callahan or robb- who's your pick?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

to unseat capito

one vote for robb here

[Staph]

1. Here's another vote for Robb . . .

Callaghan doesn't impress me.

[wallybarron]

2. Robb

[Moonshine Mike]

3. county candidate forums

are either of these guys showing up at cadidate forums around the state?

[hollowdweller]

4. Robb, he's pretty much an honest person.

[Laura Heuchan]

5. Mike Callaghan

I met Mike Callaghan for the first time on Sunday.  He came to
a Meet Your Democratic Candidates forum here in Randolph
County.  The forum was held in Harman, WV.  I came away with a
favorable impression of him both from his short speech (we
have 13 people running for County Clerk so nobody is given
very long to speak) and from my conversation with him.

He is personable, down to earth and touched on the issues that
I care about.  Specifically, he spoke about the illegalities
of the Bush Admin., the confusion with Medicare Part D, the
specific needs of WV that are unmet with Capito representing
us and a little about his background.

I'd like to know what it is about Robb that is appealing to
those of you who are going to vote for him.    

Thanks,

Laura 

[wallybarron]

6. Callaghan was

party chairman when there was that big push to take choice out of the state platform. I consider him pretty much of a party hack. Robb has done a lot of interesting things like the resolution against the war in S Charleston.

[Laura Heuchan]

7. Get rid of Capito

Thanks for the reply. I thought Callaghan's Dad was party Chairman, maybe I'm mixed up. Was Robb recently a registered Republican? Someone told me that or maybe I'm mixed up about this as well. Who else has filed for the primary? I think there is a 3rd candidate?

I did see many Robb signs on the 24 mile drive back from Harman. I was told that Callaghan has a large billboard on the way out of Harman going west. It was crappy weather on Sunday and I wasn't paying attention much to anything but the road.

I am most concerned about having a candidate run against Capito with a good chance of raising some money and winning the election. I worked for Erik Wells in 2004 and really did like him but I know he didn't raise enough money (whatever enough is) but still did very well against Capito. This is a large, geographically dispersed district running from Charleston to the Eastern Panhandle.

If Democrats can't take this Congressional seat this year, I don't see how we can hope to take it later. I've met Capito and liked her on a personal level but she is truly the best example of a Bush/RNC puppet.

I will support very strongly whoever gets the nomination but at this point I am supporting Callaghan.

We have another Randolph County Candidates' forum here in Elkins on April 2nd, at the American Legion and I hope Robb can make it so I can meet him. I'm running for the County Executive Committee for the Elkins District so I'll be there and welcome anyone from around the state who would like to attend.

[wallybarron]

8. Mark Hunt

Is the 3rd candidate. You should google him. He has a lot of money if that's what you're looking for. I think you're right about Callaghan's dad. When Capito ran against Jim Humphries (is that right?) Dems preferred her.

[Laura Heuchan]

9. thanks

Thanks for telling me the name of the 3rd candidate. I know who Mark Hunt is and just did a little more reading about him. I'm not really enamored with a candidate having a lot of money, I just think that there is some minimum amount that must be raised to have a chance against Capito. Not sure what that minimum is, I don't think that the Democratic Candidate has to raise as much as she does (I've read that she'll easily have $2 mill, mabye $3 mill.).

Anyway, I hope all three candidates can make it to our forum on April 2nd. I will support whoever gets the nomination but right now, I hope it's MIke Callaghan.

Here's a link to his website:

http://www.mikewv.com/

Here's a link to an interesting discussion/opinion piece about the race (it certainly seems to be written by a Callaghan supporter):

http://www.ourcongress.org/story/2006/2/6/84640/82769

[Moonshine Mike]

10. Shelley Moore Capito

Shelly has 600K stashed away. I wonder how much is from the DeLay, Abramoff, et. al. PACs?

http://opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cycle=2006&CID=N00009771

The other thing that will help the Dem win is if the county democratic committees GET BEHIND THE CANDIDATE!

I can't tell you how much it irked me to see the Randolph County Dems refuse to help Erik Wells in 2004. Outright refused. Talk about a bunch of patronage junkies. All they said was "manchin machin manchin". What about kerry? oh yea, joe has a job lined up for you if he wins - sorry for asking.

you should find out how committed is the local committe to the slate of candidates .

I'll write more about it once I can start a thread.

