The Washington Post warns on its masthead — Democracy Dies in Darkness.
But as we know all too well here in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, Democracy Also Dies in Broad Daylight.
Let’s take a quick look at how the West Virginia House of Delegates races are shaping up in 2022.
In the four counties in our area – Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson – there are 13 House of Delegates seats – the new House of Delegates Districts 88 to 100.
As of today, there are 24 Republican candidates and three Democratic Party candidates in those 13 races.
There are two West Virginia Senate seats covering the four counties – Districts 15 and 16.
There is only one Republican candidate for District 15, which covers all of Morgan and Hampshire counties and the western part of Berkeley County – Morgan County incumbent Senator Charles Trump.
And there are two Republican candidates for District 16, which covers the rest of Berkeley and all of Jefferson County.
So that’s 30 candidates total – 27 Republicans and three Democrats.
That means, unless things change and soon, of the candidates running for the fifteen legislative seats up for grabs, twelve of them (80 percent) will be uncontested come election day in November.
In 2000, there were only two of the thirteen districts (15 percent) that were uncontested. (Redistrictricting added two House of Delegates seats to the area.)
For Morgan County residents, this means no choices in November.
For House of Delegates District 90, two incumbents Ken Reed and George Miller, will face off against newcomer Marsha Stiner in the Republican primary on May 10. As of today, the winner will run unopposed in November.
For House of Delegates District 89, the incumbent Ruth Rowan will face off against Darren Thorne in the Republican primary. If things stay as they are, the winner will run unopposed in November.
Senator Trump will face no opponent either in the primary or the general — if things stay as they are today.
For county commissioner, Gary Easton will face off against incumbent Bill Clark in the Republican primary. As of today, the winner will face no opposition in November.
County Clerk Kimberly Johnson-Nickles and Circuit Clerk Melanie Shambaugh have no current opposition in either the primary or the general.
Not to say that things will stay as they are.
The deadline for party candidates to throw their hats in the ring passed last weekend, but there have been rumblings of independents organizing to field a slate of opposition candidates across the panhandle.
Stay tuned.
CPR in progress.