CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A member of the state House of Delegates says elected officials should represent the people who voted them into office, not a political party. Berkeley County Delegate Michael Folk (R-63) said that is not the case among many Democrats.
“They, basically, not all of them, but the majority of them, do what the party leadership tells them to do on votes,” said Folk on Friday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
Earlier this week on the show, state Democratic Party Chairman Larry Puccio said he wanted candidates who “live up to their commitment.” “I don’t want people that jump all around to serve themselves,” said Puccio when asked about recent departures of Democrats for the state Republican Party.
Folk dismissed those comments. “His implied commitment that he’s referring to is to your party. Well, that’s the problem is the party, in this case the Democrat Party, is much further and further removed from your commitment to your oath,” said Folk.
Ohio County Delegate Ryan Ferns became the latest Democrat to change his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican when he made the switch, earlier this week, and launched a campaign for the state Senate in the First District.
Folk said the move from Ferns makes sense to him. “Whether its ACA (Affordable Care Act), the attack on coal by the EPA, you can just go right on down the list of issues that the Democratic Party, especially the leadership of the Democratic Party, are not reflecting the views of West Virginians,” he said.
He said Ferns will find Republicans have a little more freedom when he is on the other side of the aisle starting in January. “We are not forced by leadership, in any form or fashion, to vote any particular way. We get to make our own decisions based on what we believe,” said Folk.
The 2014 Regular Legislative Session begins on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
With the switch from Ferns, the House numbers will stand at 53-47, with Democrats in charge while the split in the state Senate is 24-10.