Comments

It’s sad that you didn’t ask Mr McKinney about his moral values and the issues regarding morality in America and how he would lead the party in that direction.

Thanks

I would like to know what Mr. Rudd meant by his comments. I know Doug(however didn’t support him in the governors race) and he has never been questioned about his morals.

I think THE WV GOP Problem is almost total lack of “party-building.” It seems to me that the so-called leaders seem to think they should push instead of lead.

I want to see their ideas for actually building interest, enthusiasm, registrations, energy, and ABOVE ALL an understanding of Republican Principles (if any of them know of any that are common to everyone.)

What I say, I say as a 100% pro-life Republican, financial contributor to West Virginians for Life, and sometime office volunteer:

Why is WVFL sticking its nose into this race for chairman?

Mary Ann Buchanan, their executive director, is a Democrat. Melissa Atkins, their legislative liason, is also a Democrat. WVFL has not stuck with the party at some specific times in the past when we’ve asked them to go to bat for us.

I don’t know if they’re being motivated by some sense of personal animosity or what, but it seems interesting to me that WVFL has gone back on its declaration to hold Democrats accountable for the vote against the Parents’ Right to Know bill discharge petition (WVFL has endorsed several Democrats who voted against them on that bill), yet they want to pick sides in an internal Republican Party election when the victor will have no official policy-making role within the Legislature or in any branch of State Government.

Boggles the mind…..unless there is more to the story.

To Perplexed I agree with you, although here in Harrison County WV for Life did not endorse three incumbents that they had previously and they did endorse Danny Hamrick & Jay Wolfe both Republicans, now that was the primary, but I don’t see them endorsing the 3 imcumbets in the General either(they did endorse incumbent Tim Miley, but he voted right)
Also I think WV for Life should work on their “Pro-Life” Dems to change the Demorcratic platform. With all the talk of how popular our Gov is it would seem he would have some say.

I think WV Republicans face a clear choice - we need a Chairman who can work with others and is an effective politican.

On the first score, Dr. McKinney seems more interested in holding a grudge (against the Warners)than building party unity. Otherwise, he would have taken the opportunity of his candidacy to reach out to those who have disagreed with, and perhaps even wronged, him in the past.

As far a his record in politics goes, he finished a dismal 4th, barely ahead of Joey Oliverio in the 2004 primary race for governor. (Makes you wonder why he remains so upset about the 2004 primary - there was no way he would have won, no matter what the Warners did.)

Add to that the dismal state of the party in Harrison County, where Dr. McKinney serves on the Executive Committee and his wife serves as chair and you begin to wonder how he could ever be considered a serious candidate for state chairman.

A GOP MOM

Gale,

If your standards are someone who would be an effective politician, I hope you’re not supporting Mark Scott for state chairman.

Last May when he ran for state chairman, the guy delivered a speech which was more appropriate for a Sunday sermon than a political gathering. Hands down, Doug McKinney has far more breadth and depth of political experience than his opponent.

And from the sound of it, you’re holding more of a grudge against McKinney than he is against the Warners.

Right now what the state party needs is a mature, experienced political hand who can give some vision and direction to the state party, be an effective fundraiser, and be a coherent spokesman. In my mind, McKinney is the best candidate for the job.

All this other stuff is a distraction–which brings me to the closing point of my last post: is someone trying to distract us? Is there another interest group out there working against McKinney, using WVFL as its vehicle but itself staying behind the scenes? I don’t have the answer to that.

I have to disagree with the idea that Doug McKinney would make an effective Chairman in this state. It is widely know that he does hold grudges against other Republicans in the state. There is no way that he can form party unity with his staunch and blinded vision of what the Republican Party should be in West Virginia. For example, go and look up his campaign contributions to Democrats against other Republicans in the state such as John Yoder, Sarah Minear, Cindy Frich (who he facitiously claimed supported him on Metronews nd proved to be unfounded), Toni Timpoya, Don Caruth, Kevin Fleming, Phil Conley, Tom O’ Neil, Philip Stevens, Jody Smirl, Bill Winters, Kelly Given (all 2000-2004 elections). That is not a leader and that is not someone who truly cares about the position of State Chairman rather than to line his nest for his next Governor’s run.

