Huckabee Named Winner in WV GOP Convention

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Posted: 11:23 AM Feb 5, 2008
Last Updated: 6:20 AM Feb 6, 2008
Reporter: Scott Saxton; Michael Wooten
Email Address: scott.saxton@wsaz.com; michael.wooten@wsaz.com

61 comments

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UPDATE @ 10:30pm
Mike Huckabee did an interview with CNN's Campbell Brown Tuesday night and she asked him about the backroom deals that took place during the WV GOP Convention. Huckabee denied any deals, despite admissions from the McCain ground campaign in West Virginia that it sent its votes over to Huckabee.

Huckabee said, “I have not talked to Senator McCain or people on his staff about West Virginia. You know, every time we win something, somebody tries to figure out a way to explain it away. Truth is people voted for me. They had a chance to vote for somebody else. And when they didn’t vote – when their candidate -- either John McCain or Ron Paul didn’t get the votes on the first ballot and they had to pick somebody else, they picked me. It’s as simple as that. I think it shows that when this party wants to come together, it looks to somebody they know can carry the message. People in WV believed I can do it. Yesterday, Mitt Romney was saying don’t be a whiner. Yesterday, he was against whining. Today, he’s for whining. So I think we just need to say we won WV and he’ll just have to deal with it.”

A WSAZ photojournalist also recorded video of McCain staffers holding signs to tell their delegates to vote for Huckabee.

UPDATE @ 4:42pm
Mike Huckabee came away with the win in West Virginia Tuesday, but had to make a deal with his opponents to get there. After one round of voting, Huckabee was in second place. Mitt Romney was in first place in West Virginia. During the intermission, WSAZ has learned that both the campaigns of John McCain and Ron Paul agreed to steer their delegates to Huckabee.

For McCain, it was a chance to stop Mitt Romney from getting a much needed win in the first Super Tuesday announcement. Romney is McCain's closest opponent in many national polls. (In fact, we found some McCain staffers holding signs to tell their delegates to vote Huckabee in the second round. They did NOT like our cameras getting pictures of them doing this by the way.)

WSAZ has learned that Huckabee will give three of his 18 delegates to the Ron Paul campaign in exchange for the support in West Virginia.

"We struck a deal with the Huckabee people. They came to us and dealt with us honorably and with respect. And so we told them that if Dr. Paul didn't make it through the first round, that we would go for their man. They pledged us three delegates to the republican national convention," Edward Burgess, Paul campaign spokesman, told WSAZ.

Romney's campaign was not happy with this development as you can imagine. At the end of the convention, the Romney camp tried to call for a roll call vote of delegates, but the chairman would not allow that.

One unidentified Romney staffer told WSAZ, "it took three candidates together to beat him."

UPDATE @ 2:40pm:
Here is the breakdown of votes in each county for the second round:

County Huckabee / McCain / Romney
Barbour 4 / 0 / 12
Berkeley 16 / 2 / 23
Boone 10 / 0 / 2
Braxton 9 / 0 / 1
Brooke 2 / 0 / 11
Cabell 31 / 0 / 8
Calhoun 5 / 0 / 0
Clay 11 / 0 / 8
Doddridge 1 / 0 / 5
Fayette 9 / 0 / 9
Gilmer 6 / 0 / 0
Grant 3 / 0 / 5
Greenbrier 15 / 0 / 15
Hampshire 14 / 0 / 5
Hancock 10 / 3 / 9
Hardy 9 / 0 / 6
Harrison 19 / 0 / 16
Jackson 12 / 0 / 15
Jefferson 17 / 1 / 9
Kanawha 28 / 0 / 45
Lewis 13 / 0 / 8
Lincoln 5 / 0 / 5
Logan 9 / 0 / 7
Marion 3 / 0 / 19
Marshall 16 / 0 / 6
Mason 6 / 0 / 3
McDowell 0 / 0 / 1
Mercer 15 / 1 / 11
Mineral 17 / 0 / 11
Mingo 1 / 0 / 0
Monongalia 14 / 0 / 18
Monroe 2 / 0 / 2
Morgan 12 / 0 / 2
Nicholas 14 / 0 / 9
Ohio 5 / 1 / 22
Pendleton 5 / 0 / 10
Pleasants 13 / 0 / 7
Pocahontas 4 / 0 / 5
Preston 16 / 0 / 10
Putnam 11 / 2 / 17
Raleigh 25 / 0 / 12
Randolph 10 / 0 / 10
Ritchie 9 / 0 / 11
Roane 8 / 0 / 13
Summers 15 / 0 / 3
Taylor 4 / 0 / 11
Tucker 10 / 0 / 5
Tyler 5 / 1 / 11
Upshur 5 / 0 / 21
Wayne 21 / 0 / 5
Webster 3 / 0 / 2
Wetzel 1 / 0 / 6
Wirt 8 / 0 / 7
Wood 23 / 1 / 22
Wyoming 8 / 0 / 5
TOTAL 567 / 12 / 521

