By Steve Novotney
Weelunk.com
Now we know.
We know the winners and we know the losers.
We know that Rep. Shelley Capito will assume the “junior” senatorial position in the United State Senate.
We know Rep. David McKinley will continue representing the First Congressional District for at least another two years.
We know Del. Erikka Storch and Democrat Shawn Fluharty will go to Charleston and plead the case of the Third House District.
Now, did attack campaigns influence the vote totals? While there’s no way to officially determine whether or not the negative approach did impact the electorate, Sens. Fitzsimmons and Edgell were not chosen by the people and both were targeted by anonymous political action committees.
Win or lose, anonymous campaign financing is everything that is wrong with the process today.
But now we have to hope, and we have to hope the changes provoke improvement. That’s right – we have to hope for change. I said it, and that’s because it’s true.
We have to hope for campaign promises to come true. For example, Ferns ran on a platform that revolved around job creation, and that is exactly what the First Senatorial District – once proud to have thousands of living-wage jobs in the steel and manufacturing industries – needs most.
We have to hope that each and every incumbent and candidate who promised to produce an increase in job creation wasn’t just tossing out an empty talking point, and we have to hope those elected by the majority take OUR interests to their seats instead of an agenda filled with party-power intention. The last thing West Virginians need today is a similar atmosphere that has existed inside the D.C Beltway during the past four years, what with the budget, future tax collection, the fracking industry, senior services, and public education in dire need of reforms.
We know Election Day 2014 has produced much change in West Virginia and across our country, and it continued a movement by the Republican Party that was strong enough to take legislative control in the Mountain State.
The voters have spoken loudly and clearly – there’s more hope with change.