Spirit of Jefferson Your Voice Your vote

Your Voice, Your

Voten Candidate profiles n Where to vote n The Nov. 6 ballot n Key matchupsn More

2012

2 Your Voice, Your Vote October 24, 2012

About Delegate Lawrence Native and lifelong resident of Jefferson County, WV MBA Graduate of Shenandoah University and BS Graduate of

Shepherd University Business & non-profit management experience Volunteer and civic leader: Former substitute teacher, 4-H Leader &

Camp Counselor, Shepherd University Alumni Board Member, United Way of the Eastern Panhandle, & Jefferson County Fair Association

Youngest woman ever to serve in the West Virginia Legislature Serves on the state Education, Health & Human Resources, and as Vice

Chair of the Committee on Political Subdivisions Sponsored & co-sponsored 39 pieces of legislation that passed into

West Virginia state law Issues of Importance Education: Fight to prevent the loss of public employees from the

Eastern Panhandle due to inadequate salaries; provide more local autonomy

Infrastructure: Address our growing infrastructure challenges and work to improve safety on our crowded roads

Economic Development: Create a more business friendly environment to attract high paying jobs

Healthcare: Provide additional healthcare services & programming for Veterans & citizens

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Endorsed by: Jefferson County Education Association, West Virginia Education Association, West Virginia AFT, West Virginia Business & Industry Council, West Virginia Bankers Association, West Virginia Farm Bureau, West Virginia AFL-CIO, West Virginia

Lawyers (Association for Justice), West Virginia Healthcare, NRA, and Others… www.lawrence4delegate.com Paid for by Lawrence for Delegate, Cheryl S. Lawrence-Treasurer.

RE-ELECT DELEGATE LAWRENCE; VOTE NOVEMBER 6TH!

October 24, 2012 Your Voice, Your Vote 3

1 In the summer of 2007, Governor Joe Manchin signed a letter to strongly urge senate members to support the Employee Free Choice Act which makes it easier for unions to organize within a shorter time frame.

2 In January of 2008, Senator Barack Obama said “if somebody wants to build a coal power plant they can, it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.” In May 2008, Governor Joe Manchin voted for Barack Obama in the Democratic primary, despite the fact that West Virginia Democrats overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama by an unheard of 41 points. In August 2008, as a super delegate at the Democratic National Convention, Joe Manchin supported Barack Obama.

3 In June 2008, anti-coal Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said “coal makes us sick, it’s ruining our country, and it’s ruining our world.” In November 2010, Senator Joe Manchin voted for Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader and has received $20,000 from Harry Reid’s PAC.

4 In June 2009, Joe Manchin passed cap and trade (HB 103) in WV as Governor, which regulates electric utilities by decreasing coal consumption. The bill mandates that electric utilities obtain 25 percent of their electricity from alternative or renewable energy sources.

5 In February 2011, Senator Joe Manchin voted against the repeal of Obamacare, which contains 20 separate tax increases totaling over $500 billion and raises taxes on families making less than $120,000 a year.

Here is the list of increases: $123 Billion: Surtax on Investment Income, $86 Billion: Hike in Medicare Payroll Tax, $65 Billion: Individual Mandate Excise Tax and Employer Mandate Tax, $60.1 Billion: Tax on Health Insurers, $32 Billion: Excise Tax on Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans, $23.6 Billion: “Black liquor” tax hike, $22.2 Billion: Tax on Innovator Drug Companies, $20 Billion: Tax on Medical Device Manufacturers, $15.2 Billion: High Medical Bills Tax, $13.2 Billion: Flexible Spending Account Cap – aka “Special Needs Kids Tax”, $5 Billion: Medicine Cabinet Tax, $4.5 Billion: Elimination of tax deduction for employer-provided retirement Rx drug coverage in coordination with

Medicare Part D, $4.5 Billion: Codification of the “economic substance doctrine”, $2.7 Billion: Tax on Indoor Tanning Services, $1.4 Billion: HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike, $0.6 Billion: $500,000 Annual Executive Compensation Limit for Health Insurance Executives, $0.4 Billion: Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tax Hike.

$ Negligible: Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals, $ Negligible: Employer Reporting of Insurance on W-2.

6 In April 2011, Senator Manchin voted to continue tax payer funding for Planned Parenthood, the world’s largest birth control enterprise and the most vocal proponent of legal abortion which performs over 330,000 abortions per year. Joe Manchin portrays himself as pro-life, but has only voted pro-life 20% of the time.

7 Senator Joe Manchin has supported 3 for 3 of Obama failed stimulus proposals. As Governor, Joe Manchin accepted a $126 million stimulus grant to expand high-speed Internet across West Virginia. $24 million of these funds were used to buy overpowered Cisco routers from Verizon at $22,600 each. The handling of these funds is currently under investigation on the national level.

8 In July 2012, Joe Manchin voted against the extension of the Bush tax cuts which increased taxes on small businesses, S corporations, and families making more than $250,000. Nearly 600,000 West Virginians benefit from the Bush tax cuts. Thanks to Joe Manchin’s vote, West Virginia households stand to lose $1,187 in total disposable personal income. Starting next year, the maximum long-term capital gains rate will increase to 20%. Dividends will now be taxed as ordinary income rates so the maximum rate on dividends will balloon to a whopping 39.6 %. Death taxes will increase to 55% on estates over $1 million.

9 In August 2012, while speaking at a WV Coal Association meeting, Joe Manchin announced that he supports the Bowles-Simpson Plan, which is over a $3 trillion tax hike over the next decade. Joe also supported the Dodd-Frank Act, which burdened WV small banking institutions and businesses with over 400 new regulations.

10 As a Senator, Joe Manchin has missed a shocking number of votes (8) in just 2 years, and has voted with President Obama 87% of the time.

Joe Manchin’s Big 10


F E AT U R E SCounty Commission reduxJane Tabb seeks to oust Frances Morgan, who defeated her in ’06 ................ 6Selecting your lawmakersCandidates field questions on jobs, schools, more ................ 8, 12, 13,18Complications in sheriff’s raceDemocrat Bobby Shirley is running for re-election – and facing trial ............ 10President Obama’s W.Va. woesWill Jefferson County offer the Democrat his best showing on Nov. 6? ........ 14The choices aheadTake a look at all the candidates on the Election Day ballot .................. 16-17Picking an assessor, magistratesEach candidate details why he or she is the smarter choice ......................... 20Early voting underwayThanks to the early option, voters needn’t wait till Nov. 6 to cast a ballot ..... 21Manchin, Raese facing off againU.S. Sen. Joe Manchin and Republican John Raese have tousled before ... 22Congressional showdownHoward Swint questions Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito ................ 24A look at the precinctsNot sure where to vote? See our full list of Jefferson polling places ............. 26Ballenger, Shirley square offRepublican Earl Ballenger, Democrat Bobby Shirley tout their experience ... 28Changing landscapeAs recently as 1996, West Virginia was a Democrats’ dream ........................ 30

A D V E R T I S E R STiffany Lawrence ............................................................................ 2John Raese ..................................................................................... 3Jefferson County Republican Executive Committee ....................... 5John Maxey ..................................................................................... 9Stephen Skinner .............................................................................11Eastern Panhandle Builders Association .......................................11Jane Tabb .......................................................................................13 Elliot Simon ....................................................................................15Republicans ...................................................................................16Patrick Morrisey ............................................................................ 17Jim Ruland .................................................................................... 19Earl Ballenger ................................................................................ 21Gail Boober .................................................................................... 23Frances Morgan ............................................................................ 25Paul Espinosa ................................................................................ 25Bill Arnicar .................................................................................... 26Bobby Shirley ................................................................................ 26Angie Banks ..................................................................... ............. 27Mary Paul Rissler .......................................................................... 28Bill Senseney ................................................................................. 28Darrell McGraw ............................................................................. 29Joe Manchin ................................................................................. 31Herb Snyder ................................................................................... 32

EDITOR’S NOTE

Because electionsdo matter The Spirit of Jefferson dates back to 1844 – be-fore the state of West Vir-ginia even formed – and throughout

that time, the central business of this business has been to inform the citizens who live in and around Jefferson County. Because elections, particularly the years when Americans elect their presidents, are so important, the Spirit always has provided in-formation aimed at helping voters make the best decisions possible. This year, however, we wanted to take our pre-election coverage even farther. By producing “Your voice, your vote,” our first-ever election guide, we sought to put together a handy, comprehensive guide that will help voters as they prepare to make their voices heard in next month’s vote. We’ve included profiles of candi-dates that include a bit about their background as well as their an-swers to essential questions of the

day. You’ll find news stories that examine some of the key contests on next month’s ballot, including the top-ticket faceoff between Mitt Romney and President Obama; the rematch between Jefferson Coun-ty Commissioner Frances Morgan and Jane Tabb, the Republican she defeated six years ago; and the race between Sheriff Bobby Shirley – facing a federal trial early next year that could put him behind bars – and his GOP chal-lenger, Earl Ballenger. You’ll also find a bevy of prac-tical information as Election Day approaches, including a list of pre-cincts, the days and times that Ear-ly Voting is available and a look at the Nov. 6 ballot itself. It’s our hope that this election guide proves insightful and help-ful. As always, we welcome hear-ing from our readers, and that’s true whether you like what we do or you don’t. Drop me a line at our office at 210 N. George St. in Charles Town (our Zip is 25414) or email me at [email protected].

– Robert Snyder

Established 1844

“No government ought to be withoutcensors and where the press is free,

no one ever will.” — Thomas Jefferson

The Jefferson Publishing Co. Inc.