UPDATE @ 2:43pm
Here's the final & official breakdown of the votes:

Mike Huckabee 567 - 52 percent
Mitt Romney 521 - 47 percent
John McCain 12 - 1 percent

UPDATE @ 2:24pm
From the Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Mike Huckabee won the first contest declared on Super Tuesday, picking up all 18 national delegates awarded at West Virginia's state GOP convention.

Huckabee bested Mitt Romney, who entered the Mountain State event with the largest bloc of pledged convention-goers. Both men and Ron Paul made in-person appeals to the more than 1,100 convention delegates attending Tuesday's convention.

But the former Arkansas governor beat his Massachusetts counterpart after delegates for John McCain defected to his side.

The first round of voting at the state convention produced no winner, but eliminated Paul after his fourth-place finish.

The results are the first from the 21 states with GOP primaries or caucuses Tuesday.

UPDATE @ 2:14pm
The final vote is in on the West Virginia Republican Convention -- and Mike Huckabee has been named the winner. It will be made official in 5 minutes.

Here are the unofficial numbers:
524 - Huckabee
479 - Romney
11 - McCain

From the Associated Press:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - West Virginia's GOP convention failed to select a winner during a first round of voting today.

The voting followed personal appeals by presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul for the 18 seats up for grabs to the national nominating convention.

Paul was eliminated from the next round of balloting, after a fourth-place finish among the 1,133 participating delegates. Romney attracted 41 percent of the votes, followed by Huckabee with 33 percent.

John McCain, who is stumping elsewhere today, reached the second round with 15 percent. Paul had 10 percent.

During his speech to convention participants, Romney promised to tackle Social Security, excessive federal spending and health care access.

Huckabee cast illegal immigration as one example of what ails Washington, while also declaring that the nation's tax system is beyond fixing.

Paul pledged to stick to a strict constitutional view of the president's fiscal, foreign policy and military powers. He also echoed his opposition to the Iraq war.

West Virginia is one of 21 states with GOP primaries or caucuses today.

Here are the results of the WV GOP Convention as they are announced at the Charleston Civic Center:

A majority was not reached in the first round, so a second round of voting will happen:

TOTAL:
375 - Huckabee
176 - McCain
118 - Paul
464 - Romney

ROUND ONE

Barbour County
0 - Huckabee
5 - McCain
3 - Paul
8 - Romney

Berkley County
2 - Huckabee
14 - McCain
4 - Paul
22 - Romney

Boone County
1 - Huckabee
2 - McCain
7 - Paul
3 - Romney

Braxton County
5 - Huckabee
3 - McCain
1 - Paul
1 - Romney

Brooke County
2 - Huckabee
2 - McCain
1 - Paul
8 - Romney

Cabell County
32 - Huckabee
1 - McCain
2 - Paul
7 - Romney

Calhoun County
1 - Huckabee
0 - McCain
4 - Paul
0 - Romney

Clay County
5 - Huckabee
6 - McCain
0 - Paul
8 - Romney

Doddridge County
0 - Huckabee
0 - McCain
1 - Paul
5 - Romney

Fayette County
8 - Huckabee
4 - McCain
1 - Paul
5 - Romney

Grant County
2 - Huckabee
1 - McCain
0 - Paul
4 - Romney

Greenbrier County
8 - Huckabee
5 - McCain
4 - Paul
13 - Romney

Gilmer County

Hampshire County
8 - Huckabee
7 - McCain
1 - Paul
3 - Romney

Hancock County
4 - Huckabee
8 - McCain
2 - Paul
8 - Romney

Hardy County
6 - Huckabee
3 - McCain
1 - Paul
4 - Romney

Harrison County
21 - Huckabee
0 - McCain
1 - Paul
13 - Romney

Jackson County
5 - Huckabee
7 - McCain
4 - Paul
11 - Romney

Jefferson County
3 - Huckabee
4 - McCain
14 - Paul
9 - Romney

Kanawha County
20 - Huckabee
8 - McCain
0- Paul
45 Romney

Lewis County
2 - Huckabee
8 - McCain
3 - Paul
8 - Romney

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Bwa Ha Ha Ha on Feb 7, 2008 at 05:34 PM
Another one bites the dust. Sooooooooooo long Romney. Better luck next time.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 7, 2008 at 02:32 PM
Dave, Not all of Wayne County voted for Huckabee at the convention. Five of the delegates voted for Romney.

