A Kanawha County delegate says there will be no large scale change in the state House of Delegates as long as a Democrat is in charge.
“If they’re talking about picking a Democrat as Speaker of the House, they’re talking about continuing on the same failed path that we’ve been on for the last 80 years,” said Republican Delegate Patrick Lane.
“Unfortunately, families in West Virginia lose when that happens.”
Supporters of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Miley from Harrison County say, at this point, he may have the more than 30 Democrat votes he’ll need to become the next House Speaker.
But those who are backing House Finance Committee Chairman Harry Keith White from Mingo County question those numbers.
Delegate Lane says he does not like either option.
“As long as we’re talking about whether it’s going to be Miley or it’s going to be White or any of the other 54 (Democrats), I think we’re really talking about the failed liberal leadership of the past versus the failed liberal leadership of the past,” he said.
Lane says the right choice would be House Minority Leader Tim Armstead from Kanawha County who could most likely count on 46 Republican votes in the House, but that would not be enough to make him Speaker. Five additional votes would have to come from Democrats.
Current House Speaker Rick Thompson’s resignation will take effect next month. He is leaving the House to take over as Secretary of the state Department of Veterans Assistance. His replacement is expected to be chosen in early July.
Delegate Lane says, no matter what happens then, voters will have a say next year about the direction of the House. “The real choice, I think, will be made next November,” he said on Thursday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”