PUBLISHER Craig See

REPORTERSBryan ClarkChristine Miller Ford

ADVERTISINGMary [email protected]@spiritofjefferson.com

GRAPHICS STAFFRachel Painter-Fields, Kim Schell and Sharon Snyder

BUSINESS STAFFJennifer See, Cara [email protected]

ABOUT DELIVERY

EDITOR Robert [email protected]

www.spiritofjefferson.com



ROBERT SNYDERSpirit staff

CHARLES TOWN — Jefferson Coun-ty voters will decide a rematch next month when they vote on whether to return Re-publican Jane Tabb to the County Commis-sion seat she lost six years ago to challenger Frances Morgan, a Democrat. Morgan, who beat Tabb by 256 votes, is running to keep her seat despite a landscape far different than the one that aided her in 2006 when a primary concern among voters was the escalating rate of growth and a tat-terdemalion of land use regulations that ap-peared unable to keep up with it. Morgan, at the time a political neophyte with a background in estate law, was en-couraged in 2005 to seek office in the midst of a wave of lawsuits brought by residents upset by the absence of checks on sprawl

that was fast leading to overburdened roads and infrastructure. She said she believed these legal complaints were evidence that the old way of doing things in the county needed changed. “There was an atmosphere, and I think it was old-fashioned people and also general-ly county government, [with whom] the at-titude was, ‘Oh my heavens a lawsuit,’ but I don’t look at it that way,” Morgan said. “If there needs to be a lawsuit if there needs to bring some order to chaos or to es-tablish a rule that citizens deserve to be no-tified if X, Y and Z is going to happen, then OK, let’s have a lawsuit. It’s not like I enjoy them but it does provide clarity.” Morgan acknowledges the times they have a’changed. Housing construction has come to a screeching halt, and while Jefferson

COuNTY COmmiSSiON

Growth still the backdrop in Tabb re-match against Morgan

“The hospitality industry can provide a lot of jobs, but we need more than that to sustain our citi-zens and our tax base.”

Jane Tabb

But Jefferson County’s economic landscape has changed vastly since the two candidates first faced off six years ago

u See TABB/MORGAN Page 15

Jane Tabb (left) is the Republican candidate for the Jefferson County Commission. She aims to retake the seat she lost six years ago to Democrat Frances Morgan (right).ROBERT SNYDER

On economic development “I want to attract clean, high-tech businesses to the County. A streamlined permitting process for those businesses locating in the business and industrial parks is critical as well as improving inter-net infrastructure. Keeping our farmers profitable through the de-velopment of new markets and creative enterprises is also vital.”

On planning and zoning “The current land use regulations and approval processes need be updated. The most criti-cal change needed is the length of time it takes for project approval. The standards are good

and tough but the approval process is over a year which results in the County losing good projects to the competition. Time is money and financing a project is difficult without a secure and shortened timeline. The land use ordinances should be updated to comply with evolving Chesapeake Bay regulations.”

On emergency services “The county has come to a crossroads concerning emergency services and there are two choices: fund paid staff out of the general revenue fund or impose a fire fee. Berke-ley County has a fire fee and experienced difficulty collecting the fee. Additionally, the staff necessary to manage collection and accounting increases the fee. If the County funded emergency services directly from tax revenues, the fire companies would need to provide financial documentation to the County (an increased cost for the fire compa-nies). Obviously, there are no easy answers and I would only support a fire fee if it was the most economical method to provide for paid staff. “


On economic development “The County should proceed on two tracks: first, by po-sitioning itself to encourage the development of the already-prosperous local heritage tourism industry; and also by work-ing to attract hi-tech, green businesses, such as American Pub-lic University, that bring jobs but that do not depend heavily upon road transport, where we are challenged. Existing busi-

ness-ready lots in Bardane/Burr should be sold to newer business models. To attract such businesses, we need high quality of life, excellent educational opportunity and outcomes, and to protect our scenic vistas, agricultural production, and historic iden-tity. We need to avoid becoming a bedroom community (which only makes infra-structure and service demands skyrocket). We have recently acquired new leadership for the Economic Development Authority and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Maximizing heritage and arts tourism, while making room for cutting-edge low im-pact businesses drawn from the crowded regions to the east are my vision for a pros-perous future for our county. With our diverse population, proximity to the D.C. met-ro area, environmental and agricultural assets and historic treasures, we are poised to usher in a period of economic opportunity for all our citizens.”

On planning and zoning “During my time as Commissioner, many positive changes have been made both to the staffing of the county planning and zoning department and to approval processes that help businesses navigate the rules. Planning, Zoning and Engineering each have accredited, expert staff and has been refocused on customer service to our constituents – the taxpayers of Jef-ferson County. Consequently, I believe the current system does work well, while it also pro-vides a degree of transparency and regulation that residents require. The LESA development review system is outmoded and should be abolished. The Comprehensive Plan, required by state code to be updated and re-issued by 2014, should be a detailed, citizen-driven guide to Jefferson County’s development over the next decade.”

On emergency services “The County is blessed with a strong tradition of volunteer fire and ambulance service which is of excellent quality today, meeting or surpassing guidelines. As volunteer time becomes scarcer, the County has supplemented ambulance service with career personnel; we need to do the same with fire service for our seven stations. Change is tough, however, and we need to give fire companies time to decide how they will mesh their volunteers with a partly career fire force. When — and if — the fire service is ready to embrace being a fully public county agency, and we have established service and cost parameters that have been vetted by the public and a consensus emerges, then we would be ready, in my view, to move in the direction of a fire fee. This is key to placing emergency services on a sustainable footing for Jefferson County’s future, and to ensuring that our wonderful volunteers enjoy the support that they need, as well.”

County Commission

Frances Morgan Democrat• Law degree, with honors, 1994 Georgetown. BA in political science, 1983, George Washington University• Farmer, law clerk from 2000 to 2002, associate at two Washington law firms until 1999• First elected to the County Commission in 2006

Jane Tabb Republican• Farmer, former commercial property manager, owner of Fresh Feast on the Farm, WVU Extension program assistant• Served as County Commissioner from 2001 to 2006


On education “As a legislator serving on the Education Committee, former substitute teacher, daughter of public educators, and wife of a high school administrator, I am aware of the challenges that our state and local education systems face daily and am an advocate for more local control/decision making authority at the local level. My top priority for Jefferson County is to retain highly qualified professional educators while providing competitive wages and insurance coverage for their families. Due to the high cost of living many continue to cross state lines to work in neighboring states where wages are $10,000 plus per starting salary. I support offering locality pay and housing allowances to teachers/service personnel in high growth areas which will allow for competitive salaries— granting our educa-tors more buying power. In order to ensure that learning is at the forefront of the educational process, it is essential that students feel safe and protected from harmful distractions and are fully nourished—thus able to think clearly. I support legislation that would increase the number of certified teachers trained to handle students with behav-

ioral problems, support funding for alternative schools that provide alternative teaching methods, and advocate for healthy school meal programs while continuing free/reduced meals programs. With the growth our region faces, schools at all levels are at full capacity and educators are challenged daily with the task of teaching classrooms in excess of 30+ students, therefore granting little personal attention to individuals. With the number of students with special needs growing, this makes daily assessment/testing difficult. Teachers challenged with this issue must be compensated for class sizes that exceed the norm and ultimately funding for additional staffing is crucial to further success.”

On energy “Likeallgoodpublicpolicy,findingabalanceisessential,inthiscase,toboththeeconomyandenvironment.Whilemanyofthestate’srevenuesandjobsarestillgeneratedbycoal and the energy sector, environmental clean-up efforts are often costly on the back end and have long lasting health effects. Thus, more clean-coal and green technology initiatives and policies that require implementation of these practices are needed for both the traditional mining of coal and the horizontaldrillingofMarcellusShale.Furtherdiscussionsonemissionslimits,andwindandsolarenergysolutionsneedtotranspiretoaddtoourstate’sportfolioofenergysolutionsas we discuss our strategic, long term plan.”

On the budget “Medicaidliabilitiescertainlypresentamajorissueforthestate.However,Medicaidoperatesasanentitlementprogramforeligiblecitizensandtakesintoaccountthecostofservicesand how often they are utilized. Therefore the state has to budget for all incurred client costs. Thus, the costs cannot be controlled through budget caps or restrictions without changes to theeligibilityrequirements.Reducingeligibilityrequirementsmayjustshifttheburdentoothersocialservicesprograms,hospitalsandclinicswhichcouldhaveanegativeimpact.Hence,ourCongressionalcounterpartsmustbewillingtoworkwithustofindwaysofbalancingcostsateachlevel.”

65th Delegate district

Jill Upson Republican•AttendedColumbiaCollege•Retailmanager•Firstrunforelectedoffice

Tiffany Lawrence Democrat•MBA,ShenandoahUniversity.BSinbusinessadministrationandpoliticalscience,ShepherdUniversity•DirectorofresourcedevelopmentandmarketingatUnitedWay;formermarketingandpublicrelationsmanageratHollywoodCasino;formersubstituteteacher•Firstelecteddelegatein2008.Servedtwoterms

On education “With over $11,000 per pupil being spent, West Virginians deserve much better results. If parents had the option of taking a portion of that $11,000, with their child, to the school of their choice, educators would be compelled to raise their standards to be able to compete for that student.”

On energy “While I recognize that some regulation is necessary, the recent 11 electrical generation plant closures in West Virginia, proves that over -regulation can have devastating effects on workers and their families.Whileothersourcesofenergyarebeingresearched,developed,andbroughttomarket,thecoalindustrymustbeallowedtoalsofindcleaner,moreefficientmethods of production and not be forced to cease production due to the heavy hand of government over-regulation.”

On the budget “WestVirginia’sGovernmentsponsored/taxpayerfundedhealthplaniscreatinga$300milliondeficitby2014anda$600milliondeficitby2016.The$800millionbeingheldintherainydayfundwouldthereforebeentirelydepletedby2017. Seriouseffortsshouldbemadetowardkeepingemployersponsoredhealthplansinplace.NotonlyareGovernmentsponsoredhealthplansleadingtohugetaxincreasesonourcitizens,they are also rampant with cases of fraud and abuse.”


