According to the West Virginia Constitution, Article 7, Section 16, & the West Virginia Code Section 3-10-2, we’re having a special election for governor, where party conventions choose the candidates. According to some, Tomblin could say the nearest election day would be in 2012, but several agree that’s precluded by the current statute.
After acting-Governor Tomblin’s press conference yesterday morning, Speaker Thompson issued a press release stating that we need an election sooner than 2012.
“If Gov. Manchin’s replacement is not chosen until November 2012, for the next two years, more than one half of the term, the people of West Virginia will have a governor they did not select, while the counties of the 7th Senatorial District will be represented by only half of their senatorial delegation,” Thompson says in his press release. (Full version here: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/House/Speaker/news_releases.cfm).
Tomblin told Phil Kabler in this morning’s Charleston Gazette that, “I am aware of the strong desires of some wishing to have an election prior to 2012. If my fellow West Virginians express an overwhelming desire to have a quick election, I will work with the Legislature to make that a reality.” (Full story here: http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201011081053).
For what it’s worth, I say all this “mess” goes to the Supreme Court who then rules we have a special gubernatorial election prior to 2012. Needless to say, the next year in West Virginia politics could be quite a headache.
So who all will run for governor? We already know several names (see previous blog posting), but for some reason, and I could be wrong, I have a strong feeling some dark horse could come out and pull a Caperton on the wild, wonderful West Virginia political scene....
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