Oct. 15, 2010
Mountain Party Could Play Spoiler for Manchin
Campaign 2010 Analysis: The U.S. Senate Race
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
The name Jesse Johnson may not be known in all households
across West Virginia right now. But that could change after an
upcoming West Virginia Public Broadcasting Debate for the
U.S. Senate candidates.
The four candidates this year are: Republican John Raese, Democrat Joe Manchin, Jeff Becker, who collected enough signatures to run as a Constitution Party candidate, and Johnson, who is representing the Mountain Party, a pro-environment party.
Manchin and Raese have been the two candidates running a fully-fledged and funded statewide campaign, and all polls suggest that one of these two men will win. However, Jesse Johnson, whose Mountain Party has been on the ballot several rounds now thanks to Denise Giardina's run for Governor several years ago, could play a defining role in this contest.
"Third party candidates are not yet strong enough to win in a statewide race in West Virginia," said Jack Ellis, Senior Political Analyst for HNN. "They just haven't been able to raise the funds. However, they oftentimes have articulate folks who gain exposure for their issues. For the Mountain Party this year, that issue is opposition to Mountaintop Removal mining."
"Ken Hechler ran as a 95 year old statesman in the Democratic Party's
special primary election this year," said Ellis. "He ran on the same
exact anti-Mountaintop Removal platform that Jesse Johnson is. Hechler
got almost one out of every five votes in the primary."
Now, Hechler is leading his pro-environment Democrats out of this election and has endorsed Johnson, not Manchin!" said Ellis. "If even a small portion of the "Hechler Democrats" vote for Johnson rather than Manchin, that could get scary for the Governor on Election Night."
"The latest polls suggest that it's going to be a close election between
Manchin and Raese," said Ellis. "So if Johnson can take five points or more
away from Manchin, as the latest CNN poll suggests he can, Johnson can
send a warning the Democratic Party bigwigs will never forget, namely,
"Don't forget about your left flank next time and remember the environment."
Jesse Johnson picked up another endorsement this week, in addition to Ken Hechler's. Charlotte Pritt, who defeated Manchin in the 1996 Democratic Primary has returned to the public discussion in support of Johnson.
In a recent interview with Politico.com, Pritt is quoted as saying that Manchin continues to have a problem with "real Democrats."
"He has a difficulty with real Democrats because his voting and his stand is Republican, and I think you're seeing that in the polls now," said Pritt, a former Kanawha County State Senator.
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Mountain Party Could Play Spoiler for Manchin
Campaign 2010 Analysis: The U.S. Senate Race
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
The name Jesse Johnson may not be known in all households
across West Virginia right now. But that could change after an
upcoming West Virginia Public Broadcasting Debate for the
U.S. Senate candidates.
The four candidates this year are: Republican John Raese, Democrat Joe Manchin, Jeff Becker, who collected enough signatures to run as a Constitution Party candidate, and Johnson, who is representing the Mountain Party, a pro-environment party.
Manchin and Raese have been the two candidates running a fully-fledged and funded statewide campaign, and all polls suggest that one of these two men will win. However, Jesse Johnson, whose Mountain Party has been on the ballot several rounds now thanks to Denise Giardina's run for Governor several years ago, could play a defining role in this contest.
"Third party candidates are not yet strong enough to win in a statewide race in West Virginia," said Jack Ellis, Senior Political Analyst for HNN. "They just haven't been able to raise the funds. However, they oftentimes have articulate folks who gain exposure for their issues. For the Mountain Party this year, that issue is opposition to Mountaintop Removal mining."
"Ken Hechler ran as a 95 year old statesman in the Democratic Party's
special primary election this year," said Ellis. "He ran on the same
exact anti-Mountaintop Removal platform that Jesse Johnson is. Hechler
got almost one out of every five votes in the primary."
Now, Hechler is leading his pro-environment Democrats out of this election and has endorsed Johnson, not Manchin!" said Ellis. "If even a small portion of the "Hechler Democrats" vote for Johnson rather than Manchin, that could get scary for the Governor on Election Night."
"The latest polls suggest that it's going to be a close election between
Manchin and Raese," said Ellis. "So if Johnson can take five points or more
away from Manchin, as the latest CNN poll suggests he can, Johnson can
send a warning the Democratic Party bigwigs will never forget, namely,
"Don't forget about your left flank next time and remember the environment."
Jesse Johnson picked up another endorsement this week, in addition to Ken Hechler's. Charlotte Pritt, who defeated Manchin in the 1996 Democratic Primary has returned to the public discussion in support of Johnson.
In a recent interview with Politico.com, Pritt is quoted as saying that Manchin continues to have a problem with "real Democrats."
"He has a difficulty with real Democrats because his voting and his stand is Republican, and I think you're seeing that in the polls now," said Pritt, a former Kanawha County State Senator.
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