CHRISTINE MILLER FORDSpirit staff

CHARLES TOWN – Some voters in Jef-ferson County may see the Nov. 6 election as a bit of a predicament: Re-elect a sheriff facing a trial in federal court in early 2013 or back his Republican opponent? If Robert E. “Bobby” Shirley wins next month and then is convicted in a trial set to begin in January, it’s likely he would be un-able to serve out a second four-year term, according to an official with the Secretary of State’s office. Shirley – a Jefferson County native with more than 30 years’ experience in law en-forcement – faces charges of using unrea-sonable force during the late 2010 arrest of a suspected bank robber and then with alleg-edly falsifying records about the incident as part of a federal investigation. If the Middleway resident couldn’t serve out his term as sheriff, then the five-member Jefferson County Commission would have the job of determining Shirley’s successor, said Jake Glance, a spokesman for Secretary of State Natalie Tennant. It’s likely that that person appointed by the commission would serve until the next regularly scheduled election in 2014, Glance said. There’s no provision for a special elec-tion, he said. There are additional considerations. It’s unclear, Glance said, whether the process for naming a replacement for Shirley would happen immediately upon a conviction or if a lengthy appeals process might be carried out first. If Shirley is convicted but his removal from office would be delayed by appeals until just before the 2014 vote, then the ap-pointee would continue to serve until voters return to the polls in 2016, Glance said. “So much of this falls into the ‘What if?’ category – ‘If this candidate wins …’ ‘If the sheriff is then convicted…’ So much cannot be known at this point,’’ Glance said in a phone interview from Charles-ton. “It’s speculation and that’s typically not something the Secretary of State’s of-fice engages in.” The charges already have altered Shir-ley’s life as sheriff. He’s been barred from carrying a firearm, even when on duty, since June 18, when he appeared in federal court in Martinsburg to enter a plea of not guilty to both the charges facing him. On the website for Jefferson County Democrats, jcdems-wv.org, a biography and photo of Shirley is listed alongside oth-er party members running in next month’s general election, but no mention is made of Shirley’s legal woes. Shirley, 60, himself has continued to downplay the accusations. According to The Associated Press, the sheriff said he is eager


Looming trial complicates sheriff’s race

for his day in court. “There’s two sides to the story, and there’s a whole lot more to the story,” Shirley said during a sheriff’s department public meeting in June. “I look for-ward … for the truth to get out instead of everybody’s opinion. You can indict a ham sandwich. An indictment is [just] an accusation.” Shirley first won election in 2008. He’d retired two years earlier as a lieutenant with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Of-fice and then worked as lead security adviser for the feder-al Customs and Border Protection Advanced Training Center in Harpers Ferry. The month before Shirley’s indictment, he prevailed over former two-term sheriff Ed Boober in the May 8 Democratic prima-ry, taking 65 percent of vote, according to the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office. The Republican facing Shirley in the

general election is Earl Ballenger, a 1967 Harpers Ferry High graduate who served three years in the Army in Vietnam. The 64-year-old Mill-ville resident – who worked for the CIA and later spent 24 years with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department be-fore retiring as a sergeant in 2009 – was unopposed in the Republican prima-ry. This is Ballenger’s first try for elected office. Bill Ihlenfeld, the U.S.

Attorney for Northern West Virginia, has said that there is both eyewitness testimony and video to show that Shirley used unrea-sonable force in the arrest of now-convict-ed bank robber Mark Daniel Haines in late 2010. Shirley’s trial originally was set for Au-gust, but then delayed until Jan. 22.

Officials say Haines, 42, tried to rob a bank in Ranson on Dec. 27, 2010, then led police on a high-speed pursuit before sur-rendering in a field in Berkeley County. In a civil suit filed earlier this year by Haines, he alleges that Shirley and 14 oth-er, unnamed law enforcement officers vi-olated his civil rights during his arrest by punching him, kicking him in the head and stomping on him once he was safely in custody. Earlier this year, Haines began serving a federal prison term of 19 years in Allegany County Detention Center in Cumberland, Md. He faces another five years for an es-cape attempt from the Eastern Regional Jail in Martinsburg in 2011 as he was awaiting trial. He entered a guilty plea to that charge last month. According to the civil lawsuit, which is set to go to trial late next year, Haines’ in-juries following his apprehension included scrapes and bruises on his face and back, a hemorrhage in his right eye, plus a broken nose, eye socket and rib.

Mark Daniel Haines

Sheriff Bobby Shirley (right) heads to federal court in June with lawyer Kevin Mills. ROBERT SNYDER


2012 Candidates endorsed by the EPBANote: The Eastern Panhandle Business Association (EPBA) does not endorse in all races.

Endorsement requires a two thirds vote of the members.

Governor - Bill Maloney Delegate District 61 - Walter DukeSecretary of State - Brian Savilla Delegate District 63 - Mike FolkCommissioner of Agriculture - Kent Leonhardt Delegate District 65 - Jill UpsonAttorney General - Patrick Morrisey Delegate District 66 - Paul EspinosaWV State Senate District 15 - Craig Blair Delegate District 67 - Elliot SimonState Senate District 16 - Jim Ruland Jefferson County Commission - Jane TabbSupreme Court of Appeals - John Yoder

Eastern Panhandle Business Association (EPBA) is a nonpartisan Independent Political Committee founded in 1991 for the purposes of protecting, preserving and advancing the free enterprise system. EPBA supports the elec-tion of those candidates to West Virginia state and local elective office which it determines to be in general agree-ment with the purposes and objectives of EPBA.

EPBAVisit us on the Web at www.epbawv.com or on Facebook

Eastern Panhandle Business Association

wv house of delegates

STEPHEN

SKINNER

Paid for by Skinner for WV

@skinnerforwvskinnerforwvstephenskinner.com

standing up for Jefferson County.

wv house of delegates

STEPHEN

SKINNER


@skinnerforwvskinnerforwvstephenskinner.com

standing up for Jefferson County.



66th Delegate district

On education “This is a critical issue for the state and one of the highest priorities for me personally. We are paying for an education system that we are not getting. Students, teachers, and parents can’t afford to wait another year. Economists with the National Bureau of Economic Research completed a study last December that tracked over a million students from first grade through adulthood. They found that a single good teacher for even one year increases future lifetime earnings of an average class by over $250,000. Every year that we delay is another year of lost opportunity for that kind of influence. I advocate policies in three areas that I believe will help. First, the Governor’s “Education Efficiency

Audit” identifies 90 million dollars in savings from very specific changes – mostly in decentralizing decision making. The school system is far too top heavy with unnecessary bureaucracy. The audit recommendations must be implemented immediately and all savings should be directed to the people who are working directly with students. Second, a small portion of an increase in the severance tax on Marcellus gas should be dedicated to funding an expansion of online learning. APUS, located right in Charles Town, is the worldwide leader in online learning techniques. A partnership between the Education Department, APUS, WVU and Shepherd should be pursued to develop first rate online courses for use in West Virginia. And third, restrictions on vocational and technical education must be removed. Students should not have to travel to Rumsey in Berkeley County for vocational training. These classes must be offered on campus at our local high schools and the proper facilities for these and for agricultural education must be provided at both Washington and Jefferson.”

On energy “Fifty years ago there were 120,000 coal miners working in West Virginia. Today there are fewer than 20,000. The easy seams were mined out decades ago. What’s left is more difficult and expensive to get to, dirtier to burn, and is not competitive in price with cheap natural gas. Blaming the coal industries problems on environmental regulations prevents us from dealing with these realities. Development of the Marcellus gas field provides a short reprieve and buys time to diversify our economy as we should have decades ago. West Virginia should never have relied as heavily as we did on coal nor heavily as we do now on gambling. And we should not stake our entire future on gas. Increasing the severance tax on gas can temporarily ease the competitive pressure on coal while providing funds to help diversify our economy.”

On the budget “With federal funding, West Virginia will gain more than most states in an expansion of Medicaid. But health care economics are complex, so we need to be careful. Continued cuts in corporate taxes and business tax incentives should be frozen until we can be certain that our state remains on sound financial ground.”

On education “I believe that a good education is necessary for our children to succeed in life because with good education comes better opportunities, higher salaries and a better future. I believe we must make the proper investments in education including investments in classrooms, teachers and resources our students need to learn. Jefferson County schools are among the best schools in the State and I will make it a priority to keep it that way by providing our schools the tools they need to ensure classroom accountability. I’m a firm believer that the closer decisions are made to the people, the more effective and responsive government will be. A January 2012

education efficiency audit concluded that our State education system is one of the most regulated systems in the country with most regulations codified in State law, making it very difficult for our educators to adjust to student needs. I believe it’s critical that we empower our local school boards, our principals, and our teachers to make decisions that will ensure that our citizens and our students are receiving the return on investment that they expect and deserve.”

On energy “I support a comprehensive energy plan that includes West Virginia energy sources in order to achieve energy independence while balancing our economy and the environment. Our State is blessed with abundant energy sources including coal, natural gas, wind and solar, all of which I believe should be utilized in a responsible approach to cleaner energy that doesn’t cost us good paying jobs in West Virginia or lead to higher energy prices.”

On the budget “I’m a strong supporter of health care reform in our country, but I believe we need to be honest with our citizens about how reform is structured and how it is financed. We can’t continue to live beyond our means and can’t allow government to grow faster than the taxpayers’ ability to pay for it. Unfortunately, the Affordable Healthcare Act mandates would further threaten our state’s finances by shifting massive new financial burdens to West Virginia. I believe it’s imperative that the legislature clearly understand the financial impact of this federal mandate and work to ensure that our state’s interests are protected. I also oppose the individual mandate that would apply a civil penalty on citizens if they don’t purchase health insurance in accordance with the act.”

Paul EspinosaRepublican• Bachelor’s degree, West Virginia Wesleyan• General manager with Frontier Communications• First run for elected office

John MaxeyDemocrat• Owner of Data Direct, former district manager with Subaru• First run for elected office


www.JaneTabb.comPAID FOR BY CANDIDATE

JANE TABBCOUNTY COMMISSION

COMMON SENSE REPUBLICAN

Endorsed by We The People, Jefferson County

and the Eastern Panhandle Business Association

• Control government spending of your tax dollars

• Promote small businesses

• Eliminate the need for tax increases

• Support our agricultural heritage

VOTE NOV 6!

