West Virginia Democrats owe West Virginia GOP Chairman Mike Stuart a big thank you because he did something we wouldn't have been able to do. Stuart assured former West Virginia Secretary of State Betty Ireland will never be governor.
Ireland, (R-But not right-wing crazy enough)was the one Democrats feared running against this year. Check out this PPP poll that showed her support in West Virginia in April nearly double Maloney's. But Stuart kicked Ireland to the curb after she announced, saying he was even considering a run himself.
"The key is bold leadership. We need a GOP candidate that is not afraid to lead to build a better future for West Virginia," he said.
Keep in mind, he said this after Ireland, who was seen as the "establishment candidate" by the Washington Post and others, had already entered.
Stuart is in the middle of a reorganization of the state party and said he would want to meet with key business leaders before settling on a decision. But he could use the overhaul of the state party as a launching pad for a campaign.
"We will be releasing my vision plan for the state in February which will go a long way toward defining key goals we want to achieve for West Virginia through new leadership," he said. "The race must be about the future as well as a referendum by the people on whether they are satisfied with placeholders as opposed to transformative leadership."
Stuart got heat for that. Party chairman are supposed to build the party and not use the party to build themselves. At this point after yet another Stuart-picked candidate has lost a race going against the national tide, however, Maloney and other West Virginia Republicans might want to check to see whether Stuart really was doing everything he could to help Maloney win or whether Stuart was thinking about his own political future -- again.
In any event, Stuart's backstabbing of Ireland should send the message to any West Virginia Republicans with any kind of moderate views that the West Virginia GOP is no place for you. We have a big tent in the West Virginia Democratic Party and you're welcome inside.