CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Republican political consultant says West Virginia is not for sale and Democrats need to understand that ahead of the 2014 elections.
“These Democrats run these rich, elite liberals every time, yet (they claim) it’s the Republicans trying to buy the election,” said Greg Thomas. “That’s just not fair.”
On Monday, Democrat Nick Casey announced he had raised almost $500,000 in the two months since he announced his campaign for the U.S. House in West Virginia’s Second District.
“I’m very pleased to have received such a strong backing from a wide variety of people this early who are tired of the broken, dysfunctional politics of Washington,” Casey said in a statement.
Thomas, though, claimed the biggest contributor to Nick Casey was Nick Casey. “Nick Casey, so far, has already put in $300,000,” he said. “He’s only raised about $150,000.”
Thomas talked about the possible 2014 races on Tuesday’s MetroNews “Talkline” which originated from The Greenbrier Resort as part of the 2013 Greenbrier Classic, a PGATOUR FedEx Cup event.
In the Second District, the Republicans who have filed to run for the seat Second District Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito now holds include Larry Faircloth from Martinsburg, Roberty Lawrence Fluharty from Charles Town and Jim Moss from Hurricane. Capito is running for the U.S. Senate.
In the Third District, no Republican has yet stepped forward to challenge longtime Third District Congressman Nick Rahall, a Democrat who is now in his 18th term.
Thomas said he expects a campaign announcement from a Republican soon. “I think you’re going to see a really strong candidate from Huntington that’s going to get a lot of excitement in that area,” he said.
In the First District, Thomas said he’s confident Republican Congressman David McKinley can beat any potential Democrat candidate, including state Auditor Glen Gainer who has been named as a possibility.