On education “We must prioritize reform within the education system. First, teaching must treated by all as an honored and respected profession. Consequently, our teachers’ salaries must be competitive with other professionals. We can do this through efficiency savings within the current state education budget. Second, we must increase local control and teacher freedom. One-size-fits-all policies will not work in West Virginia. The issues that face McDowell County—with a median home price of $20,000 are not the same as the issues that face Jefferson

County with a median home price of $230,000. Teachers must have the flexibility to adapt without the burden of a Charleston-based bureaucracy dictating their every move. Finally, we must also resist the temptation to over-test our children. We spend too much time teaching for tests.”

On energy “One of the incidental benefits of the boom in shale gas in West Virginia is that, because of market forces, natural gas has become the better economic choice for electricity generation. Electricity generated from natural gas significantly reduces air pollution. As Ohio and West

On education “According to the recent audit of the West Virginia school system by Pennsylvania consulting firm Public Works we spend $90 Million more annually on our school system than we need to. It also said that our school system is highly centralized and inefficient. It recommends reducing the number of administrators significantly. In other words, our system is top heavy and resources are wasted and therefore never make it to the classroom. I believe

that we need to do both reduce the size of the bureaucracy in Charleston and allow for more local control. Nearly every state administers their school system on the county or municipal level. If we allow for greater local control, this will create opportunities for greater participation on the part of stakeholders, particularly parents, in decision making at the local level. Decentralization could also pave the way for a solution to one of our greatest problems here in Jefferson County: locality pay for teachers.”

On energy “The short and direct answer to the question is that the states have little to say in the matter at this point. The National Resources Defense Council or NRDC is a New York

67th Delegate districtElliot Simon Republican• Bachelor’s degree, University of Chicago• Semi-retired business executive and consultant in the travel industry• Previously ran for delegate in 2010

Stephen Skinner Democrat• Law degree, WVU. BA, West Virginia Wesleyan• Civil trial attorney since 1994• First run for elected office

u See SIMON Page 26 u See SKINNER Page 26


Bryan Clark Spirit Staff

There is no question that West Virginia’s fiveelectoralvoteswillgotoRepublicancontenderMittRomneyintheNovembergeneralelection. It is safe to say that 41 percent of statewideDemocratic primary voters did not actually wantKeithRussellJudd–amanservingafederalprisonterm forextortion, amanwho fellow inmatesal-legedlyrefer toas“TheDarkPriest,”amanwholistshimselfasaformermemberofthe“FederationofSuperheroes”–tobeinchargeofaconsiderablenumberofthermonuclear-tippedICBMs. Nonetheless,more than70,000WestVirginiansoptedforJuddratherthanObamaduringtheMayprimary election in what was perhaps the most

strikingprotestvoteinU.S.history. The logicalplace to turn forprojectionson theracewouldbestatepollingdata,butthereisaprob-lem.Major polling organizations likeGallup andRasmussendon’tbothertopolltheMountainState,likelybothbecauseRomney isconsideredsuchashoo-inandbecausethestatehassofewelectoralvotesthatitwillnotfigureprominentlyintheout-come.Thefewpollsthatareavailable,conductedbystatedailynewspapers,showRomneywithnear-lya20-pointlead. This in a statewhereDemocrats have anearly5-to-1 advantage in the stateSenate and a nearly2-to-1 advantage in theHouse of Delegates, andwhereRepublicanshavenotheldamajorityinei-therhousesince1933. IfObamahasachanceinanywhereinthestate,

however,itmaybeinJeffersonCounty. During the2008presidentialelection, inwhichMcCaincarriedthestatebydouble-digits,ObamaboastedonlysevenofWestVirginia’s55counties–includingJefferson,whereObamawonby4.9per-cent.Ofthese,onlythreecountiesfavoredObamamoreheavily:Booneby10.7points,McDowellby8.8pointsandWebsterby5.5points. Obamaisnotlikelytocarrythosecountiesthisyear,however.BothBooneandWebsterpreferredtheDarkPriestintheprimaries,andObamaekedoutonlya5-pointwininMcDowell. All three counties, moreover, were trending“redder”inthe2008presidentialelectionsversusthe2004elections.Boonewentfroma17toan11pointDemocraticmarginandMcDowellfrom24to9.Democratsalso

Will Jefferson go for Obama?

If so, county could be the president’s lone bright spot in W.Va.

u See OBAMA Page 21

Keith Russell Judd

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YDER

going to take the county so far. “We can’t exist just on that,” Tabb said. “The hospitality industry can provide a lot of jobs, but we need more than that to sustain our citizens and our tax base.” Tabb, who said she is not opposed to historical preservation despite the fallout from her vote not to spend money as part of the $2.3 million resto-ration of the Old Jail in downtown Charles Town for county offices, said heritage tourism jobs were not going to bring high-paying jobs to the coun-ty. “We need to explore every opportunity for find-ing more jobs here and growth,” Tabb said. “Our unemployment figures look pretty good com-pared to the rest of West Virginia but the lines are out at the Community Ministries and the shelves are bare. We have people who are underemployed and have given up looking for a job. We need to find jobs for local folks.”


ElliotSimonWest VirginiaHouse of Delegates67th District

The politicians that have controlled the West Virginialegislature for more than 80 years have created alegacy of...

Out of Control SpendingHigher TaxesBigger GovernmentSchools that Underperform

My principles are:4 Limited Government4 Fiscal Responsibility4 Transparency in Government4 Family Values

Let’s turn our state around!

Common Sense for West Virginia

I’m asking for yourvote on November 6th!

Common Sense for West Virginia www.simonfordelegate.comPO Box 1320, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 n P: 304-591-8610 n [email protected] n Facebook: Simon For Delegate

Early voting at the Court House:

October 24 – November 3Paid for by the Committee to Elect Simon for Delegate, R. Davis, Treasurer.

Tabb/MorganFROM PAGE 6

County enjoys the lowest rate of unemployment in the state, jobs are not plentiful. “What the citizens on the street are concerned about has changed; other things have entered the picture,” she said. It’s this slowdown in the economy that Morgan argues has offered the county the breathing room it needs to hammer out better rules so that when the economy improves and residential and com-mercial construction begin to pick back up, the county’s rules will be able to keep pace. Morgan said one of her goals for a second term is jettisoning the county’s existing zoning law and adopting a more Euclidean set of rules based on density. Tabb, who held a seat on the commission during the boom years, said she doesn’t believe the coun-ty is ready to wage another battle over zoning. Voters rejected a proposed ordinance in 2009, after petitioners succeeded in overturning its ap-proval by the County Commission a year earlier. “I don’t think in these economic times it’s real-istic,” Tabb said. “I don’t think there’s been any major subdivisions approved since 2009.” Instead, Tabb says, the county should focus its efforts on streamlining the approval process for those who submit applications to the planning commission. “I’m not for loosening our regulations,” Tabb

said. “I think we have good standards and you can certainly see that as you drive from Berkeley County to Jefferson County, but I want to see peo-ple be able to get through the process faster. That’s the complaint I hear: ‘It took me a year.’ I know it’s not always easy stuff to review and go through hearings but I think we can do better. We need to do better if we’re going to get any kinds of invest-ments here. We just have to make it more user-friendly.” Morgan said a peril for the county is in relying too much on residential development. “We clearly need economic development in this county,” she said. “How much residential devel-opment is utilized by a community in a democra-cy for economic development purposes is a very troublesome irksome question. “Jefferson County thought it had found the nir-vana of growth when we got all this housing, and construction people were busy and people were moving here and the retail stories were getting foot traffic and all the sudden we’re not this sleepy little place where nothings going on any more. I don’t believe that residential development is ac-ceptable over the long term form of economic de-velopment for a community. Houses cost money, businesses create tax revenue and generate mon-ey.” Morgan said one of the ways the county can grow is to take advantage of its history. “The state measures over $750 million impact in Jefferson County, but I think we’re just at the cusp of it,” she said. Tabb called heritage tourism just one industry the county could promote, but one that was only

“I don’t believe that res-idential development is acceptable over the long term as a form of economic develpment for a community.”

Frances Morgan


A Better FutureLet’s Get to Work on Building Paul Espinosa

WV House of Delegates 66th District

Elliot SimonWV House

of Delegates 67th District

Jill UpsonWV House

of Delegates 65th District

upson4wv.comespinosafordelegate.com

simonfordelegate.com

Jim RulandWV State Senate 16th District

rulandforsenate.com

Paid for by Ruland for Senate, Robert C. Smith, Treasurer; Upson For WV, Laura Galvin, Treasurer; The Committee to Elect Simon for Delegate, R. Davis, Treasurer; and Espinosa for Delegate, Mary C. Espinosa, Treasurer.

BALLOT


VOTE FOR EXPERIENCE AND INTEGRITYPaid for by Morrisey for Attorney General

"Elect a statewide official from Jefferson County"

BALLOT


On education “West Virginia is ranked in the top five states for early education programs. Public education in West Virginia starts at age 4. Our students have a great start; however, the student dropout rate is far too high. West Virginia must motivate students to complete high school. I support raising the drop out age which is now 16. The dropout age of 16 may have been practical 50 years ago but in today’s global economy students must at least complete high school. The state Board of Education is entirely too top heavy. More control over the classroom curriculum and teaching methods must be given back to the classroom teacher. Our classroom teachers are among the most highly trained and certified in the nation. The state Board of Education and the Federal Department of Education simply have to allow teachers to

teach instead of turning them into paper pushers.”

On energy “The majority of the coal mined in West Virginia is exported. Only a rela-tively small portion of the coal mined in W.Va. is used for power generation in our state. Part of the cause of air pollution in the Eastern Panhandle is caused by our proximity to auto pollution from the DC metro area and the northeastern states, in general. The EPA has in very recent years adopted stringent new clean air regulations on emissions from power plants. Power companies have spent billions of dollars installing the latest technology for pollutant removal and car-bon sequestration. Power companies nationwide are also converting coal fired power plants to natural gas. Natural gas burns much cleaner than coal but coal fired plants will still be used for many decades in the future. As one of the five Senate members on the Select Marcellus Shale Gas Com-mittee, I learned that finding a balance between extraction and use of natural gas and the threats to the environment can be done. West Virginia was one of the first states to implement a full regulatory structure for Marcellus Shale gas drill-ing.”