Perhaps all that money and leadership that he spoke of has been used effectively in the 41st Delegate District since he has recuited a few canidates and spent more money to ensure that the Democrats will stay in power in Harrison County.

I do agree that outside influences such as WVFL should stay out of the Chairman race as well as other influential politicans in the state such as Betty Ireland. Though I have to disagree at the image of Mark Scott being a Sunday school teacher. I agree that his speech at the last election was inapropriate for the occassion but you are missing the religious rhetoric that Doug McKinney included in this questionnaire, “He, in turn, must be kept informed about all legislative efforts so that we all sing from the same page in our Republican Hymnal.” Doug McKinney might as well have said that he will stand high on the mighty mountain and carved the Republican rule of law on stone tablets.

Adrian,

You have got to be kidding.

Using the metaphor “singing from the same Republican hymnal” hardly holds a candle to the kind of full-blown sermon Mark Scott delivered at the May 2005 committee meeting in Morgantown.

But, I don’t think the question is whether Doug McKinney will be an “effective” state chairman as compared to some kind of theoretical objective standard–the only question is whether he will be more effective than his opponent. About that, there is no question in my mind.

At the end of the day, Mark Scott hasn’t been around the state committee long enough to contend for chairman–to borrow a phrase, he still has some dues to pay. And, having his secretary place his phone calls for him isn’t doing him any good.

I think both Mark Scott and Doug McKinney have their strong points and weak points.

Mark Scott is young and full of intensity. Chalk those up under the “plus” category. However, I was up at that 2005 meeting and sunk in my seat when he preached a sermon. I knew he meant well, but one of the basics of Speech 101 is “KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.” Mr. Scott failed at that, and I hope he will redeem himself this year and give a political speech.

Doug McKinney has been a big donor to the WVGOP, and has been around, and even has ran for political office. Those are under the “plus” category. In 2005, he wasn’t even there to deliever his “vote for me as your party chairman” speech… as I recall, his wife gave his speech on his behalf. However, because he wasn’t there, he got the least amount of votes. Also, his “pro-life/pro-choice” position is shaky (in my opinion)… I figured that because he was a doctor he would be pro-life simply because he would have first-hand knowledge of how the abortion procedure works… but, I totally disagree with WVFL getting involved with the race… whoever the chairman is will (at least I certainly hope) support the GOP’s platform, and that is PRO-LIFE.

Major kudos go to Will for giving these chairman candidates their fair shake on his blog.

Also, I don’t want to be starting any rumors, but is Rick Snuffer still in the running for chairman, or was it indeed a rumor??

I have as yet to make up my mind on who I will vote for as our next chairman. One thing I do want to say about Dr. McKinney: After the ‘04 primary was over, I had several conversations with Dr. McKinney about “the Warner so called gate”. My views were much different than Dr. McKinney on that issue and that is putting it softly.
Dr. McKinney knew that I worked for the Monty Warner campaign during the general election. At the first meeting that both Dr. McKinney and I attended he walked over to where I sat, spoke and shook my hand.
I am a party loyalist and I believe that Dr. McKinney is as well and that he holds no grudges.

[…] Most recent articles: (Jul. 24) Meet Mark Scott, candidate for Republican Chairman (Jul. 24) Just say no (Jul. 20) Meet Douglas McKinney, candidate for Republican Chairman (Jul. 17) What’s good for the goose… […]

I was Mckinney’s campaign manager for his failed governor’s race in 04, so I probably have a better insight on McKinney than most. My opinion is that he is totally unsuited to be our party’s state chairman.

The fundraising myth: Vic Sprouse says McK raised the most $ in the race. Technically true. However, it was my agressive fundraising tactics which were responsible for the total raised. Doug is embarassed to call people on the phone and “beg” (his words) for money. He feels as a doctor that this is beneath him. I sat in the same office as he made his calls and cringed as he proceeded to tell potential donors about his “shame” in asking for money. If he hated making fundraising calls for himself, (and he did), why is he going to love doing it for the party?

