By LAWRENCE MESSINA
Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON (AP) —
A handful of contests account for much of the more than $1.3 million amassed by state Senate candidates in advance of the West Virginia primary, campaign finance reports show.
These few races have also attracted nearly all of the $179,000 spent by third parties on independent ads for or against candidates and reported to the secretary of state so far this election season. Ninety percent of that money has come from labor unions.
One of the two seats in each of the Senate’s 17 districts are up this year. A half-dozen incumbents appear to face serious challengers, as do hopefuls for at least one of three open seats. But more than a dozen other candidates face no primary opponents. Five are assured seats if they prevail Tuesday because no one is running for another party.
The most expensive contest has been the Democratic primary rematch between Senate Majority Leader Truman Chafin and Mingo County Commissioner Greg “Hootie” Smith. In a district that also includes McDowell County and parts of Mercer, Wayne and Wyoming counties, Smith came within 128 votes of toppling Chafin in 2006.
Chafin, who is seeking an 8th term, had loaned his campaign $197,000 as of April 25. He raised another $60,545, nearly three times as much as Smith. But Smith had also self-financed, to the tune of $140,000, and had spent $170,428 to Chafin’s $193,267.
Sen. Erik Wells of Kanawha County faces two Democratic opponents in his primary, lawyer Richard Lindsay and former longtime South Charleston Mayor Richie Robb. While the three have raised comparable amounts, their race has been overshadowed by a union-led effort to unseat the freshman senator.
Wells has been at odds with teachers’ groups over charter schools and other issues. Labor groups had spent $117,617 as of Friday to attack Wells or promote Robb, their endorsed challenger in the race.
The state Chamber of Commerce has devoted around $8,600 to support Wells. Much of that money has gone to Greg Thomas, the Republican political operative perhaps best known as a consultant to Massey Energy Co. and its chief executive, Don Blankenship.
Thomas has also been hired by the chamber and the state Medical Association for their efforts in aid of Sen. Ron Stollings. The Boone County Democrat and physician is fending off a challenge by Delegate Jeff Eldridge, D-Lincoln, in the 7th District. Stollings had raised $100,770 and spent nearly that much, while Eldridge had collected $22,795 and dished out $18,165. Unions have spent $14,089 to support him.
The chamber has enlisted Thomas as well in support of Sen. Evan Jenkins, challenged in the Democratic primary by former Cabell County Circuit Judge John Cummings and Scott “Cody” Regan. The latter has borrowed $16,182, while Cummings had attracted $45,150 to Jenkins’ $68,209. Cummings had outspent Jenkins, $38,394 to $27,308, as of April 25. Regan had exhausted all but $20 of his funds by then.
Another common denominator in the contested primary races has been Rainmaker Media. Headed by Democratic operative Larry LaCorte, Rainmaker’s clients include Chafin, the unions opposing Wells and former Nicholas County prosecutor Greg Tucker. A Democrat, Tucker is again challenging Sen. Randy White, D-Webster, in the 11th District and has outspent the incumbent.
Tucker had loaned his campaign $10,200 of its $26,615 total. About $6,800 of the union-funded independent ads, meanwhile, have benefited White. He edged out Tucker by 2,000 votes in 2006 in a three-way primary.
Labor groups have ponied up nearly $18,000 to help Delegate Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, who is seeking the 1st District seat being vacated by Sen. Ed Bowman, D-Hancock. Klempa’s campaign has raised $58,842 and spent $78,438. He faces Hancock County Commissioner Dan Greathouse, who has attracted $12,725 and expended $34,562. Each candidate has also loaned his effort at least $25,500.