On the budget “Medicaid operates as an entitlement program for all citizens that meet the eligibility criteria. The cost of the program is determined by the number of eligible individuals, how often they utilize health care services, and the cost of the health care services. Therefore, the state must budget for all program costs incurred by the clients. The program costs cannot be controlled through budget restrictions and appropriations caps without changing the eligibility criteria, the types of services covered, or the rates paid for services. Reducing program eligibility, eliminating covered services, and reducing payments for service may shift the cost to medical providers causing an increase in uncompensated care as clients seek medical services without coverage. Hospitals, physicians and clinics would then have to raise the cost for everyone else to make up for the uncom-pensated services. West Virginia is now doing an actuarial study for the possible implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act. West Virginia must make fis-cally responsible decisions based on actuarial studies to determine how to make changes to our Medicaid program.”

Herb Snyder Democrat• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Business, Shepherd College• Owner, lab director and chemist at Snyder Environmental• County Commissioner from 1991 to 1996. Served in State Senate from 1997 to 2004, 2009 to present

16th Senate district

On education “West Virginia’s public school system has received failing grades from every independent agency that has ever evaluated it. This is upset-ting because we are spending more on a per capita basis than most other states (eighth out of 50), but receiving results which rank us 47th (or worse) in the nation. In other words, we are getting a terrible return on the whopping $3.5 billion we invest in education each year. What’s wrong here? An outside audit of the educa-tion efficiency of our primary and secondary education system holds some answers. It found that we have the second most highly centralized education systems in the country, top heavy with too much administrative overhead. The audit recommended a series of educational and legislative changes that could save $90 million a year while getting more money to the class-room. The problem is that the report was issued

last January, but the Legislature failed to act. It’s high-time for the Legislature to get to work on implementing these much needed reforms. Two other changes that need to be made, that I wholeheartedly support, are more local (county) control and locality pay for teachers.”

On energy “The discovery of the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation deep under W. Va. holds truly great economic promise for our state and our nation. And the legisla-tion passed earlier this year is a good first step in reconciling the environmental issues with the economic opportunities that this discovery presents. Coal, primarily used for the generation of electricity, is the second largest domestic contributor to carbon dioxide emissions and other chemical byproducts in the USA. But according to Environmental Protection Agency EPA figures, emissions of traditional pollut-ants have dropped significantly – even as the use of coal to generate electricity has nearly tripled to meet growing energy demand. This suggests that the ‘clean coal’ technologies being deployed to remove or reduce pollutant emissions are having some success. Regrettably, EPA regulators have ignored individual states’ rights prerogatives and imposed requirements on West Virginia that make adoption of these technologies unaffordable, and a timetable that is directly responsible for the loss of jobs in these troubling economic times.”

On the budget “West Virginia has addressed the massive OPEB debt, but many are skeptical that payment of these unfunded liabilities has been truly resolved because of overly optimistic assumptions. For example, the legislation assumes a rate of return on investments of 7.5 percent, while the most recent actual return was only 1 percent. One of the problems with the new health care law is that it dramatically expanded Medicaid without fully paying for it and shifted new financial responsibilities to the states. My opponent supports the new health care law and Medicaid expansion, which will wreck West Virginia’s fiscal health. I believe West Virginia needs more flexibility to manage costs. As a State Senator, I would work with the Department of Health and Human Services on waivers to help eliminate our annual structural deficit and to ensure that we protect and maintain Medicaid for those who need it most.”

Jim Ruland Republican• Bachelor of Arts, Iona College. Master of Arts, Pace University• Managing partner with real estate development company. Founder and President of an informa-tion technology services company. Retired U.S. Navy Commander• Served as County Commissioner from 1997 to 2002


Jim Ruland (R)West Virginia Senate – 16th District

for

Paid for by Ruland for Senate Committee, Robert C. Smith, Treasurer

Leadership H Passion H Integrity

“More Jobs, Better Schoolsand Leadership You Can Trust”

Hello Neighbor, Are you concerned about the direction the country and our state are headed? Do the growing debt, expanding government, and disregard for constitutional principles bother you? Do you wonder why West Virginia seems always 1st in things that are bad (poverty, obesity) and last in things that are good (education, income)? One political party has controlled the WV legislature since 1932, and it’s now abundantly clear that 80 years of one party rule hasn’t worked to the benefit of West Virginia’s citizens. It’s time for new leadership. We need to be voting for the future of our children and grandchildren, not a political party or a career politician. Please be sure to vote, Jim

Improve the business climate to create more jobsLower taxes to help local businesses compete

Cut bureaucratic and regulatory red tape

Reform civil justice system & end lawsuit abuse

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4

4

Fix our underperforming education systemCut admin overhead and put the money in the classrooms

Greater local control of resources and decision-making

Locality pay for teachers to reflect the higher cost of living here

4

4

4

Cut waste, fight corruption, & bring ethics reform to CharlestonControl spending & reduce the size of bloated government

Expose corruption and cronyism

Strengthen ethics rules and increase penalties for violations

4

44

Email: [email protected] • Website: www.rulandforsenate.comFacebook: Ruland for Senate • Twitter: @rulandforsenate • 304.268.8620

About Jim:• 40 years of leadership & management experience• Proven job creator: (300+ jobs)• Combat veteran (Vietnam) & retired U.S. Navy (Cdr)• Former Jefferson County Commission President• BA (Political Science); MBA (Finance) • Married, 5 children and 5 grandchildren• Core Beliefs: Personal Freedom, Fiscal Responsibility,

Limited Government, Family Values

Memberships & Affiliations:• American Legion Post 71

• Berkeley & Jefferson Chambers of Commerce

• Jefferson County Farm Bureau

• Knights of Columbus (Life Member)

• Military Officers Association

• National Rifle Association

• St. James Parish

• Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3522 (Life Member)

• WV Association of County Officials

• Hospice of the Panhandle Capital Campaign Committee

Endorsements:• Eastern Panhandle Business Association• National Federation of Independent Business• West Virginia Family Foundation • West Virginians for Life


Assessor Magistrate (Voters will select three)

What makes you more qualified than your opponent?

“Knowledge and experience is worth keep-ing! I bring a common sense approach to the Magistrate’s Office forged by managing all aspects of a business. Since all arrests begin or end with a criminal complaint, I understand a policeman’s point of view having been the Sheriff of Jeffer-

son County. Working as a Magistrate builds a body of knowl-edge needed for the job. If someone isn’t familier with the WV State Code and its Statutes and Rules, and if they aren’t familiar with court room procedure then they are going to be lost on the Bench.”

“During my 28 years, I have presided over thousands of cases in my career. My years of public service have gained me the trust of my community. I keep an open mind to the facts and evidence before the court and reach an educated de-cision, based on the law.

The question is: Do you want the Court to continue hear-ing cases in a timely and meaningful manner, or do you want someone who is inexperienced and must learn the role and duties of a Magistrate. Stay with an experienced Magistrate Boober.”

“One way I differ from the incumbent candidates is that I have never run for or held public office; I am not a profes-sional politician. They have held county offices for quite a while, approach-ing 30 years in the same position in one case. During the last two election cycle’s they were unchallenged. I feel that the

constitutional principles of self-governance and representa-tive democracy are best served when the people can choose more than one set of candidates. If elected I will perform faithful the duties of the office en-trusted to me by the voters.”

“As an officer commanding our country’s fighting men and women, I exercised non-judicial punishment authority. This means that I presided as judge over my troops in cases not considered serious enough for a formal court martial or trial. During the last four years of my military career, I was

an Inspector General in The Pentagon where I supervised the conduct of over a hundred formally directed investigations. I bring a breath of fresh air to the office of Magistrate. I know the Rules of Evidence and look forward to serving you fairly and impartially.”

• Bachelor of Science from West Virginia University• Previously sheriff, business manager• Served as magistrate from 2000 to the present

Bill Senseney Democrat

Mary Paul Rissler Democrat

“I am a woman of high moral and personal standards. I ap-preciate, and respect the legal system in which I serve. There-fore, I am committed to conducting myself in a manner which reflects integrity, respect, independence, and fairness to any

and all people who appear before me. I will continue to use my education and experience to perform the duties of Magis-trate effectively, efficiently, and in compliance with the Code of Judicial Conduct.”

Gail Boober Democrat

Bill Arnicar Republican

Peter Onoszko Republican

• Graduated from National Institute of Paralegal Studies• Worked 10 years as a legal secretary or paralegal• Served as magistrate from 1994 to the present

• Attended Shepherd University, the University of Memphis, the National Judicial College and Coastal Caroline University• Served as magistrate from 1985 to the present

• Certified nursing assistant, information technology certifications• Worked for Pfizer, Meta-Solutions, UUNet and MCI WorldCom• Former Navy submariner• First run for elected office

• Master of Arts, American University. Bachelor of Arts, Citadel • Former fellow at Tuft’s University• Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel• First run for elected office

Angela BanksDemocrat

Gary DunganRepublican

• Bachelor of Science in com-merce with specialty in account-ing, University of Virginia• Formerly senior vice president with two bank holding firms, head of investigations for Reso-lution Trust Corporation, certi-fied public accountant

• Previously ran for assessor in 2008

• High school graduate. Cer-tificates in mass appraisal, real property and geographic infor-mation systems for assessors• Worked 15 years as a deputy assessor• Served as assessor from 2008 to the present

“See my qualifications above, which reveal a highly successful career working in, and managing, very challenging and complex sit-uations. No matter what the individual quali-fications are, the point of political races is to offer the voters a choice. In this case, the choice is between a candidate who believes in smaller government, more individual lib-erty, and lower burdens of regulation and taxation (me) and the candidate of the Party whose platform has stood opposed to those principles for over half a century (my oppo-nent).”

