Posted on 04/10/2005 9:08:30 PM PDT by smoothsailing
April 10, 2005
Hiram Lewis Announces Candidacy for U.S. Senate Against Byrd
by HNN Staff
Charleston (HNN) — On the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad to American forces, Hiram Lewis IV, an Army National Guard Captain, Iraq War Veteran, lawyer and 2004 Attorney General candidate announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate from the base of the Robert C. Byrd statute inside the State Capitol rotunda Saturday afternoon, April 9, 2005.
Stated Lewis: "My candidacy is not a personal vendetta against the senior Senator; rather it is simply time for a change. I am offering up my service to the voters of West Virginia."
Lewis nearly upset a high name-recognition, twelve-year incumbent in the state's Attorney General race last year, losing by only 5,946 votes, or less than eight tenths of one percent. It was the closest Attorney General race in West Virginia's history.
Lewis acknowledged that defeating Byrd next year will also be a big challenge, adding, "either way, I will continue to dedicate my life to improving our state so our children won't have to leave to find a job elsewhere."
Lewis said Senator Byrd has served his state well over the years, bringing in a lot of money from Washington. However, Lewis said Senator Byrd has lost touch with the average West Virginian."
"From his recent appearance at a MoveOn.org rally in Washington and his service as a co-chairman for John Kerry's campaign in West Virginia, Senator Byrd has allied himself with the liberal left wing of the Democratic Party. West Virginians are generally moderate to conservative. Byrd was hired to represent West Virginia; not liberal special interest groups in Washington, D.C."
An Iraq War veteran, Lewis disagreed with Byrd's stance on the Iraq War in 2003, explaining: "He basically called my service unconstitutional. Personally, that hurt. But, more importantly, his stance against the war encouraged the enemy and depleted troop morale. You cannot say on the one-hand that you support the troops, and then say that their service is unconstitutional. It is impossible to do both."
Many believe Byrd cannot be beat, but Lewis thinks differently: "Just ask the 1980 US hockey team or the 2004-2005 'Elite Eight' WVU basketball team; anything is possible."
Political observers say the resurgence of the Republican Party in West Virginia will help Lewis. In 2004, President George W. Bush won West Virginia by 13 points, Republicans picked up three seats in the State Senate, a Supreme Court seat, and the office of the Secretary of State.
"For years now, West Virginians have settled for near last in every good category and near first in every bad category," Lewis said. "We have watched as our children leave the Mountain State to find jobs. We don't want handouts anymore; we want hand-ups. We want jobs, education, security and healthcare. Pork can only go so far. Good, solid economic principles can grow the economy and create opportunity for everyone."
"I look at it like this; I am not running against Senator Byrd, I am running with him. I believe we both have the interests of West Virginians at heart. It is just that we disagree over the way to protect and serve those interests. Ultimately, it is up to West Virginia voters to decide who can best do the job. I believe I can."
Shelley Moore Capito or Mick Staton
Hiram can not cross the credibility threashold. He doesn't have the raw talent to win a state senate race. Did you listen to everyone notice that he was reading from a script on talkline. He can't even afford a staff. When the media sees a press release with the candidate's phone number rather than a staffer in a Congressional race, that does not help.
Darrell McGraw was the most vulnerable incumbent Democrat on the ballot. A Rob Capehart or a Rusty Webb would have trounced him.
Capito will run and Capito will win. Mick Staton, too could cross that credibility threashold.
Timing is everything. If Byrd kicks the bucket in about a year this guy would be in the catbird seat.
He has to hang on through August of 2006 or they can appoint someone else. Candidates have until January of 2006 to file, but Hiram is the only one out there, raising money, attending events, and getting press nationwide. Byrd has a 47 year headstart and is raising national money for the first time. It's not too early to be going against him now.
"He has to hang on through August of 2006 or they can appoint someone else. . . It's not too early to be going against him now."
That's my point. Say Byrd decides to take a dirt nap about a year from now, Lewis will have already been running for a year and the appointee will just be getting started. Not a bad scenario. The appointment thing will only really matter IF the guy that's appointed gets elected as that would give him/her seniority over everyone else who is elected in that cycle. Otherwise it's essentially two newbies on almost equal ground.