Posted by: Robert on Feb 7, 2008 at 10:24 AM
When comparing several economic indicators over the last 16 years, the ecomony has remained on the incline. The GDP has shown steady growth and umemployment have remained around 4.7 to 5.0 percent. We yet to have one reported down quarter. As for the war on terror, Clinton did nothing after the first attack on WTC, cut budget to CIA and declared Hussein a threat to our national security in 1998. Tony Blair also declared Hussein a threat to world security in 1992. Iran declared U.S. an enemy in 1978, Hussein also decalared U.S. an enemy in 1998.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 7, 2008 at 08:07 AM
When democrats whine about Republicans not helping the middle class, that usually means they want more tax money passed out into social programs. It is like feeding the bears at the dump. It does not help the situation...

Posted by: To Kasey on Feb 7, 2008 at 05:00 AM
...take your meds.

Posted by: Chuck on Feb 6, 2008 at 07:49 PM
You know, I'm tired of this. Democrats are a stupid, whiney and weak bunch. The whole lot of them. The only reason America is as great as it is, is due to Republicans. There should be only one party, the strong party (think Republicans) and all others should be sent to live on an island. It will be another great day indeed when Romney is voted into office and the democrats sit and pathetically count their pennies. You people need to wake up.

Posted by: Wayne Co. Dave on Feb 6, 2008 at 07:36 PM
It was all wayne county. huckabee for prez.

Posted by: Chuck on Feb 6, 2008 at 07:26 PM
Anonymous, what does the secretary of state's office have to do with the governor? The secretary of state is a republican by the way.

Posted by: Up Chuck on Feb 6, 2008 at 07:00 PM
Chuck would never say anyone of his own party is guilty of anything! Including the lame duck in charge(?) at the moment. (Who, might I add is the worst president in U.S. History) Thats the way the GOP rolls. Point and blame everyone else.

Posted by: Top 10 for Chick, err Chuck on Feb 6, 2008 at 04:54 PM
CHUCK, where have you had YOUR head the past 8 years? Ignoring the WORST president ever. Preparing for the Great Depression Pt. II? Here is what the GOP has done for the U.S. since Jr. has taken office. Read it, memorize it, then take it to the Tap Room and discuss it. Enjoy! 1. Bush is destroying workers rights and outsourcing jobs instead of protecting the right to organize and creating new jobs rebuilding schools, bridges, roads and hospitals 2. Bush is privatizing Medicare, Social Security and public education with phony reforms instead of enacting health care for all, protecting retirement funds and full funding for public education through college. 3. Bush is bankrupting the Federal Government with giant tax cuts for the very rich and super-funds to the military instead of securing the budget for human needs by taxing the rich and spending on human needs. 4. Bush is rolling back civil rights gains instead of enforcing and expanding affirmative action to end racism in all areas of life. 5. Bush is curtailing women's rights and choice by undermining Roe v. Wade instead of upholding the right to choice and ending the gender wage gap. 6. Bush is abusing immigrant workers in low-wage jobs instead of providing a clear path to citizenship and equal rights. 7. Bush is exploiting and ruining the environment by protecting corporate polluters instead of conserving our natural resources for the public good. 8. Bush's war in Iraq is a disaster for our security and economy. He is pushing for more preemptive wars and for first strike nuclear military policy instead of negotiations and cooperation utilizing the UN. 9. Bush is denying civil liberties and free speech in the name of fighting terrorism instead of repealing the USA Patriot Act and helping cities, towns and states fund firefighters and police. 10. Bush discriminates against Gays and Lesbians with a Constitutional Amendment instead of expanding civil rights and liberties for all.

