CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler (D-Marshall, 02) says he’s “not going to be afraid to be a Democrat” if he opts to run for governor next year.
“We’ve done some wonderful things as Democrats and we’ve run from being Democrats, unfortunately, over the last few election cycles,” said Kessler of his pre-candidacy filing on Monday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
Kessler said it’s important for him to form an exploratory committee early as he weighs a possible gubernatorial campaign.
“If I’m going to do something like that, you need to have organization, you have to commitments and you need to have money,” he said.
“This will give me an opportunity to, a year out before the January filing period starts, to see whether or not it’s something I want to do.”
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who served as West Virginia’s governor from 2005 to 2010, has not ruled out a 2016 run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, but Kessler said his decision will not be affected by Manchin’s plans.
“I’m going to do what I think is best for me and I’m going to be a voice out there saying what I think needs to be done for the state,” Kessler said.
Kessler ran for governor in 2011 during a special election to replace Sen. Manchin when he left the Governor’s Office to replace late U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) in the U.S. Senate.
An attorney from Glen Dale, Kessler was appointed to the state Senate to fill a vacancy in 1997. He was first elected to the Senate in 1998 and reelected for every term since then.
During his time at the State Capitol, he’s served as Senate President, Acting Senate President and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair.
Primary election day in West Virginia is May 10, 2016.