CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Leaders of the West Virginia Republican and Democrat Party say it hasn’t been the most attractive way for their candidates to try and campaign amid all that has happened since March. Changes brought on by Covid 19 restrictions have forced candidates to scrap traditional campaign strategies and improvise as best they can. The voting process has also been turned on its ear.
“Unless you’ve got a lot of money to get on TV or to put in the mail, it’s very difficult. But they’ve been very creative. A lot have turned to ‘honk and wave’ and others have turned to robocalls or actually calling people because more people have been at home and are more willing to listen,” said West Virginia Democrat Party Chair Belinda Biafore.
West Virginia Republican Party Executive Director Byron Fisher admitted it’s not been easy on candidates in their primary either who have been trying to get their message out. But even more concerning for him is the voting process.
“We’re opposed to mail-in voting as we always have been, but we are confident in the fall we’ll have a normal, regular election,” he said.
The pandemic forced the postponement of the election by more than a month. Absentee voting for all voters who requested a ballot for the 2020 primary was approved. Many took advantage of the opportunity.
The Secretary of State also revealed the gap between registered Republicans and Democrats in West Virginia has continued to narrow. Democrats once outnumbered Republicans three or four to one in West Virginia. Today, the Democrat advantage is fewer than 50,000 registered voters. However, also gaining are independent voters in the state–and many of them are young people.
“I’m disappointed and we’re going to have to work a little bit harder, but the Republicans are losing too.” Biafore said.
She blamed a lot of the losses on the non-stop media attention which focused on the extremes of both political parties at the national level..
“I think what folks are seeing on a national spotlight they don’t like and Democrats on a national level are certainly very different from West Virginia Democrats,” she said.
Fisher said the focus on the national party activity has actually helped West Virginia Republicans.
“We had a county in southern West Virginia on the day of impeachment, 19 people went to the courthouse and changed from Democrat to Republican,” he said.
Fisher remained confident the success of Republicans would be overwhelming once the wounds of the primary are bound up. He predicted another large GOP victory in November.
“We have proven leadership. We will win everywhere. We’ll have the best year we’ve ever had,” said Fisher.
However, the leadership in the state party, Governor Jim Justice, wasn’t elected on the strength of Republican voters four years ago. He was originally elected as a Democrat governor, then changed parties after he secured the office. Biafore said many in West Virginians won’t soon forget the decision.
“I took a lot of heat for it, but at the time it (backing Justice) was the right thing to do. He won the majority of the Democrat party so he was our nominee and we went out and promoted him. But it leaves a sour taste when you work that hard for somebody and you trust them and then they turn on you like that. I still don’t see where that deal paid off for Jim Justice,” Biafore said.