Posted by: Kasey on Feb 6, 2008 at 04:13 PM
To "No Way" So tell us, what are you so "proud" of? A pathetic existance that evolves around trying to bring people down to your level only to make yourself feel like a worthwhile human being. The only thing that you pride yourself in apparently is sitting in front of your computer trying to come up with an articulate sentence in order to bring other people down with seemigly over zealous diction (pssst.. I can do that too!). Try having some pride in character like I know many West Virginian's have. I think if you try it out you might like it. I am guessing that you may be 16 or 17, maybe younger? I believe that your mother and father should be slapped for raising such an disrespectful child who does not deserve the title of man nor woman. You will learn the consequences of poor character. So bathe in the victory of making one person feel bad, because when everyone is gone from your life it will be the only thing that you have left to keep you warm at night.

Posted by: Seriously on Feb 6, 2008 at 03:59 PM
Further more, Romney makes me sick. He talks about the presidential race as if it were Monopoly! He doesn't care about people or issues, he cares about winning and strategy. McCain isn't much better. Huckabee is the only candidate willing to stand up and say "look, I've never taken anything from special interest groups" and "Our tax system sucks, lets change it!". Not to mention, he is someone who has been overweight and lost it. What a great example for obese America.

Posted by: Ashley on Feb 6, 2008 at 03:51 PM
You know, I don't care whether our candidate is conservative or liberal. I don't care whether he or she is a Republican or a Democrat. Those issues do not matter. I think your a shallow biggot if they do. Being a conservative or a liberal does not tell you a thing or do a thing in the way of bringing economic stability. Which should probably be the numbder one thing on all WV voters minds! Our state is drowning! And you people still have the gull to say "well, he or she is not a true Republican" or "He's just not conservative enough." My Lord, no wonder most of the people my age don't care enough to vote! When is going to stop being about party politics and start being about people???

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 6, 2008 at 01:14 PM
HEY CHUCK! You forgot A. James Manchin our current governor's uncle! NOt to mention that if you look on the secretary of state payroll you will see many members of the Manchin family employed by the state! HMMMMM !!! Not too mention that our current governor's daughter is under investigtion for "not earning" her degree at WVU--

Posted by: GOP (Gay Old Party) on Feb 6, 2008 at 12:49 PM
seems the GOP race is over. all hail liberal McCain. Should be fun to see him cowering in the corner after the democrats take it all.

Posted by: Dru on Feb 6, 2008 at 11:05 AM
No wonder we place last in everything, West Virginia is run like Washington DC. If Huckabee, McCain, and Paul have to perform shady deals and unethical moves to win the party's nomination, I can only imagine what will happen when they get into office. I am a proud West Virginian, but I am ashamed at the state GOP for not giving me a voice and letting me vote for myself. I'm seriously considering switching my affiliation to Independent until this stupid state GOP party can give the power back to the people and not an elite few.

Posted by: Obama on Feb 6, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Obama is the only one who will deliver change to the hard-working middle class and poor. Wake up, middle-class and poor republicans and see that your party has abandoned you. They stand with the rich, period. Vote for Obama!!!!!

Posted by: Rhonda on Feb 6, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Some say that republicans are for the rich. Democrats my friend are to make us poorer and dependent on the system...Increasing taxes..cutting funding for schools and colleges and Medicaid and Medicare.... When they are the reason the Welfare system is in the mess it's in. They created dependency!! Look at your neighboring state KY who just elected a democrat Governor. Read what he is doing...making a poor state poorer..Raising taxes of the hard working to give to the people who don't work. Tell me the fairness in that? You want a democrat? If you get one elected ...God Have MERCY on the working man. He will have more people to take care of!! People WAKE UP!! Democrats where are your morals?? Take a stand!!

Posted by: Confused Amy on Feb 6, 2008 at 08:58 AM
1st of all, where are the rest of the counties, and why did 1/2 the state get to decide who "WV" supports in this election? 2nd, why do I not get a chance to vote for the Republician who best matches up w/ my beliefs???? 3rd, who decided who got to be a "delegate", no one contacted my family or me? It seems to me that Mitt Romney was cheated out a WV win, and people voted a certain way because they were asked to vote a certain way--sort of like trading votes...whatever happened to an individual voting for the best best represents them, and not voting because their particular candidate wasn't winng, and that campaign didn't want someone else to win, so they asked for their votes to go to another candidate. BTW, I'm not a supporter of Romney, but I may be now, even though it appears as if if I won't get a vote.

