Charleston, W.Va. — A former West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman says his party cannot sit out next year’s U.S. Senate race.
“It would be foolhardy for the Democrats to simply give up this seat,” said George Carenbauer. “This is among the most important seats in the United States and we do need to have, we need to have as a party, a strong candidate, a strong challenger.”
Earlier this week, Ralph Baxter, an attorney in Wheeling, became the latest Democrat to announce his plans not to run for the nomination.
The former chairman and CEO for Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe says now is the not the right time for him to make such a run.
But Mike Stuart, a former state Republican Party Chair, says he thinks the likely Republican U.S. Senate nominee, Second District Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, scared him.
“I think he knew that, at the end of the day, he was going to spend probably millions of his own dollars and lose badly,” said Stuart. “Shelley Moore Capito has a strong record. We know her to be a friend of West Virginia. She’s represented us well.”
Capito launched her U.S. Senate campaign even before U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller announced his plans not to seek reelection. So far, no Democrat has stepped forward as a possible replacement for Rockefeller who is in his fifth term.
Charleston Attorney Nick Preservati is reportedly being recruited to run for the Democratic nomination. Other possible Democrat candidates include state Supreme Court Justice Robin Davis and Secretary of State Natalie Tennant.
Both Stuart and Carenbauer were guests on Friday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 13.