“I was elected in 2008 under my platform “Experience Matters” promising to make changes in the Assessor’s Office. I have fulfilled that promise by launching a User friendly website that includes general in-formation about the Assessor’s Office, GIS mapping and Online Personal Property filing. Most importantly, I provide quality service to the Taxpayers. Training and classes in property tax and 19 years of experience qualify me to serve the Taxpayers of Jefferson County as their Asses-sor. I serve as the Treasurer of the WV Associ-ation of Assessors and am also a member of the WVACO and the IAAO.”


10-day early voting period has begunFrOm staFF repOrts

CHARLES TOWN – Can’t wait to do your civic duty and take part in this year’s election? Election Day is Nov. 6, but West Virginia voters needn’t wait till then. Across the state, the 10-day period of no-ex-cuses early voting is underway. Starting this morning, any Jefferson County resident who is registered to vote can cast a ballot at the Jefferson County Courthouse at 100 E. Washington St. in Charles Town be-tween 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Other days to early vote: Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week and then next week, Monday through Nov. 3. The election happens the following Tuesday. In Berkeley County, residents interested in early voting may cast their ballots at the Berkeley County Voter Regis-tration office at 110 W. King St. in Martinsburg. Early voting has become increasingly popular in West Vir-ginia, according to Natalie E. Tennant, Secretary of State.

The option has been offered in the Mountain State since the primary election in 2002. On Election Day, ballots cast early are counted along with ballots cast on Election Day as well as those made by absen-tee ballot. Some voters say they welcome the convenience of voting anytime during a 10-day window. Others say they prefer the traditional approach of heading out to their neighborhood precinct on Election Day. Absentee ballots continue to be an option for those unable to vote in person on Nov. 6. The application to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 31. Each election season, Tennant’s office posts a daily up-date of the number of early votes cast as well as how many absentee ballots have been returned to county clerks’ office statewide. The updated numbers will be available on the Secretary of State’s website, wvsos.com. The site also has information on voting on Election Day and the number to call to report any problems.

lost a little ground in Webster, though the shift was less than one percent. In Jefferson, on the other hand, Obama was able to beat Judd by a 55-point margin in the May primary. That’s not great for an

incumbent president in a blue county, but it is significantly better than Obama’s 18-point margin he held statewide. Further, Jefferson – along with the rest of the Eastern Panhandle – moved slightly “bluer” between the 2004 and 2008 presi-dential elections. Jefferson went from a 6 point Republican margin in 2004 to a 5 point Democratic margin in 2008. Berkeley

went from a 27 point Republican margin to a 13 point margin, Morgan from a 33 to 24, Hampshire from 38 to 27, Mineral from 38 to 33, Hardy from 38 to 28, Grant from 61 to 52 and Pendleton from 22 to 21. This leaves open the possibility, howev-er slim, that Obama could carry Jefferson, though the rest of West Virginia is very likely to back Romney.

ObamaFROM PAGE 14

Barack Obama Mitt Romney


SHEPHERDSTOWN — Earlier this month when U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, met here to debate challengers Republican John Raese and Green Party candidate Bob Henry Baber, the dif-ferences couldn’t have been more stark. But it’s an unusual race. At one point dur-ing the 75-minute debate at Shepherd Univer-sity, the proudly left-wing Baber – who favors an expansion of national health care, an end to mountaintop removal mining and more incen-tives for green energy – joked that he is the only Democrat in the race, a nod to how often Man-chin has parted ways with President Obama. Manchin, 65, is pro-coal and pro-business (in his first term as governor, he added the slo-gan, “Open for Business,” to highway welcome signs) as well as anti-abortion rights, anti-gay marriage and anti-gun-control. Meanwhile, Raese – a Morgantown native

whose business holdings include mining com-pany Greer Industries, the Dominion Post dai-ly newspaper based in Morgantown and more than a dozen West Virginia radio stations – of-ten seems trapped in the glories and villains of yesteryear. During the Oct. 2 debate in Shepherdstown, Raese, 62, repeatedly described himself as a Reagan Republican. More than once, Raese bor-rowed Reagan’s debate line to needle Manchin, beginning his response by shaking his head and saying, “There he goes again” as the late presi-dent famously did in debating President Carter 32 years ago. Raese also likened one of Man-chin’s answers to Carter’s Malaise Speech from 1979. And in fielding a question about how more physicians could be enticed to practice in rural parts of the state, Raese began his answer by saying he’d abolish Obama’s signature health care reform. He then brought up the late U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, the perennial bogeyman of

the left. Rease left some audience members gasping in surprise and confusion as he spoke of Ken-nedy in the present tense. “We have the great-est health care system in the world – No. 1,” he said. “When Ted Kennedy gets sick, he doesn’t go to Europe, does he? He doesn’t go to France and he doesn’t go to Nova Scotia. He goes to this country.” Kennedy, the long-serving Massachusetts senator who spent decades advocating for com-prehensive health care, died of cancer in 2009, just months before federal lawmakers OK’d the federal Affordable Care Act, now better known as Obamacare. Though Raese has mounted multiple runs for the U.S. Senate, his greatest showing as a can-didate came in his first try back in 1984. As Reagan won a second term in a landslide over Walter Mondale, Rease garnered 48 per-

CHRISTINE MILLER FORD Spirit Staff

U.S. SENATE

Shepherdstown debate highlights Manchin, Raese differences

Manchin (D)

Raese (R)

Baber (M)

u See DEBATE Page 23

CHRISTOPHER JACKSON

Republican John Raese (left) debated the issues earlier this month in Shepherdstown in a forum with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, (center) and Mountain Party candidate Bob Henry Baber.


cent of the vote to 52 percent for then-Gov. Jay Rockefeller in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat. Jennings Randolph, the liber-al Democrat who’d come to Washington with the 1932 election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was retiring. Raese – who earlier this year publical-ly referred to FDR as “Fidel Roosevelt” – backs abolishing the Environmental Pro-tection Agency, the Department of Edu-cation, the Department of Energy and the elimination of the federal minimum wage. During the Shepherdstown debate, Raese repeatedly said government regulations are “absolutely strangling” job growth. He called Obama “anti-coal, anti-West Virgin-ia” and said that “the trouble with Joe Man-chin is that he’s playing on the wrong team – Barack Obama is his quarterback.” If elected to the Senate, Raese vowed to be Obama’s “worst nightmare. Every day, I’d be his worst enemy.” “Joe Manchin endorsed Barack Obama’s candidacy after Obama said he would bank-rupt coal,” Raese has said. “Manchin vot-ed against repealing Obamacare. He took thousands in campaign contributions from [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid who thinks coal is making us all sick.” In 2006, Raese finished with just 36 per-

cent of the vote in his effort to unseat U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd in what would be Byrd’s final campaign. Following Byrd’s death in mid-2010, Raese finished 10 per-centage points behind Manchin in a special election to fill the Democrat’s unexpired term. Raese also ran for the Republican nom-ination for governor in 1988, winning 47 percent of the vote to scandal-plagued in-cumbent Arch Moore’s 53 percent. Now Manchin, Raese and Baber – a poet, Glenville State College administrator and former mayor of Richwood – are com-peting for a full, six-year term in the Sen-ate. A crowd of 200 students, citizens and journalists attended the debate in Reynolds Hall as the trio fielded questions on health-care, the economy, education, the environ-ment and foreign affairs. During the debate, Baber repeatedly chid-ed the Republican candidate, at one point saying mockingly: “It’s amazing to me … if we just unfetter these ‘Titans of Industry’ and allow them to do whatever they wish, and we just get rid of Obamacare, then ev-erything will be just perfect with the Unit-ed States and we can all go home.” He also defended Manchin, pointing out that while Raese described Manchin as an Obama supporter, Manchin hadn’t yet joined the Senate when the Affordable Health Care Act passed. Baber asked: “Will you stop at nothing,

Mr. Raese, to try and tie Joe Manchin [to Obama]? He’s shown again and again that he’s an independent person.” For his part, Manchin described himself as “the most centrist member of the U.S. Senate” and outlined the bipartisan ap-proach he’s taking to make changes to as-pects of the healthcare reform law. “To the people that say ‘Repeal,’ I say, ‘What are you going to replace it with?’ The easiest vote I can make in the Senate is ‘No.’ It’s easy. I don’t have to explain it. I can be against everything, but that’s not fixing America.” The nation’s healthcare system does well

at helping many sick people get well, Man-chin said, but rising costs and a lack of ac-cess to care and incentives to live healthier lifestyles means “we’re not doing a great job keeping people from getting sick in the first place.” By making preventive care available to more Americans, the cost of health care will be driven lower, Manchin said. Raese said that while he believes Man-chin “has his heart in the right place, the problem is when he’s in Washington, he’ll do whatever Barack Obama and Harry Reid tell him to do.”

