 A great man has just passed away and this is a time to mourn and to celebrate his life.
How does one begin to replace the irreplaceable Senator? For 50 years, Senator Byrd has been there for us.
Nate Silver at 538 has details on his call to the Secretary of State's Office.
Glance told me that no decision has been made yet on when a special election would be held to replace Robert Byrd, who passed away early this morning. Various interpretations of the law might require the special election to be held this November -- or not until November, 2012, when Byrd's term was set to expire anyway.
"There are a lot of sections on state code that apply to this kind of thing and we're examining each one of them and we'll be making an announcement soon," Glance told me. "We just need to make sure that what we say fits this specific situation."
Once there is a decision by the Secretary of State's office, then much of the short-term and possibly the long-term answer to the replacement question will come from Gov. Joe Manchin (D).
In an unfortunately timed Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article on Sunday, Manchin described his ambitions:
Lately, he's been preparing for a different role. Manchin, 62, is considering a Senate run should Robert Byrd, 92, the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, decide not to seek a 10th term in 2012.
snip
"Do I have a desire to serve? Absolutely. I want to put myself in the best position I can to serve my state," he said.
Manchin is a Democrat though he is far more "centrist," as he describes himself, or "conservative," as others might describe him, than I would prefer.
If a short-term replacement is needed for Byrd, Manchin will appoint a Democrat who would serve until either a special election is held for the seat this year or in 2012 when Byrd's term would have expired, depending on the ruling from Secretary of State Natalie Tennant,another popular Democrat in West Virginia.
I've seen elsewhere of people discussing Republicans having a chance to win this seat. The reality is that the Republican Party may be winning West Virginia in presidential races, but every statewide office is held by Democrats, from the governor to the secretary of agriculture, and four of the five Congressional caucus members are Democrats. The lone Republican in Congress, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, could make a bid to run for the Senate, but the Republicans are overwhelmingly outnumbered in the State Senate and House of Delegates. The state GOP has no bench of candidates who can seriously challenge either Manchin or any number of potential Democratic candidates who might choose to run for the U.S. Senate.
As I commented earlier, Senator Byrd was called home before his work was done because his work will never be finished. It is up to another to pick up the banner and lead the charge forward for progress. It is up to us to continue Senator Byrd's message and his work. The Senator has earned his eternal rest. We have not.
The replacement for Senator Byrd should carry on his work as an honest broker regarding coal, as an advocate for improving mine safety, as an advocate for the Constitution and all of the people of West Virginia.
Who that person is and whether they will serve in the interim or run for election in 2010 or 2012 is yet to be determined by the state officials.
But one thing is for certain: we'll never see the likes of Senator Byrd again. Big Daddy was one of a kind. He will be missed. |
