July 21, 2010
EDITORIAL: Coming Full Circle with John Raese
At the heart of our democratic process in this republic of ours is
the famous two-party system. We haven't had a very strong
two-party system in West Virginia since the Great Depression,
but in recent years, enough West Virginians have been able
to see beyond party labels to consider candidates from
the other side of the aisle.
In 1984, Ronald Reagan's re-election year, a young man from Morgantown, all of 34 years of age, gave the two-party system a surprising jolt of serious excitement. Greer Industries CEO John Raese had the audacity to take on one of the world's greatest fortunes. In addition to his limitless bank account, then Governor Jay Rockefeller had the advantage of being:
But hold on, there's more. Raese was heavily outspent by then Governor Jay Rockefeller, $12 million to $2 million. Mind you, this was in a time when $12 million campaigns were reserved only for states as big as California.
But something began to happen, a political tectonic shift that had the Rockefeller campaign scrambling to spend $2 million more in the last days of the campaign. Raese's message was catching fire across party lines--so much so that ABC's "Good Morning America" called Raese's headquarters the day before the election, seeking an interview. Why? "Because our tracking polls indicate that you're going to beat Jay Rockefeller, and that would make you our lead story," they explained. Wow!
Amid some inexplicable election results in certain counties, Rockefeller somehow beat Raese and his momentum by a single percent at the polls that election day. But it had been quite a ride for all involved, especially the young people who identified with the outspoken 34 year old conservative. For the first time in many West Virginians' lives, they had seen what a real political contest looked like. They liked what they saw. Democracy in action.
History may repeat itself this week as John Raese decides whether to challenge Joe Manchin for the unexpired term of the late U.S. Senator Robert Byrd. There are several eerie parallels with the historic 1984 campaign against Rockefeller. Again, Raese would be running against
Raese has been spending his time lately giving talks across the state about the need for more of the kind of higher paying, private sector jobs that gave our country the highest standard of living in the world. He's seen how his industries in limestone and steel are affected by unfair foreign competition and excessive regulation.
The man who challenged the economic recession that hit West Virginia in the early 1980s is poised for something few people get in this life: a second chance to make his case.
This time, West Virginia may be even more willing to listen.
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EDITORIAL: Coming Full Circle with John Raese
At the heart of our democratic process in this republic of ours is
the famous two-party system. We haven't had a very strong
two-party system in West Virginia since the Great Depression,
but in recent years, enough West Virginians have been able
to see beyond party labels to consider candidates from
the other side of the aisle.
In 1984, Ronald Reagan's re-election year, a young man from Morgantown, all of 34 years of age, gave the two-party system a surprising jolt of serious excitement. Greer Industries CEO John Raese had the audacity to take on one of the world's greatest fortunes. In addition to his limitless bank account, then Governor Jay Rockefeller had the advantage of being:
- a two-term Democratic Governor
- with universal name recognition
- in a state with a 2-1 Democratic registration advantage.
But hold on, there's more. Raese was heavily outspent by then Governor Jay Rockefeller, $12 million to $2 million. Mind you, this was in a time when $12 million campaigns were reserved only for states as big as California.
But something began to happen, a political tectonic shift that had the Rockefeller campaign scrambling to spend $2 million more in the last days of the campaign. Raese's message was catching fire across party lines--so much so that ABC's "Good Morning America" called Raese's headquarters the day before the election, seeking an interview. Why? "Because our tracking polls indicate that you're going to beat Jay Rockefeller, and that would make you our lead story," they explained. Wow!
Amid some inexplicable election results in certain counties, Rockefeller somehow beat Raese and his momentum by a single percent at the polls that election day. But it had been quite a ride for all involved, especially the young people who identified with the outspoken 34 year old conservative. For the first time in many West Virginians' lives, they had seen what a real political contest looked like. They liked what they saw. Democracy in action.
History may repeat itself this week as John Raese decides whether to challenge Joe Manchin for the unexpired term of the late U.S. Senator Robert Byrd. There are several eerie parallels with the historic 1984 campaign against Rockefeller. Again, Raese would be running against
- a two-term Democratic Governor
- with universal name recognition
- in a state with a 2-1 Democratic registration advantage.
Raese has been spending his time lately giving talks across the state about the need for more of the kind of higher paying, private sector jobs that gave our country the highest standard of living in the world. He's seen how his industries in limestone and steel are affected by unfair foreign competition and excessive regulation.
The man who challenged the economic recession that hit West Virginia in the early 1980s is poised for something few people get in this life: a second chance to make his case.
This time, West Virginia may be even more willing to listen.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