DebateFROM PAGE 22

ROBERT SNYDER

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (right) makes a point during this month’s debate with his Republican challenger, Morgantown businessman John Raese. CHRISTOPHER JACKSON


BRYAN CLARK Spirit Staff

CHARLES TOWN – In the race for West Virginia’s Second Congressional District, Democratic challenger Howard Swint has built his campaign around allegations that six-term incumbent Shelley Moore Capito and her husband Charles profited from stock trades using non-pubic information – com-monly called “insider trading.” National fury over insider trading by U.S. legislators erupted following the November 2011 publication of Throw Them All Out: How Politicians and Their Friends Get Rich off Insider Stock Tips, Land Deals, and Cro-nyism That Would Send the Rest of Us to Pris-on. The book, together with a highly-viewed episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes reviewing its claims, led to widespread public outcry and passage of the STOCK Act, which made in-sider trading by legislators illegal. Insider trading by legislators was legal prior to pas-sage of the act. Written by Peter Schweizer, a conservative author and researcher at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, the book exposed questionable stock trades made by a number of Senators and Representatives on both sides of the aisle, including House Speaker John Boeh-ner (R-Ohio), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), former Presidential candi-date Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and House Financial Services Chairman Spencer Ba-chus (R-Ala.) Capito, who serves on the Financial Servic-es Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Cred-it, is briefly mentioned in the book as well: “Capito and her husband dumped between $100,000 and $250,000 in Citigroup stock the day after the briefing.” The briefing referred to was a private meeting between congressio-nal leaders and bank regulators. Capito’s hus-band was also a Citigroup employee at the time of the alleged stock dump. In a number of opinion pieces Swint wrote for The Charleston Gazette he made a num-ber of other charges regarding insider trad-ing by the Capitos, specifically that a second

stock dump took place one day before Citi-group shares plunged 23 percent in a single day. At the same time, he alleges, they made a bet that the stock would increase in the future, which it did five days later when Citigroup’s second bailout was announced. Swint further argues that it is unethical for Capito to serve on committees charged with oversight of financial institutions while her husband worked for banks they were charged with regulating and given that they both own considerable amounts of stock in some of these banks. Capito’s team has fired back. Kent Gates, her campaign manager, in an interview with the Gazette, called the allegations “absolute-ly false and without evidence,” adding that “Swint’s entire campaign has been waged on personal, false attacks and now intentional lies like this.” Capito’s campaign accused Schwiezer of making “seriously misleading statements,” and Gates recently said that he had backed off of the statements about Capito in subsequent

interviews. Capito spokesperson Jaime Corley points out that Capito voted against the bank bail-outs and dismisses Swint’s allegations as spu-rious. “Members of Congress are not exempt from insider trading laws—it’s unethical and illegal no matter who you are. Congresswom-an Capito voted against the bank bailouts and is a strong supporter of the STOCK Act. The public has a right to expect complete trans-parency and full disclosure of financial inter-ests and transactions made by Members of Congress, and that’s why the Congresswom-an has always filed appropriate documents in-full and on-time. “This is nothing more than political postur-ing by Howard Swint to shield the fact that he supports job-killing policies, a harsher EPA, a government-takeover of healthcare and high-er taxes on job creators and families,” she wrote in an email.

The facts The Spirit has investigated the most impor-tant claims of this debate, and evaluated their

truthfulness. n Swint: “Clearly (the Capitos) have non-public information that comes from oversight of the banks.” This claim is true. The House Financial Services Committee, on which Capito serves, and the Subcommittee on Financial Institu-tions and Consumer Credit, which she chairs, are charged broadly with oversight of finan-cial institutions and financial regulators in-cluding the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Re-serve Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission. These positions grant her ac-cess to information discussed in closed-door hearings that is not available to the general public. n Swint: The Capitos “dumped up to $250,000 of Citigroup stock” one day before it plunged 23 percent, avoiding a massive loss. This claim is true, but the situation is more complicated. Capito’s financial disclosure statement shows a sale of between $100,001 and $250,000 of Citigroup stock over three days in 2008, including on Nov. 18. It closed at $83.60 a share on that day and fell to $64 by close on Nov. 19, a one-day 23 percent loss that the Capitos avoided by selling the stock. However, while Nov. 19 was an especial-ly bad day for Citigroup, the stock price had been declining rapidly for a considerable pe-riod, having lost 45 percent of its value in the prior month and 75 percent of its value in the prior year. If the Capitos had held the stock for a long time prior to the sale, they would have already taken a very large loss. n Gates: Schweizer has backed off his statements about Capito. This claim is mostly false. Schweizer has repeatedly, and to multiple media outlets, in-dicated that he stands behind all the factual claims in his book and that he is not back-tracking. However, Schweizer’s original statement about Capito’s trades would lead most readers to believe that she was present at the closed-door meeting between congressional leaders and financial regulators. She says she was

Fact check

u See CAPITO Page 27

Swint says Congresswoman used inside info on trades;

Capito spokesman callsallegations ‘absolutely false’

Shelley Moore Capito (near right) has served as the Eastern Panhandle’s representative in Congress since 2001. Her challenger Nov. 6 is Democrat Howard Swint (right).

Howard Swint says it is unethical for the Congresswoman to serve on committees charged with financial institutions’ oversight when her hus-band’s work is banking.

“Swint’s entire campaign has been waged on personal, false attacks and now intentional lies like this.”

Kent GatesCapito spokesman


Color


“Selfless Service”

ELECT BILL ARNICAR MAGISTRATE

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Were they right?“The problem is not individual incumbents,

but rather chronic incumbency.”Professor Mark Petracca, University of California

“When executive and judicial powers are unitedin the same person or body, there can be no liberty.”

James MadisonJames Madison

“To be truly great, one has to stand with the people, not above them.”

Charles Montesquieu

Bobby ShirleySheriff of Jefferson County

Re-elect

PAID FOR BY THE CANDIDATE

— Sheriff Bobby Shirley

Proudly serving Jefferson County law enforcement for more than 30 years.

It is an honor to be yourSheriff. I ask for your voteNovember 6 so that I cancontinue to serve yourfamily and mine.

Virginia switch from coal, the level of air pollution will improve. We must diversify our energy generation portfolio in West Virginia. The ever-increasing use of solar energy for consumer and commercial use must be fostered. This is critical in Jefferson County where we do not have natural gas available by pipeline and much of our home heating is by oil. The use of commercial and consumer solar in Jefferson County is a model for the rest of the state. Too many people see the tradeoff between resource extraction jobs and protecting the environment as an either-or proposition. As we look at the next 20 years and the consequences of short-sighted energy policies, we must bring everyone to the table to make a thoughtful plan for coal, oil, gas and alternative energy in West Virginia that both acknowledges the need to protect the environment and the consequences of failing to plan.”

On the budget “We are fortunate to to deal with Medicaid expansion issues while the state has a budget surplus. However, we must be vigilant to adjust the

budget to fully fund Medicaid. We must look to an austere budget, if necessary, to pay for the expansion. The implications of failing to adequately fund Medicaid are almost unthinkable. Nearly one-third of Medicaid dollars go to nursing home care for senior citizens, and we must remember that an expanded Medicaid will help protect seniors who face having to spend down to virtually nothing to afford nursing home care. We must stay on a path of fiscal responsibility while being mindful of our responsibilities to those who have the least.”

SkinnerFROM PAGE 13

City based organization that was founded by a group of attorneys in 1970. A primary focus with regard to its policy agenda involves global warming and carbon dioxide. The NRDC has initiated several legal actions regarding the interpretation of federal legislation. The effect of the decisions in these cases has been the transfer of the power to balance economic and environmental concerns from the individual state governments to federal regulatory agencies. Several of their cases have been brought before the Supreme Court. It is up to Congress to clarify the legislation on which these cases and the resultant decisions are based, or for there to be further clarifying legal actions. There needs to be a balance between economic concerns and the need to protect the environment. That power should not rest solely with any one entity. There needs to be a balance between the states, the federal government and its regulators. While it is the role of the federal government to regulate commerce between the states, the rights of states should not be ignored.”

On the budget “I am not so sure that the PEIA and OPEB unfunded liabilities are completely solved. The ability to meet the obligations of these

SimonFROM PAGE 13

pension and benefits funds is based on certain assumptions. The funds in these entities are invested and the assumption is that the return on these investments will be 7.5 percent annually. The most recent annual return was only 1 percent. This has the potential to create a significant shortfall with regard to meeting obligations down the road. With regard to Medicaid – this program is an unfunded mandate from the federal government. As with question No. 2, the state government has little to say about it. The best way to deal with this issue is for the West Virginia economy to grow. Job creation will reduce the Medicaid rolls and its liabilities.”

“Too many people see the tradeoff between resource extraction jobs and protecting the environment as an either-or proposition.”

Stephen Skinner

“There needs to be a balance between economic concerns and the need to protect the environment. That power should not rest solely with any one entity. There needs to be a balance between the states, the federal government and its regulators.”

Elliot Simon


Jefferson County

Assessor

“Experience Matters”

Re-elect

Angela L. Banks

Paid for by Committee to Elect Banks Assessor

CapitoFROM PAGE 24

Jefferson County’s voting precinctsCharles Town area 65th Delegate district 2 Wright Denny Elementary School, 209 W. Congress St., Charles Town 3 Charles Town Baptist Church, 203 E. Congress St., Charles Town 4A Fellowship Bible Church, 160 Daniel Road, Shenandoah Junction 4B Fellowship Bible Church, 160 Daniel Road, Shenandoah Junction 6 Senior Center, 103 W. Fifth Ave., Ranson 7 Ranson Elementary School, 600 N. Preston St., Ranson Charles Town 67th Delegate district 12 Jefferson High School, 4141 Flowing Springs Road, Shenandoah Junction Harpers Ferry 67th Delegate district 13 C.W. Shipley Elementary School, 652 Shipley School Road, Harpers Ferry 14 Camp Hill Wesley Methodist Church, 601 Washington St., Harpers Ferry 15 Harpers Ferry Middle School, 1710 W. Washington St., Harpers Ferry 17 Blue Ridge Mountain Fire Hall, 181 Keyes Gap Road, Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry 66th Delegate district 16 Oakland Methodist Church, 70 Oakland Terrace, Charles Town 21A Blue Ridge Elementary School, 18866 Charles Town Road, Harpers Ferry 21B Blue Ridge Elementary School, 18866 Charles Town Road, Harpers Ferry

Kabletown 65th Delegate district 19 Charles Town Middle School, 193 High St., Charles Town 23A Country Day School, 449 Rose Hill Drive, Kearneysville

23B Country Day School, 449 Rose Hill Drive, Kearneysville 24 Washington High School, 300 Washington Patriots Drive, Charles Town

