Steven Adams of the West Virginia Watchdog website is reporting on the possibility that former Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Justice Elliot “Spike” Maynard could challenge West Virginia Congressman Nick Rahall in West Virginia’s Third Congressional District next year.
Elliot “Spike” Maynard, a conservative Democrat, was elected to a twelve year term on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia in 1996. Adams writes about the possibility that Maynard could potentially challenge Congressman Nick Rahall as a Republican.
Given the news yesterday that Congressman Parker Griffith of Alabama switched from a Democrat to a Republican it’s foreseeable that many conservative Democrats, like Elliot “Spike” Maynard, could be considering switching to the Republican Party which adheres to their conservative viewpoints.
If Maynard chooses to run and then chooses to run as a Republican he would likely bring with him a huge number of conservative Democrats in the General Election who are not satisfied with the performance of Congressman Rahall on issues like health care reform, deficit spending, and Rahall’s less than enthusiastic support of the coal industry.
West Virginia Watchdog writes…
There is one thing missing from the 3rd District. Certainly Gearheart has the passion, but Rahall has defeated him at least once, and would be cannon fodder this time. Bias is an unknown, will continue to be so until his website starts functioning. As for Lucas, at 28 he might be too young to be taken seriously by southern West Virginia.
While the northern 1st District needs someone younger and fresh, the 3rd District needs someone seasoned at the helm. What is missing is an elder statesman to challenge Rahall. The one man who could probably pull off a challenge is Democrat Elliott “Spike” Maynard, former West Virginia Supreme Court Justice. Maynard still has some supporters in southern West Virginia, plus as a judge Spike is used to making clear decisions.
Frankly, both Rahall and Mollohan have been noncommittal on important issues, including cap-and-trade. They both waited until the 11th hour to announce how they were going to vote for it, then voted against it. Judges can’t be that wishy-washy and have to write detailed opinions and dissents explaining their decisions.
Spike Maynard jumping in the race would change the whole dynamic and probably hurt Rahall in the primary. But if that happens is anyone’s guess. Has anyone heard from Spike?
You can read about the Third Congressional District and West Virginia’s other Congressional District races on the West Virginia Watchdog website.
This would be huge. It instantly puts WV-03 into play in 2010.
Justice Maynard is capable of attracting huge support from around the State of West Virginia and could raise serious money in a challenge against Rahall.
I LIKE SPIKE! I LIKE SPIKE! I LIKE SPIKE! I LIKE SPIKE! I LIKE SPIKE!
Steve Allen Adams once again have taken the pulse of the electorate ( Doug, quit sucking of the public dole and take notes!)
WV-1, he hits spot om WV-2, no-brainer. WV-3-well, the WV Watchdog presents us with a possiblity that afew short months ago could have been fathomed. And the rationale is flawless!
Spike isn’t used to waffling on the issues most important to the constituents of WV-3 !! Spike as a Republican will surely cause Nickie Joe to have to explain on a daily basis why he sold working miners and their families down thw tube, while collecting out of state dollars for his PAC and even out of country money!!
It’s time for decisive leadership, and noone is better qualified than Spike!!
Off topic, but i wanted to take the chance to ask Doug and Troy something:
Did either one of you two say something at the County Chair metting a few weeks ago, that wasn’t released yet? Perhaps something real embarrassing, or defamatory or something that would cause doubt abour either one of your decision-making?
Seems to me, that they might be holding the other recordings back to use at another time. Go ahead, Doug, run for Chair!!! Please!!
Troy, perhaps you should take inventory of that over-inflated ego and think about something you might have said !!
I just LOVE technology !!! It abounds everywhere and anytime!!!
And Troy, is there any truth to the “rumor” (now be carfeful how you answer-see above) that you have a clause that gives you a bonus if Doug continues as Chair?
WV Red, feel free to move this post to anothet thread as you see fit!!
If it isn’t wvared breaking the story its Steven Adams. Two of the best bloggers in WV!
Spike Maynard is one of the best conservatives in the state and would make a fine REPUBLICAN Congressman from the 3rd district. Let’s hope he truly is interested in this and has the support he needs. 2010 is the year to stop this madness in DC!
Cannon fodder!?!? I look forward to whatever legitimate challenge is ahead.
Marty
Were any of the recent candidates (Mac Warner, McKinley, and possibly Spike) products of McKinney and Berman recruitment efforts or are these qualified candidates just magically popping up? This is more of a rhetorical as I know neither one have been actively recruiting. Thankfully we have people willing to step forward and run regardless of what the party can, or more likely cannot, do to help.
