By CHARLES OWENS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
May 06, 2008 02:54 pm
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It’s down to the final week of campaigning for candidates vying for a multitude of local, state and national contests in the Tuesday, May 13, primary.
Last night, we decided town council candidates across Southwest Virginia, including contested races in the towns of Bluefield, Pocahontas, Tazewell, Richlands and Cedar Bluff in Tazewell County. Council and mayoral contests in Giles and Buchanan counties also were decided by voters last night.
With the Virginia contest now over, all eyes are turning to the May 13 primary in West Virginia. I guess you could call it Round 12, or Round 13, or maybe even Round 14 or 15 between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
It’s unfortunate that neither Clinton or Obama — or John McCain for that matter — bothered to make a campaign stop in Bluefield. They’ve been all over Charleston and Beckley, but seem to have forgotten about Bluefield and Princeton. Maybe, we need to remind the presidential candidates that West Virginia doesn’t stop in Beckley, which is what Managing Editor Samantha Perry told representatives of one presidential candidate last week when they called to alert her about a campaign event in another part of the state.
While all eyes — and admittedly a lot of interest — is focused on the never-ending battle between Clinton and Obama, voters will be deciding a number of other key local and state races on Tuesday, and they will have a wealth of qualified candidates on the ballot to choose from.
From the Supreme Court of Appeals to the Senate District 10 contest, the editorial board of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph has been busy over the last weeks meeting and interviewing candidates. I’m proud to report that the voters of southern West Virginia will have a number of outstanding candidates to choose from next Tuesday.
While the still unresolved fight for the Democratic nomination is the contest that will bring most voters out, other key races across the region also will be determined by voters.
A few of those local contests include the Senate District 10 race where two candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination — James W. “Jim” McNeely of Peterstown and Anita Skeens Caldwell of Princeton. The incumbent and Senate Minority Leader Donald T. Caruth, R-Mercer, is unopposed in his bid for the Republican nomination. The race covers a pretty wide area, as District 10 includes all or portions of Mercer, Fayette, Monroe, Greenbrier and Summers counties.
Seven candidates are vying in the May 13 primary for their party’s nomination for the 24th District House of Delegates seat in Mercer County. The candidates include Democrats Edwin Ray Vanover, Mike Vinciguerra Jr. and Harold Wolfe III, and Republicans Blaine Braithewaite, Steve Mancini, John H. Shott and Doug Quesinberry. Eustace Frederick, the incumbent District 24 Delegate, isn’t seeking re-election.
Another five candidates are vying for their party’s nomination in the 25th District House of Delegates race. The candidates include incumbent Delegate Marshall Long, D-Mercer, and Democrats Lyle Cottle and John R. Frazier. Incumbent Delegate Mike Porter, R-Mercer, and Republican Joe Ellington are vying for the Republican nomination.
Two Democrats are battling in a rematch in McDowell County for the 23rd Delegate District contest that pits incumbent Delegate Clif Moore, D-McDowell, against former Delegate Emily Yeager. There is no Republican challenger in the 23rd Delegate District race in McDowell County.
We also had all five candidates vying for two seats on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals at the Daily Telegraph last week. The high court contest is a race that is certainly generating a lot of interest, and controversy.
However, there was no sign of animosity among the candidates — Margaret Workman, Robert Bastress, Beth Walker, Menis Ketchum and incumbent Justice Elliott “Spike” Maynard — during their stop at the Daily Telegraph. All five were quite amicable and friendly toward each other during the lengthy editorial board session. They also were more than forthcoming when asked tough questions, including queries over a lawsuit filed by the Associated Press seeking to obtain e-mails, visitor logs and other records of Maynard.
Beyond the House and Senate contest, voters will determine local races across Mercer and McDowell counties next week as well, including contested county commission, school board, magistrate, prosecuting attorney and sheriff races.
There is no shortage of candidates, or important races, on next Tuesday’s ballot. Hopefully we will see a great turnout of voters for the primary contest. I suspect we will.
If nothing else, folks will be eager to cast a vote in that prolonged battle between Obama and Clinton.
Charles Owens is the Daily Telegraph’s city editor. Contact him at cowens@bdtonline.com
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