The West Virginia Governor’s race is getting complicated… and a little nasty.
State Democratic Party Chair Belinda Biafore sent an email to Democrats alleging that “Bill Cole and West Virginia Republicans” are funding the campaign of Mountain Party candidate Charlotte Pritt.
“Bill Cole wants to scam the voters by propping up her campaign because he is so far behind in the polls,” Biafore said. “They are funding her campaign to take away votes from Jim Justice.”
Pritt is formerly a Democrat who is still recognized for her nearly successful run for governor in 1996. The Justice campaign is worried about liberal Democrats embracing Pritt to the point it will hurt Justice’s chances of winning.
“Make no mistake; a vote for Pritt is a vote for Cole,” Biafore said.
Pritt released a statement saying she is shocked and saddened by Biafore’s comments: “The Democratic Party chair should have known that her outlandish reference to me as Cole’s running mate is both impossible and illegal.”
She added, “I am heartsick over the West Virginia Democratic Party’s recent history of abandoning its progressive candidates.”
Biafore also alleged that Pritt is getting help from Bray Cary, the host of the Sunday morning “Decision Makers” interview show. He has contributed $250,000 to the Republican Governor’s Association, which supports Cole, and he recently featured Pritt on his show.
“We’ve always had the Mountain Party candidate on the show. That’s nothing new,” Cary said. “It’s odd that they would try to make something out of that.”
Cole campaign spokesman Kent Gates said the dust-up shows a split within the Democratic Party and that “Justice has a problem with the Democratic base.”
Meanwhile, Cole scheduled a news conference for Wednesday morning where he was expected to announce plans to stand instead of sit during two upcoming debates—the Oct. 4 debate sponsored by the West Virginia Press Association and AARP, and the Oct. 11th debate sponsored by the West Virginia Broadcasters Association and CityNet. (Editor’s note: I am the moderator of the WVBA/CityNet debate.)
The Cole campaign believes the decision to have both candidates sit is deferential to Justice, because Justice has difficulty standing for long periods of time.
“Bill will be standing at both,” Gates said late Tuesday afternoon. “(Debate organizers) have assured me that there would be lapel mics so we are not asking for any additional accommodations.”
WVBA executive director Michele Crist said, however, that the guidelines for their debate have already been established and both candidates will be seated. “(The Cole campaign) signed an agreement to be in this knowing we have complete control of the format.”
Organizers of the WVPA/AARP debate said they also plan to stick with their format, which has both Cole and Justice sitting.
“We’ve instructed the campaigns that the candidates would be seated and we don’t plan any changes, said Tom Hunter, communications director with AARP.
However, the story took another turn Wednesday morning when Gates said the press event “has been canceled.”