Charleston loses sight of winning candidates

By Gary Howell

  Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil once said, “All politics are local.”  That is something that the Republican Party of West Virginia has gotten away from.  The party and its financiers tend to see the state through Charleston Goggles, and as a result that costs the Republican Party many House and Senate seats. Just as Virginia learned there is a Santa Claus, West Virginia needs to learn there is a state outside of Charleston.

In the election of 2008 outside my own race I saw many things that you do not see while wearing Charleston glasses.  Take the 40th Delegate District, I have been repeatedly told by people out of Charleston that Mary Poling (D) walks on water.  The only water I ever saw her walk on was frozen and is very thin; the 40th Delegate District while heavily Democrat is also very rural and very conservative, and Delegate Poling openly supports abortion and higher taxes publicly.  In debates with her opponent she was visually rattled when challenged on the issues, and a follow up would have most like resulted in an emotional outburst that could have been devastating to her campaign.

The problem was no follow up was made when she began to become unhinged and many opportunities of candidate differential were passed up.  This is where the state party could help candidates and potential candidates.   Through County Committees, other Delegates and Senators, a list of ‘mistakes and missteps’ by those Democrats should be compiled.  Use voting records, newspaper and television broadcasts to compile data that can be used by whatever candidate runs against that person. Keep in mind that while these voting records are common knowledge to those in Charleston, very little of this information ever gets to the average West Virginian.  It should also be recommended that each candidate receive some kind of one on one training to exploit this information when in open debate with their opponent.  While every candidate may not be able to think fast on their feet, they can be trained to follow up on vulnerable points that are documented on their opponent. 

The Charleston Goggles must come off when both the party and the party financiers are looking at funding candidates, because they are creating self fulfilling prophecies, and in the end costing Republican, pro-business, pro-conservative seats in the state. Take the Secretary of State race; Charleston believed openly that Charles Minimah had no chance against Natalie Tenant, but look at Mineral County, where Charleston Goggles were not worn. Tenant and Minimah both only made one visit to Mineral County, the county executive committees both sent out a mailer for all their candidates.  They were equal in exposure in Mineral County except for one small thing: Minimah advertised a little more and the local perception was Minimah was the stronger candidate.  Minimah won Mineral County.

The Goggles said the 14th and 16th Senate Districts had no chance of being won by Republicans; yet they were lost by only 414 and 200 votes.  In the case of my race in the 14th, I was outspent 5 to 1 by my opponent.  My opponent, Bob Williams, was well known in Charleston and I was not, but the Goggles forgot that Charleston people don’t vote in the 14th.  Williams was unable to raise money from within the 14th district from those who knew him, and with both of us being from Keyser, Williams was only able to pull 30% of the vote out of Mineral County, where he was known the best.  In the end, it came down to the ability to advertise to those within the 14th who vote, but don’t follow politics.

The Republican Party in West Virginia has the ability to win many more of its elections, but it is going to have to operate on the assumption that it can win any race and not try to pick and choose.  Weak candidates like Bob Williams can be defeated without outspending them, and while it might require outspending a stronger candidate like Mary Poling, the point is they are all winnable races by Republicans. Yes, mistakes will be made and candidates will be supported who have no chance to win (and will not), but if we don’t support our candidates, we guarantee losses on those seats.  It is time to take off the Charleston Goggles and remember all politics are local.

Gary Howell was the Republican candidate for State Senate in the 14th District in 2008.