Kabletown 66th Delegate district 20 Kabletown Methodist Church, 3481 Kabletown Road, Charles Town 22 Summit Point Baptist Church, 96 Hawthorne Ave., Summit Point Middleway 66th Delegate district 25A South Jefferson Elementary School, 4599 Summit Point Road, Summit Point 25B South Jefferson Elementary School, 4599 Summit Point Road, Summit Point 26 Leetown Methodist Church, 11133 Leetown Road, Kearneysville 27 North Jefferson Elementary School, 6996 Charles Town Road, Kearneysville 29 T.A. Lowery Elementary, 103 Shenandoah Junction Road, Shenandoah Junction Middleway 65th Delegate district 28 First Baptist Church, 614 Lone Oak Road, Ranson Shepherdstown area 67th Delegate district 31 Covenant Baptist Church, 7485 Shepherdstown Pike, Shepherdstown 32 Bethel United Methodist Church, 855 Carter Ave., Bakerton 33 Trinity Episcopal Church, 208 W. German St., Shepherdstown 34 Shepherdstown Elementary School, 662 S. Church St, Shepherdstown 35A Shepherdstown Fire Hall, 8052 Martinsburg Pike, Shepherdstown35B Shepherdstown Fire Hall, 8052 Martinsburg Pike, Shepherdstown

not, which he does not dispute. But in September he told MorganCoun-tyUSA that he still finds the timing of the trades “very disconcerting and very trou-bling.” n Swint: The Capitos made bets that Citigroup’s stock would rise in the future based on inside knowledge of an impending bailout. This claim is partly true and partly unver-ifiable. Capito’s financial disclosure state-ment shows that on Nov. 18 and 19, 2008, the same time he sold a large quantity of Citigroup stock, Capito’s husband bought “call options” – effectively, bets that the stock price will rise in the near future – on Citigroup. On Nov. 23, five days later, a second bail-out package was publicly announced, which caused the stock to rebound 58 percent over its previous closing price. The disclosure forms do not make clear, however, wheth-er the call options were ever exercised. The size of the call options was also considerably smaller than the amount of stock that had been sold, between $1,001 and $15,000. It is impossible to tell whether this trade was made on the basis of nonpublic infor-mation, but the transaction did take place

only a few days before the announcement of the bailout. n Swint: The Capitos were able to real-ize an up-to $50,000 capital gain on Citigroup stocks that had lost 76 percent of their value over the year. This claim is partly true but misleading. It is true that Capito’s husband reported be-tween $15,001 and $50,000 in capital gains and dividends from Citigroup stock in 2008, but this does not mean his stock gained that much during that time. Capital gains are reported as the price dif-ference between when a stock was purchased and when it was sold. If the Capitos were sell-ing stock they had held since the early 1990s it would be at a capital gain even though the stock would have been worth much less than it was a year earlier. n Swint: Capito’s trades were made with nonpublic information Swint’s overall claim is plausible but not verifiable. Capito certainly had access to non-public information, but there is no way to know for sure whether her husband’s trades in Citigroup stock were motivated by any non-public information she possessed or whether she possessed any nonpublic information on Citigroup’s position in particular. Some of the trades seem to have been ex-tremely well-timed, but this is not conclusive evidence that they were made with nonpublic information. There is no information that con-clusively refutes this claim either, however.


MAGISTRATE

RISSlERMARy PAulRe-elect

Experience:17 years service as Magistrate plus 10 years in private law firm

Education:Graduate, National Institute of Paralegal Studies

Paid for by the Committee to Re-Elect M.P. Rissler Magistrate, Rebecca Jones, Treasurer.

“Using the foundation of education and experience, I promise to serve Jefferson County with integrity, competence and common sense.”

What makes you more qualified than your opponent?

SheriffRobert ‘Bobby’ Shirley Democrat• High school graduate. Completed State Police basic training and basic operation and physical security training• Retired Lieutenant with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Lead Security Supervisor at Customs and Border Patrol Advanced Training Center• Served as Sheriff from 2008 to present

“I bring 30 years of experience and knowledge to the job of Sheriff. I have an excellent rapport with the Coun-ty Commission, other elected officials and surround-ing law enforcement agencies. I understand the budget, know how to cut waste and obtain additional funding through state and federal grants. I have received approxi-

mately $100,000 in forfeitures and seizures from drug re-lated investigations. I have an open door policy and hold monthly public meetings allowing citizens the chance to have a voice. I restructured the department to better uti-lize its resources and provide maximum county coverage. I thank you for your continued support.”

Earl Ballenger Republican• High school graduate. Completed training at the State Police Academy• Retired Seargent with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; 15 years service in Central Intelligence Agency. Honorably discharged from U.S. Army• First run for elected office

“I am seeking to represent the citizens of Jefferson County as a Sheriff with integrity and real world expe-riences. As a deputy, a veteran and [former] CIA em-ployee, I have dedicated my life to being a public ser-vant towards the betterment of society. I feel my ex-periences in working in a variety of high-stakes situa-

tions while always maintaining a professional demeanor speaks to my common sense and conscientious manner. Becoming Sheriff is an extremely huge responsibility. If elected, I welcome all the challenges associated with the successful operation of such a vital entity of society. Honored to protect and serve.”


Please remember to exercise your right to VOTE!


CHRISTINE MILLER FORD

When it comes to West Virgin-ia politics, the state seems to have developed something of a split personality.

Democrats retain most elected positions in county government and at the Statehouse, but in presidential races and in the leaders picked for Congress, West Vir-ginia increasingly is in the Red. Time was – and for quite a long time, too – Mountain State voters were as true Blue as could be. In the 1980s, the state’s entire GOP Senate delegation amounted to a lone lawmaker: Donna Boley. West Virginia even went for Democrat Mike Dukakis in the presidential election of 1988, a stance taken by just nine states and D.C. But since the turn of this century, it’s been the Repub-lican presidential candidate that has garnered the most votes in West Virginia – and most predict West Virginia will go for Republican Mitt Romney in a big way come November. Everyone wonders how this expected pro-Republican tilt will affect turnout and the outcome of all the other races on the Nov. 6 ballot. In much of the state, registered Democrats still out-number their GOP brethren 2-to-1, but Republicans con-tinue to narrow the gap. The Red trend particularly has taken hold in the Eastern Panhandle, which always has been friendlier to Republicans compared to the rest of West Virginia. Across the state, many voters registered as Democrats lean decidedly to the right. West Virginia Democrats tend to be more conservative – on both social and fiscal issues – than do Democrats across the nation. They also back gun rights and tax cuts. Coal is another prime concern. During the first presi-dential debate Romney used the term “war” to highlight how many voters, particularly in southern West Virginia, regard President Barack Obama as an enemy. “People in the coal industry feel like it’s getting crushed by your policies,” he said. “Stop the War on Coal.” There’s no question that Obama continues to be wild-ly unpopularity in West Virginia. In the May primary, a political newcomer and relative unknown from Texarka-na, Texas, managed to siphon 41 percent of the Demo-crats’ support. (Keith Judd may be better known as Fed-eral Correctional Institution Inmate No. 11593-051, or Anybody But Obama.) Given that display, how badly might an anti-Obama vibe hurt Democrats running for statewide and county-level offices? In the Eastern Panhandle, nearly every lo-

cal race and legislative contest has a strong candidate on each side – and the same is true for statewide offices, including for the top job in the Department of Agriculture, for Attorney Gen-eral, for Trea-surer, Auditor and other po-sitions. The par-ty does seem to still have a tight hold on the governor’s office. It’s been that way since 1932 when Depres-sion-weary voters re-jected President Her-bert Hoover’s bid for a second term in the White House and in West Virginia elected Herman G. Kump as gov-ernor. In all the decades since, only Arch A. Moore Jr. and the late Cecil Underwood have been the Republicans elected governor. Voters backed Moore, in 1968, 1972 and then again in 1984. Underwood won a single term in 1956 and another in 1996. Bill Maloney would very much like to join the Moore-Underwood club. A millionaire business owner and drilling consultant based in Morgantown, Maloney fin-ished with 47 percent last year to 50 percent for then act-ing-Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin of Logan County in a spe-cial election to fill the remaining year of Democrat Joe Manchin’s term. Next month’s vote offers a rematch be-tween Tomblin and Maloney, with the winner getting a full, four-year term of his own. Manchin, re-elected governor four years ago with 70 percent of the vote, was sent to D.C. after a special elec-tion to fill the unexpired term of Robert C. Byrd, who died in mid-2010. At the federal level, West Virginia now is nearly as Red as Blue. In Congress, the longest-serving of the state’s House members is a Democrat – Nick Joe Ra-hall, who has been elected from Southern West Virginia since 1977 – but the two other seats belong to Republi-cans, Shelley Moore Capito (Moore’s daughter, the 58-year-old Glen Daniel native has served since 2001; she faces Howard Swint in her re-election bid next month)

and David McKinley, the for-mer chairman of the state’s

Republican party, who took office last year.

Over in the Sen-ate, conservative Republican busi-nessman John Raese this fall is aiming to unseat Man-chin and snag a full, six-year Senate term in the seat that once belonged to Byrd. (West

Virginia’s se-nior Senator is

Jay Rockefell-er, first elected in

1984 amid Ronald Reagan’s landslide when he narrowly defeated Raese.) Do think about this: Whether you lean Red, Blue or another hue, please take time to make your voice heard on Nov. 6 – or head to the courthouse to fill out a ballot during the early voting period, which begins today. No one knows when the vote you cast here in West Virginia could alter the course of history. Back in 2000, contested votes in Florida famously led to a Supreme Court edict that sent George W. Bush to the White House, despite the fact that he’d lost the popu-lar vote nationwide. That year, as Bush became the first Republican to car-ry West Virginia in 16 years, only four states – Nevada, Georgia, Arkansas and Hawaii – had lower turnouts among eligible voters than our state. Had more West Virginians voted, the race here might have swung to Democrat Al Gore – and then he would have had the required 270 Electoral College votes to be-come president, whatever the outcome in Florida. “Too busy” was the most commonly cited reason for not voting in 2000, according to a study by the U.S. Cen-sus. This election matters. No matter how busy you are, get out and vote, and encourage others you know to take time to get to their precinct, too. In the words of Lotte E. Scharman, who fled Hitler’s Germany and worked in the United States on govern-ment access issues until her death in 1970: “Democracy is not a spectator sport.”

Split personality West Virginia: True Blue no more?


Joe Manchinhas been endorsed by:

STANDING UP FOR WEST VIRGINIA

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www.JoeManchinwv.coMFacebook: Joe Manchin iii

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