This past week was quite a political earthquake for much of our nation. We made history with our choice for president, California is now in the midst of painful soul searching, and many assumptions have been challenged about the political make up of many states. Some of these states are obvious, like Virginia and Colorado, both states that voted for a democrat for the first time in decades. I live in a less well known state that faces similar questions, West Virginia. For the first time since 1908, West Virginia went for the losing candidate, a Republican. From the national stage, no one made anything of this, but West Virginia is a state that is Democrat to the bone. Add to this the fact that Sen. Byrd, D-WV, is stepping down from his powerful Appropriations Chairmenship and you can see how crazy West Virginia will be politically in the coming years.
There are so many crazy things that might happen. Sen. Byrd is an institution in West Virginia and his stepping down from his powerful position in the Senate seems to point to an end of that institution. Sen. Byrd's retirement is coming soon.
This suddenly opens a Senate seat that hasn't been open since Eisenhower was still in office. This isn't necessarily enough to guarauntee fireworks, but West Virginia has two politicians and their families that are frighteningly ambitious: Tim Manchin and Alan B. Mollohan. One is the just-reelected governor who won by an incredible forty percent (Tim Manchin), while the other is the state's senior congressmen who was just reelected because state Republicans didnt even bother to field a challenger.
What more, both men come from my hometown of Fairmont. Oh, and last but not least, they HATE each other. Their families have been tussling for generations. The Senate race that is coming four years from now is bound to be a doozy. Everyone in America should watch this one.
Something tells me that the seat will be open before four years is up.
I live in one part of WV and go to school in another, and was honestly surprised at how the presidential race turned out. Many people I've talked were strong Obama supporters, although I guess a lot of them were bitter that Clinton didn't win the primaries.
I do think that West Virginia will remain democrat for some time to come, becuase of the unions and we are becoming slightly more liberal. Its certainly a gradual shift, however, and I think I notice it mainly because all my time is spent in college towns.
Like what you've read? Well, then here's more:
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tricia0711