Workable solution for tough problem
Monday’s legislative action was good news for those of us who hoped U.S. Senator Robert Byrd’s successor would be chosen at the General Election on November 2.
While the compromise bill passed by the West Virginia Legislature calls it a “special election,” the U.S. Senate race will be added to the contests on the November ballot. Whoever is elected on November 2 will fill out the last two years and two months of Byrd’s term and have a leg-up for reelection in 2012.
For a time it looked like the bill was in trouble, because Republicans in the House of Delegates wanted to make sure Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito could be a candidate.
Capito wanted the senatorial election postponed and suggested that a special primary election be set for November 2. She was trying to find a way around the fact that she was already on the November ballot seeking a sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The compromise measure allows her to run for both offices if she chooses. If she should win the Senate seat, the governor would presumably appoint another Republican to fill her House seat until the next election.
Of course, Governor Joe Manchin himself is the Democrat front-runner. There had long been speculation that Manchin would go for the seat in 2012 after he left the governor’s mansion and Byrd retired. Byrd’s death on June 28 speeded up that timetable. Yesterday, Manchin announced his candidacy.
To get the Senate contest on the November ballot, a special primary election will be held on August 28 to pick the political party nominees.
Some may complain that because the schedule only allows for a four-day filing period this week and a brief primary campaign, only well-known state politicians can really put together viable campaigns. But, truthfully, only the major figures are likely to win a U.S. Senate seat, anyway.
The bill signed into law by the governor on Monday night only applies to choosing Byrd’s replacement. It doesn’t straighten out the state’s somewhat confusing laws on the subject. The Legislature is expected to look into clarifying the present succession law in January.
The compromise bill seems like a good solution to a pressing problem. It always made sense to pick the next senator during the General Election when more voters would turn out than during a later special election. The contest will definitely give more people a reason to vote in this off-year election.