Magical – None of the candidates you mentioned were recruited by the West Virginia Republican Party.
I can think there will be at least a 250,000 “Legitimate challenge” if Spike Maynard get in the race. He will likely raise $250,000 just for the primary. Probably only needs $100,000.
The good thing about Spike Maynard is Chairman Doug McKinney has already endorsed his candidacy. In 2008, McKinney was singing the praises of Spike Maynard on statewide radio. I remember it very clearly on Hoppy’s radio show.
Does anyone have the audio of the Chairman talking on the radio about Maynard?
Finally, a serious, legitimate challenger to Rahall.
I think you need to be careful in assuming Spike Maynard would be well received, let alone win an election against Rahall (either Dem primary or General election). Spike wasn’t defeated because of his philosophical/political positions. He was defeated because he was perceived as corrupt as a Supreme Court Justice, given his cozy relationship with Blankenship, his attempt to cover it up,and later lying about it (i.e. “neither of us knew the other would be there and we just ran into each other halfway around the world, even though we have been close friends for years”). Perceived corruptness transcends policital parties and usually results in resounding defeat.
It’s going to be hard for Nick Rahall to make the argument that he is ethically superior than Spike Maynard. Rahall has enjoyed many corporate junkets paid for by corporations, lobbyists, political action committees, foreign nations and many others.
There is no doubt that corporate CEOs, lobbyists, indian gaming officials, foreign leaders, and many others have had Rahall’s ear. Your comment shows your ignorance in regards to Rahall and his actions.
This is a race much different than the 2008 Supreme Court race. The people that Spike Maynard needs to win, the people of the coal fields have a much higher approval of Massey Energy and Don Blankenship than the rest of the people in West Virginia.
It’s not hard to find many many families in southern West Virginia that Massey Energy has provided Christmas gifts, a dinner, a scholarship to school, and provided a facilities for kids to play ball in regularly.
While the liberals of Charleston and the Eastern Panhandle may hate Spike Maynard, he understands the importance of coal and coal mining to a multitude of families in WV-03.
Maynard, if he runs, will represent conservatives and he can win.
Tony B., ignorance and arrogance is reflected by someone who attributes comments and/or thoughts to another, when in fact neither occurred. I said nothing about Rahall, instead, commented only on Maynard. The facts about which you speak regarding Rahall have been in existence for years, yet he keeps getting re-elected every 2 years. So you think those same people who have repeatedly voted for him will now turn away from him and support someone perceived as corrupt? You may think so, I do not. Your comments suggest that you have blinders on and are willing to ignore facts and history. Good luck with that type mindset.
You did speak about Maynard, but do you not think what I wrote about Rahall will become an issue in a general election campaign?
How can Rahall say Maynard is corrupt for appearing in pictures with a corporate CEO in a foreign country while Rahall enjoys corporate political action committee junkets to foreign countries? He accepts huge amounts of money from American Indian gaming facilities.
I am operating under the premise that Maynard runs as a Republican. The difference between a Rahall vs. Maynard campaign and campaigns against Rahall in the past is the former Republican candidates didn’t have the resources to communicate Rahall’s issues with voters.
I also think the environment is so toxic toward current incumbent Members of Congress that people are looking for new and fresh representation.
Couple that with the public outrage over Rahall’s support of health care reform, growing the national debt, not standing up for coal, and not providing a check and balance to the Obama administration people are tired of Rahall and other incumbents.
Nick Rahall is a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama’s liberal agenda. The campaign is not based around electing Maynard, it’s we need to fire Nick Rahall.
Tony B, I don’t necessarily disagree with you on your thoughts. The only point that I was trying to make is that, while Maynard may have high name recognition and be well funded, he is not without baggage and his baggage (i.e. perceived corruptness while in a position of integrity) is of the kind that the public generally repudiates. Also, I don’t think he will necessarily get the benefit (as would a political newcomer)of the political toxicity that the public may currently perceive with an incumbant. He certainly is no sure thing if he decides to run. Thus, a Maynard victory cannot and should not be taken for granted.
Yes, Rahall has his baggage, but most of that has been known for years – though the word may not have gotten out due to opponents being poorly funded. It would be a good race and filled with negative ads (which work even though public doesn’t like them).
Any such race will come down to which candidate’s baggage will be despised the most. Polling should reveal that.
Rahall and Mollohan can be knocked off. The coal miners, especially in southern WV, are highly ticked off at Obama. If they can only be shown that continuing to elect the enablers such as Rahall and gang, is voting for the destruction of the coal industry (which it is), then any credible person running against them could win.
