Published: May 15, 2008 09:37 pm            

Primary winners set sights on Nov.

BLUEFIELD — With a hard-fought primary contest behind them, several area candidates are now looking forward to their November match-ups.

In the 24th District House of Delegates race, Democrat Mike Vinciguerra Jr. and Republican John H. Shott will square off in the general election this fall.

“The first thing I would like to say is there were a lot of people who worked hard to help me, and I definitely appreciate that,” Shott, who defeated three other candidates to win the Republican nomination for the 24th Delegate District, said. “I think it was reflected in the victory. I’m anxious to start our campaign for the fall. I think the issue in most of the campaigns is economic development for this area, and what the best method is to stimulate economic development, whether it be individual projects, or longer term major structural changes in the direction of the government’s involvement in taxes and regulations and so forth.”

Shott said he is hoping to see more Republicans at the polls in November.

“We are hopeful of getting a larger turnout from the Republicans in the general election than we did in the primary,” Shott said. “I think the Democrats probably because of the presidential campaign did a lot better in getting their voters out.”

Vinciguerra, who defeated two opponents to win the Democratic nomination for the 24th Delegate District, said he too is looking forward to the November match-up.

“I want to thank the voters of the 24th district for their vote and support in the primary election,” Vinciguerra said. “I’m looking forward to the match-up with my opponent, who will be a formidable opponent in the November election.”

Vinciguerra said the campaign will explore several key issues in the fall.

“The issues that I can see is a lack of water and sewage for a lot of families in Mercer County, and getting a commercial air service carrier back at our airport, completion of the King Coal Highway and getting started on the equestrian park,” Vinciguerra said. “And we always know that education and health care are always big issues in the 24th district.”

In the 10th Senatorial District contest, Democrat James W. “Jim” McNeely will challenge Republican and current Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth in the general election.

McNeely defeated long-time Mercer County teacher and former senator Anita Skeens Caldwell to win the Democratic nomination.

“I think first of all, I went into it as an underdog,” McNeely said. “What people don’t appreciate is Anita was virtually an incumbent. First of all she ran a very strong race against Don Caruth in 2004. She came very close to defeating Don Caruth. Anita ran a very good race. She had very strong support in a lot of areas. I knew that and I commended her for that. She had strong support in 2004 and strong support in 2008. Anita and I have both publicly stated there won’t be any division in the Democratic party this go around, and I’m looking forward to that.”

McNeely said the upcoming legislative redistricting will be one of the key issues facing voters in Mercer County in the fall. McNeely said the majority party will have a stronger voice in the upcoming redistricting than the minority party.

“My argument is you need a strong majority party candidate representing Mercer County,” McNeely said. “I think it is important to note that at least in my memory Mercer County has never gone through a state redistricting with a minority party representation.”

Caruth, who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination for the Senate District 10 seat, wasn’t available Thursday for comment.

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

        

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