To the credit of all concerned, the 2010 special primary election for United States senate went incredibly smooth.
With a short window of opportunity to put the primary plans in place, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and county clerks from around the state did a superb job of planning the special election held in West Virginia this past Sat., Aug. 28th.
Having now completed the process, Lincoln Countians and folks from around the state can now focus on the contest to replace the late Senator Robert C. Byrd.
Byrd, a legend in West Virginia public service, is factually irreplaceable. Carte Goodwin was appointed by Governor Joe Manchin to fill the seat temporarily. When West Virginians vote on November 2, they will chose from the two candidates who won the August 28 special primary for the right to face off for the Byrd seat.
Manchin won the Democrat nomination, picking up more than 70 percent of the vote. Former Congressman Ken Hechler finished a distant second, garnering less than 20 percent.
Morgantown businessman John Raese is the Republican nominee. He, too, gathered more than 70 percent of the GOP vote in a field that included ten candidates.
It is clear that Manchin and Raese offer widely different views about the future of the state and nation. Manchin is a progressive public official, who has shown the ability to handle the leadership of state government with great skill and ability.
Raese is a conservative businessman, whose rhetoric often borders on the absurd. The Republican candidate has already called Manchin, "Governor Soprano" and refers to Senator Goodwin as "Senator Carte Blanche."
We hope that Raese will lessen the insulting comments and engage Manchin in a civilized debate about the future of the state and nation. Recent public opinion polls show the race between Manchin and Raese is tightening slightly, however Manchin still has a comfortable lead, and will most likely be the winner in Novemeber.
We think West Virginians have a right to expect these two candidates to comment of their public positions and offer the voters a glimpse into how they would propose to serve in Byrd's seat. We encourage legitimate debate between the two.
We encourage public debate between Manchin and Raese and believe the voters will be best served to hear the views and ideas of these two candidates.
Raese is a multimillionaire who has lost many times trying to buy his way into an office and Manchin has shown a great ability to raise money. Hopefully the race for Byrd’s seat will be one of respect and dignity as the late Senator would have preferred.