Posted by: WV proud on Feb 6, 2008 at 12:22 AM
To "No Way", Yes I am proud of WV. Not because of a couple of football teams but because i am proud of the hard working ethic of this proud state. Sadly we diminish in numbers because we leave to find jobs in other states because our political affiliation will not change. There has been one constant in WV for almost 80 years, a Democratically controlled electorate that will not let us move into the 20th century (forget about the 21st in the here and now). So go back to your rust belt in Ohio and prepare to join Michigan in the great desert of jobless that unions and Democratic loyalties have provided you!

Posted by: Chuck on Feb 6, 2008 at 12:14 AM
To digging up bones, If Arch Moore is all you have then stay home. Where do I begin, Tonkovich, Bryan, Rebrook, Chafin? The Democrats have run this state in the ground period. But they have convinced people like you they are for the working class and after 70 plus years of leadership their version of the working class is state employees and those who work for Wal-Mart. Please stop drinking the Kool Aid so that this state may some day prosper and if Arch Moore is all you have then keep quiet because there is a list twice as long for the Democrats. Read your history.

Posted by: Kay on Feb 5, 2008 at 11:58 PM
I don't like how my voice was taken out of the contest and the shady deals run by Ron Paul and McCain shouldn't be allowed. It was obvious that the people wanted Mitt Romney but the back hand deals changed the outcome to something different than what most of WV wanted. I would not have voted Huckabee and definitely not McCain, he's a democrat in republican field.

Posted by: ann on Feb 5, 2008 at 09:59 PM
Looks like a rerun of Florida in 2000.

Posted by: Paul on Feb 5, 2008 at 09:31 PM
this election is turning into a three ring circus, I am thinking along the line that Rachel posted, as for Dorthys comment I agree and it has been said before welcome to West Va

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 5, 2008 at 09:15 PM
I HEART HUCKABEE !!

Posted by: David on Feb 5, 2008 at 08:51 PM
From Native WVian: What the heck is this Republican race about? We have one true conservative (Ron Paul-who gets no press), one conservative on some civil liberties but not on the unconstitutional size of federal government, spending or taxes (Mike Huckabee), one liberal on free speech and guns (McCain), and one liberal who says he has converted (Romney.) Why aren't people going for the true consistent conservative????? Because someone else tells us that he will never win, and so a vote for the good guy is a wasted vote. I will vote for Ron Paul, and my conscience will be clear: He cares only about my freedom and the affordable defense of my country. Ron Paul's message is the future of my country, no matter what it takes to wake up the rest of America. Research this man - his common sense and American values are almost unheard of in the political arena.

Posted by: Rachel on Feb 5, 2008 at 08:01 PM
I am a Republican who hopes to vote for Obama. I am finished with you all.

Posted by: Dorothy on Feb 5, 2008 at 07:57 PM
Why was I not allowed to make my own choice? I think we were robbed of our right to vote not have someone else choose for us

Posted by: clearthinker on Feb 5, 2008 at 07:53 PM
wasted votes on a worthless candidate. everyone knows Obama is going to win in Nov. have a nice day!

Posted by: Another MU student on Feb 5, 2008 at 07:48 PM
Forget the Middle East...let's try spreading democracy to West Virginia.

Posted by: Digging Up Bones on Feb 5, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Well CHUCK, since you're SO hard pressed to diss Dem's, let me remind of YOU of some of Wv's great Republican Moments that made headlines. In 1975 Arch Moore Jr. (Father of Shelley Wellons Moore Capito) and his 1972 campaign manager were accused by federal prosecutors of extorting $25,000 from the president of a holding company seeking a state charter for a new bank. Both were acquitted in 1976. In the last week of his second term in 1977, Moore accepted a token payment from Pittston Coal Co. to settle accounts from the Buffalo Creek disaster, which killed 125 people. Moore's settlement left the state with a cleanup bill of nearly $10 million after he left office.In 1990, after an extensive federal investigation, Moore pled guilty to five felonies. He agreed to plead guilty after he was told that federal investigators had taped him conspiring with his former campaign manager, John Leaberry, to obstruct the investigation into his activities. Moore pled guilty to an indictment that said he accepted illegal payments during his 1984 and 1988 election campaigns, extorted more than $573,000 from a Maben Energy Corporation, a coal company based in the town of Beckley, and obstructed the investigation. Moore served two years, eight months in federal prison in Alabama and Kentucky and four months of home confinement at his home in Glen Dale, Marshall County.After his guilty plea, Moore tried repeatedly to withdraw it. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit rebuffed his attempts to withdraw his plea in April 1991, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused his arguments in October 1995.

