Just a couple of years ago, the minority Republicans in the West Virginia Senate and House sat helplessly by while the Democratic majority imposed its will. Republican leaders gave futile speeches on the floor, knowing full well that the numbers were against them.
Oh, there were occasional Democrat defections, but usually only if the majority head count showed the leadership was confident it already had enough votes.
The 2014 election flipped the power structure, with the GOP gaining control of the House and the Senate. Republicans hold a narrow 18-16 advantage in the Senate, but the House advantage is significant: 64-36.
The cushion gives the Republican House great latitude… at least when House Speaker Tim Armstead can rally most of his caucus, and that’s not always easy given the far right lean and pet issues of some of his members.
Republican leaders were wary going into Wednesday’s vote to repeal prevailing wage. The controversial measure has mobilized labor and triggered an emotional pushback from Democrats. Labor is trying to establish a firewall and this issue is critical for them.
House Majority Leader Daryl Cowles predicted privately before the session that the GOP had 55 votes, four more than what was needed for passage. He was on target. HB 4005 passed 55-44 with one absent.
Eight Republicans (Canterbury, Hamilton, Hanshaw, Kelley, Rohrbach, Storch, Romine, Wagner) voted with the Democrats, but even with all 34 Democrats, eight Republican defections and one Republican not voting (Flanigan), the minority could not stop the bill. Here is the roll call.
Several Democrats complained that Republicans are ramrodding the prevailing wage repeal through the Legislature. But one man’s ramrod is another man’s deliberate action. The GOP started in the first days of last year’s session with its pent up agenda and that continues during the second session of its majority control.
Republicans have been waiting for their moment.
Meanwhile, the Republican-led Senate has already passed legislation making West Virginia a right-to-work state (SB 01). That was a party line vote… close at 18-16, but still enough to pass and to override an expected gubernatorial veto after it clears the House.
You can hear it in the voices of the Democrats as they make impassioned floor speeches on bills where they know they’re going to lose the vote. It’s frustrating as they continue to adjust to minority party status after 80 years of majority control.
The Dems know it’s a numbers game, and until and unless they can change the makeup of the chambers in an election, that frustration will continue and the Republican agenda will continue to move.