Raese wins WV GOP primary to go up against SEN. ROBERT C. BYRD

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

This guy fights dirty and owns half the media in WV-don't be surprised if Byrd gets in danger of losing
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http://www.wtov9.com/news/9188670/detail.html?rss=steu&psp=news

U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd will face Republican John Raese in the November election.

Raese, a Morgantown industrialist and media owner, had 60 percent of the vote in Tuesday night's primary. Hiram Lewis, a Morgantown lawyer and National Guard Captain, received 24 percent.

Lewis has been campaigning for more than a year, but Raese got the support of national party leaders.

Retired civil engineer Charles "Bud" Railey of Bridgeport and Rick Snuffer, a minister and radio host from prosperity, each came away with about five percent of the GOP vote. Summersville insurance agent Paul Brown followed with four percent and Princeton Optometrist Zane Lawhorn had two percent.

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. doesn't look like senator byrd has much to worry about.....

if senator byrd's health doesn't fail him, i don't think the voters of w. va. will either.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/February%202006/West%20Virginia%20Senate%20February.htm

i realize this poll was done in february, but while i don't underestimate the media mogul throwing out every dirty trick possible, i just don't think that this is a seat we really have to worry about. i could be wrong? :shrug:

<edited for spelling>

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

2. lewis' billboards have been so embarassing

so unprofessional even conservatives I know make fun of him.

raese, word has it, already has the backing of sean hannity for his campaign. so we can look forward to a visit from that little weasel sometime this year

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

3. it looks like it's del. mark hunt agsint abramoff's buddy capito

not the best choice by the dem primary voters. the religious right will go after him because he wanted to clone his dead infant. not to mention that he's just a guy with a lot of ad money and little substance. richie rob was the best choice, but even callahagn would have been better-he had focus

[hollowdweller]

9. Mark Hunt

You know I think he has more "soft spots" than the other candidates that the GOP can go for. Wasn't he also the one that accidentally carried a gun to the airport too?

On the other hand although that race really lacked in depth coverage, I think that every time I heard from them I was most impressed with both his speaking style and his in depth knowledge of the issues.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

14. that result changed overnight-callaghan won after all

not as good as robb, but miles ahead of hunt-who was another jim humphries

[Charlie Brown]

4. well, since Byrd voted for Alito

it's hard for me to imagine what difference it would really make if a GOPer won. Byrd talks tough on defending the constitution and the Bill of Rights, then approves a guy who will certainly be instrumental in undermining the credibility and protections of those documents.

I don't care for the fact that he voted for the marriage amendment, either.

If I lived in WV, I think I'd vote third-party.

[depakid]

5. Byrd's been the king of pork for that state for so long

that I don't think he really cares what he does.

He thinks he's invulnerable- which is why he might just lose.

[skipos]

8. Ah, the old "no difference between this dem and a republican" line

that has been so incredible inaccurate since it's popular use in the 2000 election.

Research Byrds votes, and you will see a large difference between him and other southern GOP senators.

He is no Boxer or Feingold, but WV is no CA or WI.

[hollowdweller]

10. Sorry, but that's like saying there was no difference between Gore and *

[saltpoint]

6. I think Byrd will be under siege but will prevail. BushCo is NOT

pleased with Byrd's words on the floor of the Senate in opposition to the Iraq War.

Byrd took the board to Bush hard and long, and they have long memories.

I think any Swiftboating is going to backfire. Byrd's a tough hombre. He wins in November.

[WildClarySage]

7. My take is that it's going to be a lot tougher than it looks right now

and that every dirty trick will be played out. Byrd will win anyway, but it won't be pretty. Good thing he's up to the challenge!

While I disagree with many of Byrd's positions, voting for a third party candidate will only help his opponent and risk the seat... a seat we need to keep if we want a majority. He may not be as liberal as I would like on every issue, he is a far cry better than Raese. I'll have not one whit of hesitancy in voting for Byrd again. My only concern is that his age and health will make it impossible for him to run and by default, Raese, who bills himself as 'a Reagan Republican' (presumably to distance himself from the 'Compassionate Conservatives') will win. He's already had several months of campaigning behind him. It would be difficult for an unknown challenger to beat him, esp. with Raese's media connections.

[hollowdweller]

11. Byrd will win but will Raese will attack

As I remember from his previous efforts Raese comes off as arrogant. I think he will hurt Byrd, but WV'ians have a tremendous respect for old people and it will come off as him attacking somebodies grandaddy and work against him.

[maseman]

12. Raese owns

About 5 radio stations in both influential cities as Morgantown and Charleston, WV. He also owns the newspaper in Morgantown. This guy has a ton of money as a steel owner. He ran once before for senate, I believe, and lost.

[TheVirginian]

16. He narrowly lost to Rockafeller in '84.

[Saboburns]

13. Spend you're worry somewhere else.

John Raese won't come within 15 points of Robert C Byrd in the General Election.

As a lifelong Mountaineer I find your characterization of Robert C Byrd as Republican lite appalling.

Do I agree with every one of his votes or stances?? Hell no.

But the man is a SOLID Democrat in a socially conservative state.

It is a PLEASURE to punch the ballot for Robert C Byrd.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

15. raese has a histroy of printing racist literature

in the 1980s the marshall university gop put out a little paper called the staesman, that featured some really vile blatantly racist cartoons.

if hannity comes here to stump for raese, as he's threatened, and tries to bring up the klan issue-all the byrd campaign has to do is get their hands on those back issues and call them on the hypocrisy