West Virginia Republicans and conservatives, in the past, have had very little presence on the Internet. The few West Virginia blogs and websites that offer Internet readers a conservative viewpoint is limited, which has hurt the effort of Republican and conservative causes in building their organizations and winning elections.
The main goal of West Virginia Red is to offer an outlet for conservative writers and activists to share news, information, and opinions with other like minded individuals.
This project could not come about at a better time. In 2008, Republicans learned the lesson of what happens when we have a weak online and net roots presence.
New media and social networks provided a key role in electing Barack Obama. President Obama devoted substantial resources to building an online network, which he used to recruit volunteers, educate voters, and raise millions of dollars for his campaign.
According to the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 33 percent of Americans claimed that the internet was a major source for news about the 2008 campaigns. In 2004, only 10 percent of Americans made that claim.
The evidence that the 2008 campaign was a transformative election year comes from the substantial generational gap in news consumption habits.
Among younger Americans, those between the ages of 18 and 29, 61 percent cited television as a main source of election news, 49 percent cited the Internet, and only 17 percent cited newspapers. Among Americans 65 and older, however 82 percent cited television, 45 percent cited newspapers, and only 12 percent cited the Internet as a main source of election news.
Pew’s survey conducted just a few weeks before Election Day found that 59 percent of voters had gone online to seek out election content or communicate with others about the campaign.
The most popular activity was watching some type of campaign-related video online: 39 percent of voters said they had watched some type of campaign-related video online. About one-fourth of the electorate read a political blog (27 percent) or visited one of the presidential candidates’ Website (23 percent).
As today’s younger generation become the leading trendsetters of tomorrow and more households gain access to high-speed Internet service, it is not inconceivable that the Internet will be the number one source for campaign news in 2012.
West Virginia Red has enlisted the help of top-notch journalists, bloggers, and activists from around West Virginia. In our initial effort we have recruited ten contributors who will post and offer their opinions on a wide range of subjects and topics. In order for this to be successful, we need the help of readers and activists around West Virginia.
In closing I hope you will visit our website daily. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact the blog administrator at wvared@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing your views and opnions.
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[1] Pew Research Center. “Internet Now Major Source of Campaign News.” October 31, 2008.
What a bunch of unoriginal hacks. This site will do about as well as an ice cold shit sandwich at Subway
Clearly a commenter at 12:57 AM is not encumbered with a job. Just as clearly he prefers his shit sandwiches hot. I say let him have them…
I’m glad to see a “Conservative” web presence in WV. Please allow me to be cautious, as I am not a Republican, and I don’t wish to hear about how Republicans or Democrats will fix our lives. WE THE PEOPLE are the answers to all of our problems, not a bloated bureauocracy filled with over-educated, out-of-touch Politicians of either party. I will be following and reading daily, and I wish you sucess.
The effort is long overdue – best wishes. Agree with Chris that discussions should be about the best answers for the people & the answers from the people, and not answers from a party for the benefit of a party.
I will be reading daily. It is long overdue. Best Wishes!
OhioCounty
Of course I have a job, how else do you think I’d pay for Internet access. It’s incredibly hilarious that the only thing you can ‘attack’ me on is the fact that I posted near 1am.
I’m just glad that someone is around to repost Don Surber links all day.. I just can’t get enough of that freakshow
ByrdIsTheWord… welcome. It’s nice to have the other opinion represented. I notice you are fundamentally unhappy and cantankerous.
I would expect no less.
As for all the other posts, I agree that blind affiliation to any party is not the answer. Historically, neither party has helped ‘We the People” for some time. If I could rule the world, I would select our government from a lottery drawing, something along the line of jury duty. If our Congress were composed of ma-and-pa business owners, plumbers, parents, etc.—just regular people, not ivy-league, millionaires-turned-career-politicians– I would think we’d have better luck. The majority of people are honest and have good intentions. Politicians? Crooks, liars, and theives. Period.
George Washington is attributed having said that individuals who resort to foul language expose the fact that they lack abilities to adequately express themselves. Yes, we have freedom of speach, but comments which are not accompanied with suggestions for achieving positive change are non-contibutory at a time when we are faced with daunting challenges in West Virginia. We desparately need new ideas to implement for positive change and we do not have to resort to mean spirited behavior when we debate what is best for our people. People have the power to achieve change if they channel their resources in effective ways.
It’s also worth noting that “Byrd is the Wryd” has provided nothing substantive to the discussion. I expect that will be the case for him throughout the discussions on this website.
To be objective it could be that “Byrd the Wryd” has never had an opportunity to express his opinions in a debate forum and he could have brilliant ideas for solving some of our problems. Given that thought, we know that WV has a failed eduation system. What does the individual recommend for solving that problem? Maybe he would like to comment on the new West Tests. Just a thought.
It’s hilarious that Repubs assume that someone who’s up late at night must be unemployed.
I’m sure you’re little blog here will do about as well as your “party” did in the last few elections.
Get some real issues (gay marriage is NOT a real issue), start listening to Megan McCain, and then try to come back.
This is great, and I love how liberals tell conservatives how their political leanings should go.
Remember all conservative issues, according to liberal are “NOT real issues”, only their issues are “real”. haha…go get em!
As a conservative, I for one am enthusiastic about anything that brings awareness to the issues. For too long I’ve heard people touting ‘democrat’ or ‘republican’ but have very little idea about the platform of the party the claim to represent. I’ve always been willing to listen to opposing view points, you cannot know what your for unless you truly know what your also against, it is just a shame that so often that a good chance for open idea exchange is met with badgering and insults. I think this stems mostly from the uninformed. (please form your own opinion here as to whom this may apply to)
Glad to see this site. WV Blue needs some competition. By the way…where exactly did they get the title of “West Virginia’s most trusted name for political analysis?” I don’t recall any awards being given out for that. Self-invented, perhaps?
No, it’s not that conservatives have no “real” issues. You’re putting words in my mouth. There are plenty of economic issues that conservatives could be going all out on, especially in WV.
But the social issues conservatives go on about are rooted in religious pandering (hmm, what religion?) or simply an attempt to legislate one particular morality. Such is the gay marriage “issue”. The GOP would be well-advised to distance themselves from the “guns, gays, and God” garbage and get back to their roots. Those things, with the exception of guns (before your knee starts jerking, no – I do not advocate oppressive gun control), are personal issues – not political ones. They’re a distraction. The government shouldn’t be regulating marriage, anyhow.