Don Blankenship won't rule out third party bid in West Virginia senate race

[brooklynite]

Source: CBS News

Ex-coal CEO and West Virginia senate candidate Don Blankenship says he will not rule out a third party bid in the West Virginia senate race, if Attorney General Patrick Morrisey wins the Republican nomination Tuesday. "I have not ruled out anything," Blankenship told CBS News on Sunday, adding, "I've said that I cannot let him win because of the opioid connection and planned parenthood connection."

Blankenship has repeatedly stated on the campaign trail that Morrisey is at fault for the opioid epidemic in West Virginia, and vows he will not support the attorney general if chosen as the Republican nominee. "Mr. Morrisey has been less than truthful about his involvement with the drug companies," Blankenship said, noting that an independent bid might be the most viable option in the general election race against current West Virginia senator Democrat Joe Manchin.

Blankenship served a year behind bars for conspiring to violate mine safety rules following the Upper Big Branch Mining disaster in 2010, and is currently under probation. The explosion took the life of 29 miners. Republicans have long worried about the possibility of a Blankenship victory, and the prospects of a candidate with a criminal record, come November. In April, GOP strategists launched Mountain Families PAC, investing in six-figure television advertisement buys.

In the eleventh hour of his campaign, Blankenship plans to release his final radio advertisement, doubling down on his outsider status. "The establishment politicians are getting desperate and more hostile," Blankenship notes in his radio message, due to air locally Monday morning. "They are calling me a bigot, a moron, a despicable character, and mentally ill."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/don-blankenship-wont-rule-out-third-party-bid-west-virginia-senate-race-2018-05-06/

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I assumed the Democrats would lose some incumbents, but looking at the opponents Manchin, Donnelly and McCaskill are drawing.....

[louis-t]

1. "They are calling me a bigot, a moron, a despicable character, and mentally ill."

'They' are probably right. Asshole.

[OnDoutside]

2. That was some ad. He came across as all of that.

[PearliePoo2]

3. Go for it! 3rd party all the way!

[bearsfootball516]

4. Oh, do it. Please split the vote and guarantee a Manchin win.

[DoctorJoJo]

5. Another Don The Con

We will welcome you as either the Repuke or 3rd party candidate, as you will be the gift that keeps on giving!

[paleotn]

6. Blankenship, I really think you should....

It's terrible what those Rethugs are calling you. You should really show them as a 3rd party in the general!

[TeamPooka]

7. Please proceed Mr. Blankenship. nt

[Staph]

8. Not going to happen.

THE “SORE LOSER” or “SOUR GRAPES” LAW (W. Va. Code §§ 3-5-7(d)(6) and 3-5-23)

Candidates affiliated with a recognized political party who run for election in a primary election
and who lose the nomination cannot change her or his voter registration to a minor party
organization/unaffiliated candidate to take advantage of the later filing deadlines and have their
name on the subsequent general election ballot.

From the official 2018 Running For Office In West Virginia document from the Secretary of State -- https://sos.wv.gov/elections/forms/Documents/Running%20for%20Office/2018%20RFO%20FINAL%20DRAFT.pdf


I wouldn't rule out a write-in campaign, but his name will not be put on the general election ballot if he loses the primary.

[Hortensis]

12. Oh, what a shame. So it's just dishonest noise from a conscienceless killer.

New news is that Blankenship is seeing a "surge" in support. Great and horrible. What is wrong with those people?

[murielm99]

23. Thank you.

I knew they had such a law, but I was too lazy to look it up.

[Leith]

9. It's Amazing That He Is Running for Office in WV

Don't West Virginians consider him to be the monster who contributed to the unnecessary deaths of their friends and neighbors?

Or is his ego so big that he can't conceive of that notion?

Or don't voters in that state care?

I'd appreciate it if somebody from coal country could clue me in.

[Staph]

13. He claims that his internal polls

show that he is leading. However, there are no indications that his campaign has had any internal polls commissioned.

Blankenship is a rich and evil man. He's also a lying liar that lies, just like the evil man in the White House.

[LiberalFighter]

10. By all means he should.

[catbyte]

11. Of course he doesn't. Malignant narcissists never give up. I hope he tries.

It would split the Republican vote, and even though Manchin is no bargain; I'd much rather see him in the Senate than any of those Republicans. And you're right, brooklynite, the Republicans are on track to shooting themselves in the foot not once, but 3 times. They never seem to learn their lesson, fortunately. Todd Akin, anybody? "I am not a witch" O'Donnell?

[Jfarrar3645]

14. The allure of coal jobs will get him some votes

You have to live in a place like WV to really understand. Legit jobs in the coal fields are truly mining/affiliated jobs or fast food. Their is no diversification of economy in these places. Alot of these coal jobs pay close to 100k.

[modrepub]

19. That Sounds Off

In the last 3 years the number of coal-fired units has dropped by almost 20%. Coal plants are more expensive to run. I'd be surprised if in the long run there would be much of an increase in the number of jobs. 100k coal jobs also sounds off. Most mines are strip mines so the level of sophistication is not high. Maybe a couple of people earn that much but most are probably lucky if the make one third of that.

[Jfarrar3645]

20. I'm not saying the coal jobs are coming back, but that is the mindset of some of these voters

The jobs they are hoping to come back are the underground mines but strip mine jobs pay very well. When you say “level of sophistication” is not high with strip mining you are misinformed. Heavy equipment operators, dynamite engineers, etc all pay very well. As for the 100k jobs, union coal jobs start at around 50/60k and with overtime can approach 100k. Like I said you have to live in WV to understand.

[Marthe48]

22. fracking is hot

but I hear that a lot of the jobs are filled by out-of-state workers.

Fracking is ruining the tourism. You can drive across Rt 50 east to Maryland, and there are so many collection sites, so much brine truck traffic, so much forest destruction. That's just what you see on Rt 50. If you travel on old roads like WV Rt. 18 there's even more.

Then you get to Maryland and oh joy, it's over. At least it was the last time I drove that way. Between the shift from Dem to repk. and the environmental wreckage, I wish I could avoid the state to go east or south.

[Nitram]

15. Go for it, dude!

[Dopers_Greed]

16. If Blankenship loses the primary...

I'd be willing to donate to get him running third party.

[Americanno]

17. Do it!

It benefits democrats.

[jmowreader]

18. "They're just mad that when I fire employees, I do it with real fire."

This is Sharron Angle-level batshit insanity.

[marble falls]

21. Please Don, please run a third party campaign. Please. You literally put the con in 'conservative'.