West Virginians by and large are not as political as many imagine, not as loyal to the democrat party as many imagine. Just consider Capito’s overwhelming success and acceptance, consider Bush carried the state on his first try, the first time since before the depression that a republican has done that. Consider that McCain, as goofy as he was, got nearly a third more votes than Obama. The time is ripe, we need high profile known names to run on the republican ticket and we might just pull this off.
Someone should tell “Conservative Democrat” that Spike Maynard was defeated statewide, not in the 3rd. I think a good ole boy from southern WV like Spike is exactly what he need to defeat Rahall.
Indeed, Spike was defeated in the highly charged Dem primary of 2008—not exactly a bellweather for a Republican primary, where the top 3 issues wil be electability and electability….closely followed up by electability.
In the general, Rahall can’t distance himself from the Dem majority in congress without jeopardizing his chairmanship. The Monaco photo won’t even register.
The idea of Spike running is a complete, unabashed, 100% winner.
Spike Maynard can beat Nick Rahall. Spike Maynard has so much more in common with the people of WV-3 than Nick Rahall could ever hope to have. I cannot wait to get my “I Like Spike” bumper sticker!
Someone should tell Newsflash that Spike Maynard got his A** kicked in the 3rd Cong. district in the 2008 primary.
In the counties that comprise the 3rd district, Maynard received 37,405 votes, Ketchum received 59,246 votes, and Workman received 61,776 votes. The ONLY county Spike won was his own county, Mingo, in which he received 4160 votes, Ketchum 3825, and Workman 2432. His home county and he wins by 335 and 1728 votes, respectively. Certainly not a strong showing.
Rahall, of couse running unopposed, received 5775 votes in Mingo. Why would Spike not have received at least 90% of the votes Rahall did (he received 72%)in his home county? Certainly with 2 Supreme Court positions to vote for, an overwhelming number of Mingo county citizens could have cast their vote for Spike and one other candidate, but they did not. Instead, he received at most 72% of the votes (and we should assume that it was lower than that since Rahall certainly did not get every Democratic vote). Why?
Perhaps better analogy would be to compare McGraw and Greear in the AG race in 2008. In the counties that comprise 3rd district, McGraw received 109,498 votes to Greear’s 88,103. Can anyone have been more vilified (twice – 2004 and 2008) than McGraw in an election? Further, Greear was squeaky clean (which Maynard is not) and there was still a 21,000 vote difference. Given that, I think Maynard would have no chance to win as a Republican. Of course, just my $.02.
Finally, Maynard has been elected……hhhhhmmmm……. ONCE in a political race outside his home county. Rahall has been elected and voted for how many times by the people in his district?
While I enjoy good debate on any issue, there is no denying the facts. I am just disappointed in those folks who want to first attack a message that took no position, but which was merely stating fact and what I believed Maynard’s weaknesses to be. It speaks volumes about how realistic one’s perspective may, or may not, be.
Have a good Christmas.
Go figure… a conservative loses in the year of Barack Obama. Bet it doesn’t happen again!
Well Tony B, Newsflash, N. Panhandle R, and Julia Whitlow got smacked down pretty handily by ConservativeDem. It appears that seems to be the problem with our party– we have a bunch of idiots that spout off without any substance or facts.
NewsFlash has got to be one of the biggest idiots. “..a conservative loses in the year of Barack Obama. Bet it doesn’t happen again!” I mean seriously, are you kidding me? Do you have any idea the opportunity we had with Obama at the top of the ticket? We still lost every seat in the state-wide elections. How is that possible? Well we are seeing how with these ridiculous postings. If you all would stop living in an alternate universe and get back to reality, we may have a chance.
Spike Maynard is a REGISTERED DEMOCRAT. Why we would EVER want to jump on that corrupt bandwagon, I will NEVER KNOW!!!! Stop being idiots– the Dems would LOVE IT if we did that, so WAKE UP.
How do you know Maynard is a registered Democrat? I would say since the deadline to switch parties to appear on the ballot with the other party has passed he would have to be registered as a Republican if he plans on running as a Republican.
RepHouse – You honestly believe the current candidates have a chance at beating Nick Rahall? If you combined their efforts they would hardly raise $100,000.
As others are already saying, Spike Maynard would be a serious candidate and the only hope to beating Rahall next year.
The current Republicans will result in a Rahall victory and no help from outside groups interested in targeting Rahall.
Plus, how do you know the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Friends of Coal, the FACES campaign, and others haven’t ask Spike Maynard to challenge Rahall?
Has anyone checked Spike’s registration since 2008?
Also, the WVGOP might just change hands this summer and actually be effective come November 2010.
MountaineerManiacPanhandler — there is absolutely NO deadline to switch parties. You just have to be registered as that party when you file. I cannot believe you would even type that as a response.
Maynard is still registered as a Democrat– he is registered in Charleston, WV. Regardless and even if he wasn’t, Elliott E. “Spike” Maynard is known as a Democrat –why would we welcome their losers –especially corrupt ones– into our party?
Reality Check– while I understand and agree with you on the prospects having a rough time raising money, it still doesn’t make Spike someone we want to embrace and welcome. He won’t win. Why would we want to be associated with him? Also, who cares who asked him? I’m sure they can raise some money but when you have that kind of name recognition stigma it is too much of a hindrance to overcome.
We have to stop scraping the scum from the bottom of the barrel to try to win. It only hurts us down the road. We can’t prop up damaged Democratic goods as the ONLY possibility of hope for our party.
RepHouse – You are wrong on the registration thing.
West Virginia Code: §3-5-7(6)(B):
(6) For partisan elections, the name of the candidate’s political party and a statement that the candidate: (A) Is a member of and affiliated with that political party as evidenced by the candidate’s current registration as a voter affiliated with that party; and (B) has not been registered as a voter affiliated with any other political party for a period of sixty days before the date of filing the announcement;
—
“Elliott E. “Spike” Maynard is known as a Democrat” – which means all the Republicans that normally vote for the Republican will vote for him, because that’s what we do and at a minimum the 37,000 Democrats that voted for Spike in 2008 will likely support him.
So add the average Republican vote performance in a non-presidential year plus the 37,000 Democrats and you have a real race. Also take into account the toxic environment nationwide toward incumbents.
Also, you fail to recognize the fact that Rahall is not an ethical Member of Congress. It will be tough for him to criticize someone for appearing in photos with a corporate CEO when Rahall has gone on plenty of corporate political junkets and other trips with groups who have legislation before his committee.
As far as “scraping the scum” there are no viable Republican elected officials in WV-03 who would have a chance against Rahall.
Also, so you recognize the current candidates cannot raise money? Which means they have no means to wage an effective campaign. Which means we write off the biggest opportunity in a decade to beat Nick Rahall because we refuse to look at candidates who have a better chance at winning, but might have been a Democrat at one time.
Also, all candidates have baggage and it only takes good opposition research teams to find it, which is something money buys.
I feel that I can say with some certainty that Lee Bias, Conrad Lucas, and Marty Gearheart cannot beat Nick Rahall.
You guys that gripe & moan about Doug, but them put down the ones that r willing to try to unseat Rahall & Mollohan. Republicans r normally more positive. Its one thing to criticize Doug. But then when anyone runs many of you(not all)find some fault with them. lets work for the candidate we think has the best chance to win, then whoever wins the primary, lets get behind them. Republicans can win if we work together & quit complaining. If you want you can complain & blame Doug, but he is 1 person. Hes not keeping you from helping a candidate with time or money. Hes not making you talk negative about all candidates & the party.
Doug has put the state GOP in the black & has done many positive things. And while I might not agree with everything Doug does, I truly believe the party is on better footing than it was when he took over. But even if you don’t believe that again he is 1 person & if you start spending your time in positive ways for a candidate instead of negative ways we will be succesfull.
GOD BLESS
I am sorry, but did I miss something? Chairman Doug McKinney’s name was never brought up in this thread. From what I understand he has nothing to do with this post. The State Party is not involved with recruiting candidates that can win. They simply tell everyone who has a political opinion to run.
Reality check, u need to go back there r 4 times Doug was mentioned
Buddy,
Doug didnt do ONE thing to recruit McKinley OR Maynard!! And if you think that after four years Doug getting the WVGOP in the black for one month means something….let’s see what awesome firepower he brings to your race.
And I would be curious to see the list you can pput together of the “many positive” things Doug has done. Fire away!!
I never said Doug recruited aby of the candidates. My main gripe on this post, is no matter what happens is u people find a way to gripe about Doug.
As I have said MANY times I do not agree with every thing Doug has done. But I feel the WV GOP is in better shape now than they were when he became chairman. Also there are far more people who feel the way I do or else you all would have removed Doug.
Why do u negative nellies always have to find a way to bash Doug no matter what. Lets start being positive work for your candidate & lets work to get them elected.