[Lasher]

21. Try the research forum on for size

Here's the link to the campagn 2006 - WV

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_oet&address=358x1737

[GrpCaptMandrake]

23. Maybe Callaghan's Dad was Party Chair, once upon a time

But Mike was Bob Wise's DEP Sec'y (brought Stephanie Timmermeyer into the loop; she's despised by environmentalists) and then his party chair. Mike was very comfortable and well-liked with the DNC Leadership under Terry McAuliffe. I suspect Mike would've worked considerably harder for John Kerry than Manchin's man, Nick Casey (a registered lobbyist for the tort reform section of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, b-t-w) did. All told, Mike's a very good guy, personally, and a damned smart lawyer. As a matter of fact, he was my first guest ever when "Head-On" premiered back in February 2004.

Richie Robb is, in fact, a recovering Republican. But he was also prepared to cast his vote for Kerry as an Elector should his vote have come into play. His status as a Vietnam Veteran, coupled with his stand as Mayor of South Charleston against George Bush's war on the people of Iraq earned him a lot of street cred in progressive circles.

Democrats in the Second District are fortunate to have such a pair of excellent candidates from which to choose in the Primary. Either one of these gentlemen would do a great job of replacing "Arch in a Bad Wig."



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[newyawker99]

19. Hi Laura Heuchan!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[davidinalameda]

11. Robb was recently a Republican

he was an elector in 2004

If I was still living back there, I'd have to think long and hard about voting for him for Congress

I can't imagine why Mark Hunt is running for Congress

I figured his credibility would have been destroyed with the cloning thing a few years back

Callahan may be a party hack but I think that he can beat Shelly

Robb would have no luck picking up any Repuke voters because he left the party

I just want to see her sent back to South Hills

[jelavich]

12. One Way Ticket to South Hills

I am with you. Let's get a good solid candidate who can beat Shelley at her game. I like Mike so far. Jim Humpries tried it with money and failed. Erik Wells tried it with no money and failed (and he was good).
Someone with a bit of cash and some hard hits on shelley would be the best.

Someone needs to do the work on her voting record.

[Laura Heuchan]

13. Trying to get a feel for the support for Callaghan

Since I'm running for my County's Dem. Exec. Comm. (I'm an outsider, have been very active and have attended almost all monthly meetings for a year and a half, very few of the elected members bother to attend), I guess I shouldn't support any candidate before the primary but I still like Callaghan.

The reason I'm running for the Exec. Comm. is that in 2004 there was little support for Wells or Kerry here in Randolph County from the local Democratic Party. I care about local races but I also think that we absolutely have to support someone to get rid of Capito and I thought this messageboard would help me understand what is going on in other counties in our Congressional district. Anyone is welcome to email me or pm me if you have any information you don't want to share here.

Thanks,

Laura

[wallybarron]

14. Welcome to

y'all from Elkins. What do you mean an outsider? There was very little support for Wells or Kerry from any local Democratic Party committees. Didn't hear Joe Manchin supporting Kerry either. My two cents, and it is really worth two cents, is the party will support Callaghan. He's conservative, what we call moderate now, and a "old" Dem. If you talk to Walt Helmick's people you can find out who the party is supporting. Now the fact that Walt Helmick is one of the most powerful men in the WV Senate should tell you something. If I think about that too much it makes me really sad.

[Moonshine Mike]

15. Outsiders in the Party

Wally,

I think the term "outsider" refers to "outside the party's committee". Which is very strong in Randolph County. They are treating the local party as some patronage committee.

It was sad how little support Wells or Kerry got from the local party.

Walt Helmick is scary for many reasons.

[theHandpuppet]

18. I thought Wells got some good support in Berkeley County

But perhaps I'm out of the loop. I have to say that during the last election cycle I went to an event where Wells was a featured speaker and I left very impressed. He was a breath of fresh air and I really hoped he'd have a future in WV. I do know the Wells yard signs were eagerly snatched up and I put one in my own yard. Maybe the real problem is that Wells simply isn't "business as usual" and you're right -- that really is sad that someone like Wells probably won't go as far in WV as he should. It's our loss.

[newyawker99]

20. Hi jelavich!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Moonshine Mike]

22. thanks newyawker!

:toast: Thanks fellow patriot! :toast:

[theHandpuppet]

16. I'd vote for Lucifer himself to unseat Capito

But she outranks him. ;)

[davidinalameda]

17. not by much

:bounce: