Seeing the opening game of the West Virginia Power made me very happy. The weather didn’t cooperate, but it seems like everyone had a great time despite the drenching. The ballpark is almost complete; it only needs wireless internet. I am going to suggest it to the powers that be (no pun intended) and see what happens.

Some of the Democratic candidates were stationed at the entrances to the park. It was my misfortune to be welcomed by Erik Wells, the challenger to State Senate Republican candidate Mark Plants. I shook his hand, looked straight into his eyes and said, “Erik, I hope you lose.”

“That won’t happen,” he quickly retorted.

“Well,” I replied, “it did last time.”

The last time West Virginia saw Erik Wells, he was on television giving his farewell speech after being drubbed by Shelley Moore Capito.

–

John Raese, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, had the grand opening of his Charleston office this Friday evening. There was a surprisingly large attendance that included many of Charleston’s most notable Republicans.

This was the first time I had the opportunity to hear Raese speak at length and interact with him personally. He is a breath of fresh air.

I was born during Reagan’s first term. Ever since I knew who he was I think I have been a Reagan Republican. It is the principles of lower taxes, less government intervention, and conservative values that spur me on today to work for reform in our state. Sadly, since Reagan has left the scene some in the Republican Party have forgotten Reagan’s vision. That is why Raese is a welcome change. He just gets it.

–

And then there is Hiram Lewis, Raese’s Republican opponent.

Hiram’s new hired help sent out a rash of emails boasting on how much money his campaign had raised. I got a little tickled when I noticed they sent the emails out on a free Yahoo email account that uses advertisements in the email to support it. Maybe I have a weird sense of humor. I also started laughing last week when I saw Stephanie Timmermeyer, the liberal, tree-hugging West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Director, walk out of the capitol in a 100% genuine leather bag. But I digress.

Hiram then sent out two emails – well three actually; one was accidentally blank — attacking Raese for using comments Ronald Reagan made in a 1984 endorsement. Hiram wrote, “it’s dishonorable to use the great communicator’s voice in such a way as to infer an endorsement of today.” Pardon a crass word: duh! Everyone knows Reagan’s dead, Hiram. He obviously did not come back from the grave to endorse Raese.

In another email, Hiram wrote, “it’s hard to believe that my opponent wasted President Reagan’s endorsement by losing to Rockefeller. I will not waste President Bush’s endorsement…”

I didn’t know Hiram got the President’s approval, so I asked Phil Kiver, Hiram’s media manager, “when did Hiram get Bush’s endorsement?”

He replied, “the implied message in the statement was that we will not waste the endorsement once we get it…”

So Hiram rebukes Raese for reminding people of Reagan’s 1984 endorsement while claiming to have an endorsement from Bush that has not been given.

Confused? So am I.

–

On one final note, there was a record 22,112 unique visitors to this site in March. Thank you to everyone who visits, emails, and takes the time to post comments. Although I do not respond to everything, I certainly read it all. I know it sounds like a cliché, but the website would not have an impact without each of you.