that is the lake of fire, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even the evil, scum sucking rats, even though, they would gladly wish it on all of us. Those dirty rat bast---s.
I never understood how a Rockefeller could get elected by WV coal miners. I know they were strong union but how could they trust a millionaire from New York.
There are many intermediate stages. Those who can only think of the final judgment have been distracted badly (by Satan, in fact) from God’s refining work right on earth.
Joe Manchin votes like Berni Sanders.
RE: I never understood how a Rockefeller could get elected by WV coal miners. I know they were strong union but how could they trust a millionaire from New York.
Anyone can call himself a “conservative”, but the moment his favorite pet project or cause receives government funding and someone like Rockefeller or Byrd proves to be able to bring him/her the bacon ( and he becomes hook to it), suddenly, his “conservatism” goes out the window.
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