As candidates poured millions of dollars in to key battleground states surrounding West Virginia and the nation’s attention turns to Ohio, the Mountain State was largely ignored by the major presidential candidates.
With few incentives to campaign in West Virginia, candidates have spent a measly few thousand dollars here — virtually nothing in presidential election terms. Nor did Republican Mitt Romney or Democrat Barack Obama visit West Virginia during the campaign.
“Neither presidential candidate has paid attention to the Mountain State,” Robert Rupp, a political science professor at West Virginia Wesleyan said. “We sit here like Little Orphan Annie and see the attention in surrounding states, rather than ourselves.”
Ohio, Virginia and even Pennsylvania have emerged as crucial states during Tuesday’s election. Rupp says West Virginia is not alone; 41 states have been decided for months, Rupp said.
However, West Virginia does stand alone in some respects. The Mountain State ranks last in terms of election spending from candidates. Rupp said only a few thousand dollars were spent in West Virginia. Additionally, neither Romney nor Obama had any election headquarters in West Virginia, Rupp said.
“All our neighbors get the attention, because they’re seen as states going either way,” Rupp said.
Rupp said he doesn’t blame Obama or Romney. The problem, he said, is the system. Rupp believes the Electoral College is unfair to smaller states like West Virginia.
“There is more chance of changing the Electoral College than this state being highly competitive,” he said.