West Virginia Now A True Red State

[duane1969]

It just keeps getting better in my home state.

- On Tuesday we elected the first female senator in the history of our state who also happens to be the first Republican senator in our state since 1958.

- On Tuesday our state House of Representatives switched from Democrat control (53D-47R) to Republican control with Republicans gaining a net of 17 seats giving them a 64-36 majority. The largest majority they have ever had and the first majority since the 1930's.

- Republican wins in state senate had evenly divided the senate 17-17. Then something happened yesterday. Word hasn't leaked out exactly what, but rumor has it that there was a falling out between a couple of the Democrat state senators. The net result is one senator switched parties yesterday giving the Republicans an 18-16 majority. The added bonus is that now all major senate committee chairs that were held by Democrats will be vacated and Republican senators will take them as well.

The last man standing is Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. He won the 2011 special election to fill the governor's seat by a paltry 31,434 votes. He will face re-election in 2016. The clock is ticking...

[andrewhoya]

This really surprised me, judging that WV has voted red in the last 4 presidential elections. As someone right down the road in VA, I always thought they were one of the redder states. I guess that was just one of the stereotypes we have of you guys.

[duane1969]

We have been a blue state for most of our history other than presidential elections. The only reason we didn't vote Dem in the last 4 presidential elections is the Dem candidates ignored us. Obama has never campaigned here and as far as I know he has only even been in the state one time to give a 10 minutes speech when the Big Sandy mine collapsed. In 2004 I believe John Kerry only visited Wheeling, which is about as close as you can get to not being in WV while in WV (you can only get there from Ohio or Pennsylvania, no major WV roads go to it). Al Gore actually visited two or three times, but his anti-coal policies (sounds familiar) killed his chances of winning here.

Prior to the 2000 election WV had voted Democrat in all but 3 presidential elections ever. We have only had a Republican governor for 4 terms since the 1930's. As I said before, we haven't had a Republican US Senator since 1958. Only 5 Republican US Representatives since the 1950's.

We have never been a more red state than we are right now and I blame the bulk of it on Obama's policies. In a state that already has a very high unemployment rate, a very high poverty rate and the 2nd lowest median income in the nation, policies that target the coal industry (one of the highest paying jobs in our state) will not earn much love here.

[andrewhoya]

We have been a blue state for most of our history other than presidential elections. The only reason we didn't vote Dem in the last 4 presidential elections is the Dem candidates ignored us. Obama has never campaigned here and as far as I know he has only even been in the state one time to give a 10 minutes speech when the Big Sandy mine collapsed. In 2004 I believe John Kerry only visited Wheeling, which is about as close as you can get to not being in WV while in WV (you can only get there from Ohio or Pennsylvania, no major WV roads go to it). Al Gore actually visited two or three times, but his anti-coal policies (sounds familiar) killed his chances of winning here.

Prior to the 2000 election WV had voted Democrat in all but 3 presidential elections ever. We have only had a Republican governor for 4 terms since the 1930's. As I said before, we haven't had a Republican US Senator since 1958. Only 5 Republican US Representatives since the 1950's.

We have never been a more red state than we are right now and I blame the bulk of it on Obama's policies. In a state that already has a very high unemployment rate, a very high poverty rate and the 2nd lowest median income in the nation, policies that target the coal industry (one of the highest paying jobs in our state) will not earn much love here.

Our stereotypes are wrong then. West Virginia is pretty much only seen as gun-totin' hard core Republicans who watch Duck Dynasty on re-run all day. I never would have guessed they were historical liberal. I know they're poor, but I always thought their social issues trumped their economic issues.

[duane1969]

Simple reality is we have a high percentage of people on welfare and SSI and a high population of elderly who vote to protect their Social Security and Medicaid. Naturally they voted for the ones they think will ensure those checks keep coming and in the past that has been Democrats. However, lately those issues have been trumped by policies that come across as blatantly anti-WV proving that people will vote to protect their way of life over voting to protect their public assistance. Also, be default of having a high percentage of older people we have a high percentage of veterans and the whole VA health care scandal and last year's government shutdown resulting in military memorials being blockaded went over like a lead balloon around here.