![\"\"](\"https:\/\/morgancountyusa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/adams.jpg\")
<\/a>There was no candidate in the Democratic primary, so it appeared as if Reed would be unopposed in November. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talk at the Morgan County courthouse immediately turned to who the Republicans would name to fill Reed\u2019s seat on the Morgan County Commission when he won the uncontested election in November, became a member of the House of Delegates and resigned from the Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hold the phone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not so fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It appears that Reed will not be unopposed in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in fact, as things are shaping up, Reed will have not just one opponent, but at least two \u2013 with both \u2013 Patricia (Patch) Adams and Robert E. Smith \u2013 from the Berkeley County segment of the 59th district, which is home to two-thirds of the registered voters in the 59th district. The other third of the voters come from four precincts in Morgan County \u2013 Cacapon State Park, Love Assembly of God, Pleasant View Elementary and the former Greenwood Elementary School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Although in the June 9 primary, Reed did better in Berkeley County \u2013 defeating Kump there 1,166 to 738 (61 percent to 39 percent) than in Morgan County, where Reed won 666 to 603 (52 percent to 48 percent).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Both Smith and Adams are not fond of the two party system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smith is a 23-year old resident of Hedgesville, West Virginia. (When asked about his age, he points out that a previous delegate from the 59th, Saira Blair, was 18 when she was first elected to the House of Delegates.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On June 20, Smith won the Mountain Party nomination to be its candidate in the 59th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On his website<\/a>, Smith says that \u201cif elected, he will serve independent of the major parties, aiming to bring about much needed compromise to the issues challenging working families.\u201d Smith comes from a working class family. He was raised in Ireland in his early youth. Back in the States, he has always lived within close proximity of the Potomac. He graduated from Allegany College in Cumberland and currently resides in the Hedgesville area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur campaign is different from the competition,\u201d Smith told Morgan County USA. \u201cWe refuse to take corporate money and only accept small donor contributions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI’m no career politician. If elected, I won’t take marching orders from either of the major parties’ leadership. This campaign is about putting the people first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smith said he would never consider running as a Democrat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEven if the Democrats asked me, I wouldn\u2019t run as a Democrat,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe party leadership at the state and national level talk the talk of everyday common people, but they won\u2019t walk the walk. Plus I wouldn\u2019t run in a party with Joe Biden at the head of the ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smith says if elected, he would help promote the interests of working people and small business owners and is especially interested in promoting the distillery and brewing industry in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams is a small business owner. She owns an upholstery shop in Hedgesville. Adams says she is collecting signatures to get on the ballot as an independent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She needs 73 signatures from voters in the 59th, but is shooting for over 100 signatures just to make sure she gets the required amount. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am currently collecting signatures to be placed on the ballot,\u201d Adams says on her website.<\/a> \u201cPlease call, text, e-mail or stop in to sign the petition. It is a normal part of the political process for unaffiliated candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams went on WEPM\u2019s Panhandle Live this morning to discuss her candidacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She was asked why she decided to run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis district has always had a representative from the Berkeley County area,\u201d Adams said. \u201cI am a fan of Delegate Larry Kump. And I\u2019m not a fan of his opponent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI do have very strong convictions and there is background between me and the Reeds. Poor decisions have been made and I would like to right those wrongs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What Adams was referring to was a lawsuit she and Howard Stone brought in 2018 challenging the residency of Ken Reed\u2019s wife, Tally Reed, who was running against Kump in the Republican primary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The week before that May 8, 2018 primary, Judge Joanna Tabit tossed the complaint<\/a> brought by Adams and Howard Stone saying she would not address the merits of the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy not resolve it after the election?\u201d Judge Tabit asked attorney Patrick Lane, who brought the lawsuit on behalf of the residents. \u201cIf there is an issue with respect to residency, it can be resolved then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stone filed a similar lawsuit this year and the lawsuit was similarly dismissed, this time by Judge Tera Salango, finding that Reed had established his domicile in the 59th.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPerhaps more importantly, this court cannot issue this writ because there is another remedy available and that is the statutory remedy (to remove a candidate after the primary) and there was a delay in filing this petition for this writ,\u201d Judge Salango ruled. \u201cThere was a delay of three months after. I\u2019m going to deny this emergency petition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tally Reed lost the 2018 Republican primary to Kump by 34 votes \u2013 987 to 953. Tally Reed won the Morgan County part of the district 424 to 371, but lost the Berkeley County part 616 to 529.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On WEPM this morning, Adams described her politics as \u201cvery conservative \u2013 morally and fiscally.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not a progressive. I lean more toward libertarianism. I believe in the Constitution. We wouldn\u2019t have a country without the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe two party system is a little bit too aggressive at this point,\u201d she said. \u201cWe seem to think one side or the other will make everything better. I just don\u2019t agree with that anymore.\u201d When the results were in after the June 9 Republican primary, Morgan County Commissioner Ken Reed had defeated incumbent Delegate Larry Kump in the 59th House of Delegates District, which encompasses southern Morgan County and parts of western Berkeley County. … Continue reading
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