He has a gruff, vindictive, personality. Not suited to being a unifier. Add to this his wife’s undue influence on him. He can’t take a dump without her permission. Sue will be the one actually running the party. Heaven help us.

His ideas about running campaigns are right from the 60’s, maybe that’s why Goldwater is his favorite Republican. He has no concept of how to win a modern campaign. McKinney is the candidate for the last century. Our party needs a leader for the 21st Century.

Doug Mckinney is not the guy.

I’m the President of the Harrison County Republican Club; I’ve known Doug for a couple of years ever since I moved here from Georgia. Doug is a very good man, an honest man that tells it like it is. A man of integrity, he has an absolutely unquestionable intellect, he has a proven track record of supporting the Republican cause, and he has also proven that he would have no problem in raising the funds necessary to take the party out of the almost two year long debt. A good family man, a credit to the medical community, & a man that is & always has been Pro-Life… From what I hear Mark Scott is a good man also, who has a very good track record in Republican politics. I’ve heard all kinds of rumors this week about Dr. Doug McKinney, most of it nonsense. Let me say that I will fully support anyone who wins the nod of WVGOP Chair… I will also say I don’t like to see the GOP once again destroying its own, just as the Democrats would want it… They have clung to power for 3/4ths of a Century, they rely on ignorance, apathy, and the Republican Party of West Virginia fighting amongst themselves so much that they lose all focus on what really matters….. The Democratic Party is our real nemeses; they are the ones that have ruled this state since 1932, and they have FAILED… It’s up to us as the Republican party of WV to unite and defeat the failed policies of the Democrats in West Virginia who sit there and just laugh every time the WVGOP is divided. We are outnumbered more than 2-1 in West Virginia, it’s time we start realizing that and stand united against a common foe, the 74 year old Democratic machine in West Virginia, because until we do that, we’ll give the Democrats the gift that keeps on giving… Another election year with another unearned, undeserved victory for the WV Democratic party… Let’s stop the rumors & backbiting so we can pick a person on their merits to lead our Party in the future, and let’s let the Republicans pick our leader, not the Democrats.

Thank You & God Bless…

Tommy Phillips
President
HCRC

With an endorsement from Sam Pimm (hack-cough-cough), I’m now sure Doug McKinney will win. I don’t know who would ever hire you again for any campaign, let alone take any of your advise.

Mr. Phillips,

I think you need to distinguish fact from rumor:

Mr. McKinney was the only one of the four major (Capehart, Moore & Robb were the other three)losing candidates in the 2004 GOP gubernatorial primary who did not endorse the winner and Republican party candidate Monte Warner. That is a fact, not a rumor.

Mr. McKinney did make significant contibutions to Democrat candidates in the past. That is a fact, not a rumor.

The Harrison County GOP has fielded a much weaker slate under Mrs. McKinney’s leadership than it did in 2004 under the previous chairman. That is fact.

These are legitimate points for the the state committee to take into consideration when selecting a new chairman.

Reaganite,

I wouldnt’ consider Jay Wolfe a weak candidate, nor would I consider Elaine Daugherty that way either…and keep an eye on Garth Beck–I think he may surprise some people.

Also, the Democrat donations were made before he was a member of the committee and while he was in the leadership of the state medical association–a wise, prudent, and appropriate thing for him to do in that role.

I’m really not hearing that much pro-Mark Scott stuff….what’s up?

Tom-

You aren’t hearing a lot of pro-Scott stuff because people aren’t digging up stuff on Scott… therefore, nobody is coming to Mark Scott’s defense with his positives.

I hope that makes sense to you.

