A view of how primary elections have been won and lost in West Virginia. Although today it is not as funny/horrific as it was, it is still not clean by any stretch of the imagination.
http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20100501/ARTICLE/305019995/
The 1960 Rat primary in the coal fields is of particular interest.
The good old days! An interesting read. Here’s a particularly revealing excerpt about the way things were done back in the day.
>>> Logan political boss Raymond Chafin wrote in his autobiography, Just Good Politics, that Humphrey agents first gave him $2,500 for slate access — but Kennedy agents offered more. When they asked how much money would be required, Chafin told them “about 35,” meaning $3,500. But the JFK agents misunderstood and sent him two suitcases containing $35,000. Chafin was flabbergasted. His sidekick, Bus Perry, panicked and blurted: “I’ve already been in the penitentiary once. I’m not going back.” <<<
http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20100501/ARTICLE/305019995/