The special election to replace the late Senator Robert Byrd has hit a snag:
An impasse among state lawmakers over how to fill West Virginia's vacant U.S. Senate seat may force Gov. Joe Manchin to call a special election on his own.
Talks between Democrats and Republicans in the House of Delegates and state Senate collapsed Sunday evening on the fourth day of a special legislative session.
With time running out for a special primary to be held before the Nov. 2 general election, Manchin may proclaim an election. That decision may come today. [...]
Both the House and Senate have passed differing versions of the needed bills, but Republicans and some Democrats were able to keep the law from taking effect immediately, a decision that takes a two-thirds super majority. Normally, a bill is effective 90 days from passage.
The failure to get the bill to take effect now rendered the bill useless because of the tight timeline needed to hold a primary this summer before the Nov. 2 election.
The sticking point? Republicans say they're protecting the state's constitution and the Democrats say the GOP is trying to add an amendment that would allow Rep. Shelley Moore Capito to get on the ballot.
Stay tuned.