Nominee Ojeda says upset of state senator sends message

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — An upset winner in a southern coalfields state Senate race says voters are becoming more informed.

Richard Ojeda, a Democrat from Logan County, defeated incumbent state Senator Ark Kirkendoll (D-Logan) by just more than 2,000 votes in Democratic Party’s nomination for the 7th District Senate seat.

Richard Ojeda had facial surgery Wednesday after Sunday's attack.
Richard Ojeda had facial surgery Wednesday after Sunday’s attack.

“I think the people are waking up,” Ojeda told MetroNews Wednesday. “I think the people, especially in southern West Virginia, are realizing (the existence) of the good ol boys network.”

It would be almost impossible to determine how much sympathy vote Ojeda received after he was attacked at a political event in the community of Whitman back on Sunday. He had facial surgery Wednesday morning at CAMC General. He hoped to go home later in the day.

“I don’t think it (the attack) played much of a role. I think it angered a lot of people. I wanted to debate the entire time but was continuously turned down. I wanted to talk about the issues,” Ojeda said.

Jonathan Porter, 41, of Whitman, is charged in the attack. Ojeda claimed again Wednesday he believed the incident was politically motivated. Kirkendoll previously said violence had no place in political campaigns.

Ojeda, who will take on Republican Jordan Ray Bridges in the November election, won Logan, Mingo and Boone counties Tuesday. He narrowly lost in Wayne and Lincoln counties. Ojeda, a military veteran who served in Afghanistan, said he stood up to the old-time politics the people were with him.

“I’m sick and tired watching people walk with their heads in the clouds because they are standing on the backs of better men,” he said.

Tuesday marked the second straight election that a southern coalfields incumbent state senator was thrown out of office. Two years ago it was longtime Mingo County Senator Truman Chafin was defeated in the 2014 General Election. Kirkendoll, whose term will last until the end of this year, had been in office for six years. He took the seat formerly held by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.





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