Posted on 10/21/2004 2:04:33 PM PDT by Fedora
W. Virginia Elector Might Leave Bush
By JENNIFER BUNDY, Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - If President Bush (news - web sites) wins West Virginia, one of the state's five Republican electors says he might not vote for Bush to protest the president's economic and foreign policies.
South Charleston Mayor Richie Robb said based on his research, an elector has "qualified discretion" when it comes to casting a vote.
"There is an implied duty to vote for your party's candidate. But I don't think it's an explicit duty or responsibility," said Robb, a moderate Republican who has a reputation of being a maverick in the state party.
Still, Robb calls it "highly unlikely" that he would cast a vote for Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites). He said he might cast his vote for Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) or another Republican instead as a protest against Bush, meaning the president would lose out on one electoral vote.
Robb's decision could end up having enormous national significance because the presidential election is expected to go down to the wire. That is exactly what happened in 2000, when George W. Bush won the White House with 271 electoral votes. To win the presidency, a candidate must receive 270 electoral votes.
"There are people talking about a tied race," said Larry Sabato, a political scientist with the University of Virginia. "This one man could change the election result, could negate the vote of 115 million Americans."
Robb's dissatisfaction with Bush stems from the president's decision to invade Iraq (news - web sites) and economic policies he says have caused the loss of nearly 1,000 high-paying chemical and manufacturing jobs in his town of about 13,000 residents. Robb has been mayor of the Charleston suburb since 1975.
A veteran who won a Bronze Star in the Vietnam War, Robb said he also is upset with campaign ads that attacked Kerry's war record.
State GOP Chairman Kris Warner said he is not worried about how Robb will vote if West Virginia again goes for the president. Bush won the 2-to-1 Democrat state in 2000 by 6 percentage points, making him the first Republican presidential candidate who was not an incumbent to take the state in more than 70 years.
"I maintain Mayor Robb will carry out the will of the West Virginia people when it becomes clear and decisive President Bush has carried the state," Warner said. Recent polls show the race is too close too call.
Robb said he objects to criticism from some who say he is a "faithless" elector. He said he views himself as a "principled elector" because he is discussing his qualms about Bush before the election.
"There have been a few people who have been downright hateful. I think that is just the nature of this election, which has been hateful," Robb said. "I won't be intimidated by the mean-spirited attacks."
Only 10 electors in history have gone against the popular vote, including one from West Virginia.
Margarette Leach of Huntington declined to vote for Michael Dukakis in 1988 even though Dukakis carried West Virginia. Leach cast her presidential vote for Dukakis' running mate, Lloyd Bentsen.
The guy won't do it. This is bluster. Unless he wants the world to come crashing down on his head...
I think there was another similar one in the 2000 Gore War.
The best way to prevent this is to not choose jackasses like this as electors.
Third posting today of a month old story.
The Democrats are so desperate they seem to be particularly fixated on it. It's all over the blogosphere and news- the leftwing nuts are clinging to it like a starved calf on a dry teat.
" think there was another similar one in the 2000 Gore War."
I seem to remember that vaguely.
Yahoo just posted this version within the last hour.
"Can the state party impeach him and get a replacement?"
That's what I'm wondering.
I hope it's just bluster. Still, if he's announcing this ahead of time, it seems pre-emptive action is in order. He shouldn't be allowed to change his electoral vote based on his personal foreign policy views.
"Sorry, this is whole scale propaganda."
Yep. And I try to monitor enemy propaganda developments.
It doesn't matter, even if he does make a "protest vote" for some other candidate than Bush, as long as it isn't for Kerry, which he already said he would NOT do.
Think about some possible scenarios:
[A] Kerry 269, Bush 268, Protest vote 1
[B] Bush 269, Kerry 268, Protest vote 1
[C] Kerry 270, Bush 267, Protest vote 1
In Scenario C, Kerry wins, even if Bush would've had 268 electoral votes.
In Scenarios A and B, the protest vote does not affect the outcome, because the House of Representatives decides the election if any one candidate fails to receive a majority of the electoral votes (i.e. 270 or higher) NOT just if it is a tie.
But, how many people really think the election is going to be this close anyway? Down to one or two electoral votes? Somehow I doubt it.
"a moderate Republican who has a reputation of being a maverick in the state party"
Translated: a John McCain style publicity hound who falls into line once his ego placated.
Twit. He knows that to stay Mayor and to pursue any further political career he'd better do what's expected or it's over for him.
I have an idea. We'll take this elector aside, hand a box of candy, and tell him to offer some to that woman over there...
It'll take care of that problem, forthwith.
Excuse me, I have to return to iron my black shirts.
Now there's a plan! :)
It would be our secret WMD in the cause of liberty!
LOL!
Visualize The Senator curled in a fetal position, weeping, his trousers soiled ... bon bons scattered about him.
All he wanted to do was offer some candy to that nice lady over there. Little did he know...
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