By WILSON BUTT
Secretary of State Natalie Tennant’s office reported receiving papers for candidates for state offices on Saturday, Jan. 30. On the preceding day, Friday, Jan. 29, a total of 44 candidates filed for state offices including Delegate John R. Frazier of Princeton representing the 25th District in the House. Delegate Thomas “Mike” Porter has also filed for the Republican nomination to hold his seat representing the 25th District. District 25 has two representatives. Joe Ellington of Princeton has filed his candidacy for the Republican nomination for a seat in the House of Delegates to represent the 25th District, giving Porter some opposition. Delegate John Shott of Bluefield filed to retain his seat representing District 24. At this time Shott is unopposed on both party tickets.
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The Third District Congressional race is looking more like the Kentucky Derby every day. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Congressman Nick Joe Rahall of Beckley filed for the party’s nomination to retain his seat in Congress. Rahall will be facing Democrat challenger Bruce Barilla of Bluefield in the primary.
The Republican slate for the party’s nomination is getting very interesting. Marty Gearheart of Bluefield, a faithful competitor in the 3rd District races, will have not only Lee Bias of Barboursville and Conrad G. Lucas, II of Huntington joining him on the ballot, but he will also have former West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Elliot E. “Spike” Maynard to chase for the nomination on the Republican ticket. Yes that is right, Maynard is running on the Republican ticket.
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The announcement that former justice Maynard made last Monday caught more than a few people off guard. Maynard is now a candidate for the U.S. House seat held by Rep. Nick Rahall and he is seeking the Republican nomination in the 3rd District. There is no doubt that Maynard’s loyalty lies with coal. His position on the State Supreme Court was undermined by his loyalty to coal. However Maynard has promised that he will stand up for coal, coal miners and the thousands of workers who depend on the industry to feed their families and, perhaps, he should add coal companies. Let’s face the facts: if you are going to get elected to represent West Virginia’s Third Congressional District, you better be for coal.
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The Mercer County Sheriff’s race has a full slate of candidates. Sheriff Don Meadows of Princeton has filed to retain that tough job. He will face three challengers in the primary for the Democrat nomination — Kevin Weiss of Kellysville, former Bluefield Chief of Police Charles “Butch” Blizzard, Bramwell Chief of Police Edwin M. Vanover and surprise last-minute candidate, former Mercer County Sheriff and former Magistrate Harold Buckner. Anthony “Tony” White of Princeton filed to run for the Republican party nomination for sheriff. It is beginning to look more like another gunfight at the OK Corral than an election.
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More on the recap: The bench races in Mercer County include Judge Anthony Bisaha of Athens filing to retain his position as Family Court Judge. At this time he remains unopposed on both party tickets. Judge Omar Aboulhosn of Princeton will face a challenge by Mercer County Prosecutor Timm Boggess of Princeton for the Democrat nomination to the Circuit Court. This will be a hot race. Both of these candidates are well-liked and well-respected.
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In the wrap up for the Mercer County Commission race, Mike Vinciguerra of Bluefield will remain unopposed on the Democrat ticket and Gene Buckner of Bluewell will remain unopposed on the Republican ticket. Eight candidates have filed to run for non-partisan seats on the Mercer County Board of Education. Incumbents Gilbert “Gene” Bailey, Gregory Prudich and Edward “Ted” Gillespie will be joined on the ballot by Pamela McPeak, Lyle Cottle, Robert Shanklin, James Bradford Hunt and Randolph Billings.
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There are 22 candidates who have filed for seats on the Mercer County Democrat and Republican Executive committees. Doris Morefield and Richard Flanigan of Princeton have filed to run for the State Democrat Executive Committee.
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The formation of the Congressional Coal Caucus is a move in the right direction for the coalfields of southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia. Representatives Shelley Moore Capito, Nick Joe Rahall and Allan B. Mollohan are joined by Virginia’s Rick Boucher and others. We must accept the fact that coal is America’s most abundant and affordable energy resource and that coal provides nearly 50 percent of America’s energy supply and generates more than 130,000 coal-mining jobs. “America needs an all-of-the-above energy plan that increases domestic supplies, lowers costs and makes us less dependent on foreign sources of energy,” said Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont. “While many in Washington may think that energy comes from the wall outlet, Montanans have been in the energy production business long enough to understand the vital role coal plays in our country and our economy.” While Boucher may have joined the coal caucus, his vote to support cap and trade has not been forgotten.
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There you have it, a few comments on items of interest to the area. Blues skies at last, at least for last Sunday and Monday. The weather forecast doesn’t sound too encouraging unless you happen to like to snow ski, but I still hope you have a blue sky day.
Wilson Butt, a resident of Bluefield, is a retired Department of Highways official.
