State Political Profile: West Virginia
U.S. Senate
The key race in 2006 will be U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd's run for a record ninth term. West Virginia's senior Democrat will become the longest-serving senator on June 12.
The 88-year-old Byrd will face John Raese, a millionaire industrialist and media owner who considers himself a Reagan Republican.
Byrd has been an outspoken critic of President Bush's decision to invade Iraq and has sparred with Bush over other issues. His various stands have prompted the National Republican Senatorial Committee to label Byrd as being out of touch with West Virginians.
West Virginia, which is 2-1 Democrat, went for Bush in 2000 and 2004.
Byrd, however, remains a formidable candidate. Several top Republicans, including state's two leading GOP office holders, declined to challenge Byrd in November.
U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito decided instead seek a fourth term in Congress, while first-term Secretary of State Betty Ireland opted to remain at the statehouse.
Raese was courted by the NRSC to seek to GOP's nomination to challenge Byrd, and is expected to aid him during his campaign against Byrd.
The 56-year-old Raese waged his last political campaign in 1988 when he lost to Capito's father, Arch A. Moore Jr., in the 1988 GOP gubernatorial primary.
In 1984, he waged an unsuccessful campaign against West Virginia's junior senator Jay Rockefeller.
U.S. House
Republican Shelley Moore Capito will face former state Democratic Party chairman Mike Callaghan for the 2nd District seat.
In the 1st District, U.S. Rep Alan Mollohan will face Republican state Delegate Chris Wakim.
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall will face the GOP's nominee, Cabell County Sheriff Kim Wolfe, in November.
Legislature
All 100 House of Delegates seats and 17 of 34 state Senate seats are on the ballot in this year's legislative elections.
Democrats hold majorities in both chambers, 68 seats in the House and 21 in the Senate.
Of key interest this November will be how many of their open seats the Republicans are able to retain, and whether they are able to increase their margins in either chamber. The party has vowed to recapture the Legislature, which they lost in the 1930s, by 2008.
-- Associated Press