You know, I am thankful to Arch Moore (former governor who can't vote anymore) that Shelley was able to win that seat, but honestly, she didn't trounce Erik Wells last time...heck she barely ran a campaign in her district - it was Bush who lifted the Republican ticket here in WV - and her district is the more Republican one in the state, lucky her.
Shelley has been boooooed off of stages in this state and let's just say her squishyness and self-confessed fence perching says nothing of her personal conviction.
The big question is: Why? Why Shelley? She's not that dynamic herself, she's not a conservative, and she's not even in touch with her voters.
Furthermore, your comments about Rusty Webb and Rob Capeheart are not as well thought out as you might have hoped. Rusty was a Delegate in a Republican district before he attempted an abysmal campaign throughout Kanawha County for State Senate - and lost...badly. You think the slogan "One of Us" would have better served as an AG candidate? What is that? One of Us? One of the slimy trial lawyers keeping WV broke? Not a chance.
And Robin Capeheart...hmmm. I don't know Rob but I do know that his supporters are among the factions in the Republican Party that are embittered by his defeat IN A PRIMARY and have nothing better to do than send press releases attacking the GOP about news that is months, going on a year, old. Sheesh...I'm not even certain that Rob (or Rusty for that matter) really care about improving the condition of the state.
Regardless of your personal feelings against Hiram, he is the lone ranger out there unafraid of these rabid dogs who are all about destroying the Party and the work that has been done because good Party leadership and good vision.
Did you forget that Hiram nearly won the race? 49.6% of the vote...STATEWIDE. His name recognition grew even more after the race. Furthermore, WVians have a reason to be proud of him, a young energetic Iraqi War vet who cares about his state - and he demonstrates that by LEADING when no one else will.
With the acception of Mick Staton, who has fallen off the political radar through the years, everyone you have named is a part of the problem in the state, not the solution. They became a part of the problem the moment they assumed indifference to the victories of the Party last year. Rusty and more importantly Rob revealed the real reasons they were defeated so badly: no leadership and no vision.
Is that all you got? If so, why not Hiram?
Well, in this state, Republicans start far behind the starting line...which means that Hiram is starting at about the right time. Unfortunately, if there is a death and an appointment, Dems will still have the advantage - they outnumber Reps two-to-one and ten-to-one in some places.
Plus, the DNC is going to be dumping 200K every year into this state to Party build...my question is, why isn't the RNC stepping up and taking the Dems seriously and dumping MORE money into the Party? Could be because they have a bunch of Victory twirps up there picking their noses and thinking that the game has been won because Bush was re-elected??? So sad...I am disappointed with the people running the national party right now...the Dems have been trounced so badly and the fresh political blood flowing through the RNC has no idea how to wage political warfare...I fear Dems will gain in 2006 if RNC doesn't step up...
I meant to ping you guys on my reply to WVBowhunter...post #67
Thanks. Good points!
No. I think the RNC and GOP leadership has proven itself to be quite adept at winning recent political races.
With all due respect Coop, it is apparent that the RNC and GOP leaders have demonstrated that they were able to outwork the competition and gain several offices nationwide last year - not really debating that - What I am calling into question is what they are (or are not) doing about gearing up for 2006.
I know MANY people (some close personal friends) who worked for the Victory and Bush campaigns whose political resumes are about an inch deep - and they are now in leadership positions, no doubt a pay-off for their dedicated work last year. But even that is not the issue for me - God bless them, that's great for them!
It's that the DNC has now committed themselves to mimicking the work done by the GOP - grassroots campaiging. Furthermore, they are picking up the cost of the Executive Directors' salaries nationwide AND (at least in WV I know for sure) they are commiting $200,000 PER YEAR to winning more offices in the state for 2006 up to 2008.
The GOP and the RNC MUST take this seriously. Just because we picked up in 2000, 2002, and 2004 doesn't mean that we rest. What I have seen is that they are resting - resting with a naive posture - a posture that only political fools maintain. It's not like the RNC or the GOP is broke.
Certainly, with the DNC coming out joyfully boasting about how much money they're committing to the cause, the people at the RNC need to be a little more sharp....and generous with the cash flow - this is not only about winning federal offices - but state and local, too.
It's gonna be MAY soon...let's keep the victories coming at any cost!
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