GOD BLESS & HAPPY NEW YEAR
this would be awsome…..we should rally around SPIKE and get this great man elected!
Still waiting on that list of accomplishments Buddy.
Easy El, No matter what I listed, & I have in the past, you will find fault with them. So all I’m going to say is GO GOP IN 2010 & HAPPY NEW YEAR.
GOD BLESS
BUDDY
Buddy, all you have to do is start with the number one….let’s see how high you get and leave it open for debate. If you are that sure of Dougie-Boy’s successes then why worry about whether people find fault or not.
1)Ran & completed a succesfull State convention-Even if you don’t like it it did what the goals were for it. got state party money & national exposure. Didn’t do it by himself, but guided it.
2)Got state party out of debt. Again not by himself, but he played a big role.
Again other things, but those r the main ones.
Buddy,
1) The Convention was the brainchild of Rob Capehart and was sucessfully adminstered by Bob Fish. All Doug had to do was stay out of the way. And IMHO, Doug was the primary contributor to the controversy that ensued. Of course, Gary Abernathy-who at that time had the ear of the Chair Couple-played a role too!!
2)The party still carries debt and Doug did not pay many loyal vendors the money that was rightfully due them. WVGOP now uses out of state firms to conduct direct mail campaigns either out of disregard for in-state companies (what the heck kinda message does that send?) or the in-states refuse to do business with the WVGOP.
Doug had INCREASED expenses, unnecessarily so, at a time when our down-ticket candidates need help!!
But you are right, he didn’t do it himself, which is why he AND his inner circle need to be treated with a degree of distrust and held to greater accountability. Personally, I would like to see the employment contract he has signed with Troy. Wouldn’t you since Doug has encumbered the party with further debt? After all, Doug is the one that gave us Abernathy under the cloak of secrecy.
Everything aside, Buddy, you show a willingness to debate Doug’s merits (or lack of). Happy New Year and Best Wishes!!
EASY EL, I understand(but not neccesarily agree with)your comments. I would say however I feel(& I don’t have ny inside knowledge)Doug will not run for re-election. So as the New Year begins, that we declare a truce, and only look at the positive so we(both sides)can work to get GOP candidates elected. I am running for house in my district so need to concentrate on that.
GOD BLESS &
HAPPY NEW YEAR
PS
If you want to contribute to my campaing you may make out your check RANDOLPH FOR HOUSE & mail it to 500 LAWMAN AVE, BRIDGEPORT, WV 26330
I like Spike.
With 2010 being the best chance since Ms. Brewster would have been in 94(?)to beat the congressman, we need a candidate with the name ID that Justice Maynard has, plus the ability to raise dollars that he would bring.
Nick Rahall is Wrong on the government takeover of healthcare… a death sentence on our seniors. (We have the second oldest population of ALL 435 Congressional Districts… the oldest is a wealthy retirement district in FL.)
Nick Rahall is Wrong on Coal Mining… when he says the EPA is just doing their job when they try to shut down WV’s and America’s coal mines he is saying he agrees with them trying to stop our miners from doing their jobs.
Nick Rahall is wrong on Israel… one of our best allies in the world and our best when it comes to defeating radical Islam. (He endorsed Mr. Barack Obama for POTUS the day after Hamas did!)
It will take money to get this message out and although Marty is a hard worker, he hasn’t had to file a FEC report since 2004… meaning he hasn’t raised more than 5K in any 2 year cycle.
Rahall’s Zogby (who is probably one of the nation’s top two pollsters) which was put in the field the week of Sept. 2 – 5 2004 showed our campaigns neck and neck, so he can be beat. He simply dropped nearly 1 mill in the race and pulled away after early voting started.
It takes name id, money and a good image to pull off this race. I don’t think the picture which hurt Justice Maynard in the o8 primary would stop him this fall. A good polling firm… I.E. The Tarrance Group in DC; could answer this question easily.
[...] in December, Roman Stauffer posted in the West Virginia Red (a website for West Virginian conservatives) that Maynard could attract a huge number of [...]
I have been a Conservative Republican all my life and I would never vote for Spike Maynard. He doesn’t stand for conservatism or what is right for the welfare of of the people, he serves only his self interest.
One needs a choice for the betterment of southern West Virginia. Given the choice between two really bad choices and no other alternative, I will abstain. No endorsement or vote from from me.
I agree Rep. Rahall needs to go, but Judge Maynard is not the answer.
Get a true Conservative not a wolf in sheeps clothing that will only serve his and his cronies interests.
By the way, I am from Mingo county, West Virginia.