Posted by: anon republican on Feb 5, 2008 at 07:19 PM
HOW crazy is it that we don't even get to vote on Super Tuesday...it is bordering communism!!

Posted by: Unbelievable on Feb 5, 2008 at 07:06 PM
Let me start by saying that Huckabee has morals and he at least knows what they are. This countries problem is that it has turned away from God!!! Why he doesn't just destroy the world now is beyond me. Most people today are fickle and only have morals when it suits them. Mike Huckabee is a man of character and the bible states that we will be cursed for his name sake. Go ahead, say what you will about him. His rewards will be many for your doing so. After all, Christ walked among us and we treated him worse. Christians need to take and stand and take back America!!! Go Huckabee!! May God Bless your campaign and guide your steps and words as you continue your efforts to do the RIGHT thing. The bible does say, if God be for us, who can be against us?

Posted by: Ron Paul Supporter on Feb 5, 2008 at 06:42 PM
Thanks for the delegate deal Huckabee guys! We truly appreciate it!

Posted by: Chuck on Feb 5, 2008 at 06:23 PM
Hey John Doe we are embarrassed everyday on the news with constant comments about us ranking 49th or 50th in every economic category. Or maybe its the embarrassment of young African American woman who was sexually, physically and mentally abused by a group white rad necks who no doubt voted over and overfor a US Senator who was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. You need to open your eyes.

Posted by: No Way on Feb 5, 2008 at 05:59 PM
West Virginia "PROUD"? Surely you jest. Whats to be so proud about? A winning football team? The coal mines and chemical plants. You're just another sad case of generations of grime not having the common sense to leave a 3rd world state. "Proud"....it's truly laughable.

Posted by: MU Student on Feb 5, 2008 at 05:52 PM
Way to go WV GOP. Not only did you not allow us to vote, you voted for the people who like to make shady deals. Way to go.

Posted by: bill on Feb 5, 2008 at 05:08 PM
I can not beleive that Huckabee won a GOP Convention based on what I have read about his ideas on taxes. He wants to hurt the low income people and help the rich.

Posted by: John Doe on Feb 5, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Hey Chuck, we'll be in the news for the next few days too - what an embarrassment today was.

Posted by: WV Proud on Feb 5, 2008 at 04:54 PM
To the responder who said WV is pathetic. You are correct in saying that WV is an extremely poor state but where you are wrong is in our political party in power. This was a primary so only Republicans vote. You should look that up in your good government book if you can read. WV has been ruled by the Democratic Party for almost 80 years (see Robert Byrd) and look where it has gotten us.

Posted by: Chuck on Feb 5, 2008 at 04:29 PM
To all of those complaining about the convention today. There are still delegates available and your vote will cout to those remaining delegates but to be technical your vote never counted before because the primary was usually over before WV got to vote. I supported John McCain in 2000 but my vote meant nothing in May because he had already dropped out of the race. WV has been at forefront of all National News today because of this convention and the coverage has been positive. This attitude toward change is why WV never prospers!

Posted by: Scott on Feb 5, 2008 at 04:23 PM
Way to throw away your votes, WV Republicans. Was Ross Perot on the ballot??

Posted by: Native West Virginian who is not inbred or incestuous on Feb 5, 2008 at 04:17 PM
It may surprise some of you to know that there are people born and raised in West Virginia who have all their own teeth, regularly wear shoes, and do not date or marry close blood relations. The bigotry displayed against West Virginia is appalling.

Posted by: scott on Feb 5, 2008 at 04:13 PM
what happened to actual people voting for who they wanted. this process in WV is a joke and is pretty much saying that ' We the People' dont matter.

Posted by: BJ on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:58 PM
It's amazing that anyone would vote for Huckabee. Among other obvious issues that he has, he is WEAK on crime. Look at his record as the Governor of Arkansas. He commuted the sentences of 1,033 criminals, 12 of which had murdered. One of those he commuted raped and murdered following release. How anyone can live with themself after freeing an animal like that is beyond belief. I will vote for any Democrat before I vote for Huckabee. Furthermore, I would vote for the Democratic Party should he be chosen as the VP running mate for the Republican nominee. I hope my fellow West Virginians take the time to study a little more before the election.