Jim

Reaganite,

we started out with 2 of the 4 House of Delegates slots filled, this after almost a year of the Executive Committee, The HCRC, and the state party trying to convince the near victorious Bill Griffith to run again, he told everyone no… Even so we at the filing deadline we had Jay Wolfe, who was elected to the State Senate in 1986, who was a two-time Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, and Danny Hamrick who was the 2004 Chair of Betty Ireland’s campaign, he personally registered almost 1,100 voters, Betty won by almost 900 votes, he has received 5 endorsements, West Virginian’s for Life, Lifegauge.org, Westpac, West Virginia Family Foundation, and the American’s for Tax Reform. Sue & myself worked very hard to find quality candidates to fill the 2 vacancies for the St. House, even after we found 2 well qualified candidates, we had about three days work vigorously with the Marion County Republican Executive committee to call for an emergency meeting, both committees had to appoint and fill a delegate district committee and have another separate meeting with them to finally officially appoint people to the remaining vacancies, then we had the state party take the necessary papers to Charleston just an hour before the deadline. We filled the additional slots with Elaine Daugherty who was the 2004 Harrison County Bush/Cheney Chair, everyone agrees she did an outstanding job, Harrison County went from Bush losing by 59 votes in 2000, to winning the County by 3,811 votes in 2004 an amazing accomplishment that could not have been done without her, the other slot was filled with Garth Beck who has just graduated from Law School, he will take the BAR exam at the end of the month, then he will fully engage in an all out campaign for the House of Delegates. We worked very hard to find a State Senate Candidate, we were VERY close to having a top tier candidate we even conducted a poll for him, at the last minute he told us thank you, but no… You can ask anyone who was with the state party this past year, Matt Keissling, Charles Bolen, even Rob Capehart, they’ll tell you that short of putting a gun to someone’s head and forcing them to run, we’ve done all we could possibly do… Also, with the exception of Bill Griffith, the current slate for the St. House including Jay Wolfe, Danny Hamrick, Elaine Daugherty, & Garth Beck is stronger than it was in 2004. Just to give you an inside look Reaganite. Whoever wins the GOP Chair will have my absolute support, that was the mantra of the past post, that we must stand UNITED, Reaganite, I hope you’ll do the same… Thank you for your support for the GOP.

Take care & God Bless,

Tommy Phillips
President
HCRC

Front-Line Grunt -

You hit the nail right on the head. Everyone should re-read your comment (No. 3).

Pushing and shoving rather than leading will not work with Republicans, thank goodness.

Party regulars are independent-minded solid citizens who believe in the principles of their party and are willing to work for them. Elected officials and operatives should stay out of the party’s business because by and large, their focus is not on party-building and never will be. Winning appears to be the game they know, and for many of them, this is true even if the winners are Republicans In Name Only (RINOS). After all, winning majority status equals power and money for the winners and jobs for the operatives.

I think that Republicans are learning that we must become more discerning in choosing our candidates. This is the only way we can advance the Republican cause–making certain that our candidates (for party or public office) truly believe in Republican principles. If we take a look at national politics, we must know that we cannot risk placing the WV Republican Party into the hands of meddling elected officials.

Let’s elect a chairman who believes that the advancement of Republican principles must be the party’s primary focus, along with party-building based upon the advancement of those principles. And if this is not going to be our party’s focus, then the party is DOOMED, at least until it is rekindled, and so is Reform WV. A Republican majority means nothing if WV gets nothing but more of the same ole, same ole, such as what has happened by the sending of a majority of Republicans to Washington.

Wake up members and lead for Republican principles, and do so without violating Reagan’s 11th Commandment. Those who violate this commandment should be shown the door. Tearing down others, no matter how subtle and well-written, leaves a path of destruction within the party that takes years to overcome.

Jim,

My point is that the pro-Mark Scott argument is that he’s not Doug McKinney…voters on the committee need a better reason than that.

Maybe nobody is talking about Mark Scott because he hasn’t done very much politically.

Have any of you “wizards” ever entertained the idea that this tussle for WVGOP Chair might be a set-up?

Think about it! Who is lurking on the sidelines, in the shadows, just waiting for a tie or unreconcilable draw? Who will then propose himself (or have someone else do it for him) as interim chair while he makes deals with his buddies to gather in the reins (and the purse-strings, especially, the purse-strings) of the WVGOP?

Note to “Doomed” (whoever you are, since you are afraid to post your comments under your real name): I notice that you failed to refute any of the points I made about McKinney and instead resorted to name-calling. Thank you for that.

As for your big put-down, I’ll just say that I was at the White House 2 weeks ago being briefed by Vice President Cheney and Karl Rove. Funny, I didn’t see you there.

BTW, the word is “advice”, since you obviously failed fourth grade spelling.

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