Posted by: Len on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Very sad indeed. So now WV will be known as a state that wants church & state combined (- YUCK), as Mr. Huckabee wants to put the Bible in our Constitution. Haven't the Evangelicals done enough? A war, 1,000's of wounded & dead soldiers, no child health care. This is what the Evangelicals and their Evangelical President Bush will leave for the next President. That's not Christian it is criminal. Real Christians are driven by love & forgiveness, not hate. Shouldn't we have learned that extremist in any church is bad? So WV wants more?????

Posted by: Christopher like on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:33 PM
There is a campaign ad for Mike Huckabee in which he says “I will put values above politics.” I’ve always thought that was a coded message to his supporters that was really said “I put Jesus above the Constitution.” That turns out to have been the correct parsing, because now he’s not even coding it. I found this article at Lawyers, Guns and Money. It’s hard to believe, but Huckabee actually made these outrageous statements: “I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution,” Huckabee told a Michigan audience. “But I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living god. And that’s what we need to do — to amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than try to change God’s standards so it lines up with some contemporary view.” So much for seperation of church and state. Wv's need to wake up.

Posted by: MU student on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:31 PM
I am thoroughly PO'd at the state republicans. I am a republican all the way, but I did not have any say in this election. If you look at the counties that voted for Huckabee, they were mostly southern WV counties. If you look at Romney counties, they were more northern (where I am from). All I can say is that you counties in the south that voted for Huckabee mostly have depressing economies and a population decline. In northern WV, we are experiencing a population boom and a thriving economy. As a matter of fact, Morgantown is set to overtake Charleston as the states largest city in about 5-8 years. After living in Huntington, for school, I can not believe the substandard mentality that this section of the state lives by. I love this state more than any other, but when you have a city like Huntington that is slowly deteriorating...AND IT SHOULDN'T BE...then I can't help but look at the progressive outlook that northern WV possesses and be happy my home town is in north central WV.

Posted by: Marie on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:26 PM
Caling people names doesn't do anything but show your own ignorance. Everyone has a right to their own opinions. I lived next door to WV for most of my life, and there are some fine, smart people in that state. Give 'em a break for crying out loud.

Posted by: Chris on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:26 PM
YES!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE HUCKABEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: John on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:18 PM
I don't understand this, Huckabee dose not stand a chance in general election, Romney is the best choice, what is wrong with you people..

Posted by: Joe on Feb 5, 2008 at 03:04 PM
Somebody please explain this process to me

Posted by: This state is pathetic on Feb 5, 2008 at 02:51 PM
It's a sad sad sight to see. Wv one of the poorest states in the NATION and yet you STILL vote for the party that gives tax breaks and favors to the rich. THIS is why WV and its Hillbillys will never be anything but dope smoking, beer drinking, 4 wheeling losers. You people must be blind AND stupid.

Posted by: EC on Feb 5, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Dumb hillbillies! I can see why there are no republicans in WV. It is your dictorial process. Heck, if a man can give this country 5 years in a prison camp, Hanoi Hilton, I will vote to give him 4 years as our president. Go McCain!

Posted by: anna neal on Feb 5, 2008 at 02:31 PM
i was just checking the results of the republican convention. Are all the counties represented? i didn,t see Mason county .Why do they pick the republican candidate before our primary? makes little sense to me!why vote!

Posted by: angryrepublican on Feb 5, 2008 at 02:14 PM
I thik that the state republican convention is a sham that has stripped WV republicans of their primary vote. They kept it secret so they could pick who they wanted. I have been a republican since I turned 18 but I am changing to Independent after this farce. If you are angry let the WV GOP know. Email them at wvgop@wvgop.org

Posted by: Chad on Feb 5, 2008 at 01:42 PM
What the results from the rest of the counties? Does Round 1 only consist of some of the counties?

Posted by: shawn hayes on Feb 5, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Lets give Huck the win start this day off right WV

Posted by: Fred on Feb 5, 2008 at 12:53 PM
As a registered republican I am opposed to this method of selecting our delegates. Everyone should get to vote on the primary date. Don't know why I care as I will have to wait until fall anyway to vote democratic in this election. Maybe I'll change my registration to a Democrat, they still vote fair in this state.

Posted by: JB on Feb 5, 2008 at 12:07 PM
It's spelled Huckabee, NOT Huckaby.

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