Sec. of State Natalie Tennant Seriously Considering WVa Governor Run

Seriously (0.00 / 0)

WV has so many serious problems, chief among them the ongoing environmental degradation, poverty, and corporate control of local, state and national politics. WV is last in just about everything that matters.

It is gong to take a knowledgeable person with vision and real skills to even begin to fix the problems of this state. We need more than a well-known face. TV newsreader, WVU mascot and half a term as Secretary of State are not serious qualifications to solve the myriad problems of WV, especially when there are several qualified "quality policymakers" running.  

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by: wv voice of reason @ Fri Nov 26, 2010 at 14:37:32 PM UTC

lack of reason (0.00 / 0)

There is no reason in that comment beyond status quo political snobbery.  Time and again I hear from my Republican friends that WV has been controlled by Democrats for all these decades and look what it has gotten us.  I always respond that these Democrats are not progressive thinkers- they are ingrained into the lobbyist dominated system and defend the status quo above all else.  

West Virginia needs a fresh face- someone that can communicate to the people, and past the special interests, the importance of making the serious changes in this State of which you reference some.

The same argument you are using against Natalie Tennant was used against President Obama almost verbatim.  Thankfully progressives recognized that defense of the status quo was getting us no where and that it was time to invest ourselves in the audacity of hope.  The same holds true here- Tennant is the best person for the job, partially because she has not been tainted by the regressive status quo of West Virginia politics.

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by: Jeremiah @ Fri Nov 26, 2010 at 15:03:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Jeremiah (4.00 / 1)

Natalie Tennant can fire up a crowd and talk policy with the best of them.

When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Fri Nov 26, 2010 at 15:15:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

My problem with Natalie (0.00 / 0)

1. Her right-wing husband Erik Wells
2. They both  worked for right-winger Bray Cary

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by: sl26 @ Mon Nov 29, 2010 at 03:51:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Regarding Wells (0.00 / 0)

Correct me if I am wrong but Wells has one of the stronger pro choice records in the Legislature.  He was also a strong supporter of the anti discrimination bill.  His position on charter schools has brought him a lot of flak but that is a truly tough issue and actually one that I think has merit.  In fact, doesn't President Obama support charter schools?

As far as Wells association with business, being progressive does not mean being anti business.  I don't know why some folks think that but it is simply not the case.  That doesn't meant he Chamber of Commerce isn't currently operated by Republican shills but supporting business generically is a good thing, not bad.

As far as who they have worked for, that is irrelevant.  I think of some of my bosses and you better believe their beliefs did not reflect my own.

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by: Jeremiah @ Mon Nov 29, 2010 at 05:53:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Link to media is a big deal when you consider who the media is (0.00 / 0)

West Virginia media is own and operated by conservatives that are backed by coal money.  

Just because Obama backs something doesn't make it right or progressive. Obama's education 'reform' does include charter schools. Despite the rhetoric there is no proof that they perform any better than public schools. When you have hedge fund managers investing in these things it's time to ask yourself why. The answer: privatize (as Bush did the military) and someone will make money.

 

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by: sl26 @ Mon Dec 06, 2010 at 15:06:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Her problems are going to come from the old Dems, (4.00 / 1)

many who are still with us.

But I would love to have her.

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by: MadAnne @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 02:41:37 AM UTC

problems in what sense (0.00 / 0)

I'd like to explore that a little.  Where do you think Tennant's weak spots might be?

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by: Jeremiah @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 05:00:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

trailblazing (4.00 / 3)

My caveat: I have no idea if I'll endorse a candidate for the Gov. primary. I voted for Tennant in the Dem. primary when she ran for S.O.S. and overall I think she's a strong candidate for Gov.

Now... my two cents on your query. For many candidates the potential weak spots are the same as their strengths.

Prior to running for Secretary of State Tennant's high level of public recognition came from two major roles: being the first female Mountaineer Mascot and then 10 years as a TV news reporter (in Clarksburg and Charleston).

a) Her trailblazing experience as first female Mountaineer is polarizing. Look at the more recent experience of the second female Mountaineer. Decades later, still lots of hostility.

b) It was a major formative experience for Tennant. I think the sexism she experienced so openly is still noticeable to her and is part of what makes her an effective leader. For many others around the state, they don't want to be reminded about discrimination.

c) A really minor one... for low information liberal voters the pictures with the musket are a turn-off (for others, it's just a source of confusion). I remember on election day 2008 talking with an Obama voter who didn't vote for Tennant because she had a picture of herself holding a gun on her website.

Women political candidates are always held to a different standard than men. Female job candidates have to have more experience than male ones to be seen as equally qualified (and, even then are usually paid less for the same work). Compounding matters, Tennant is fighting negative stereotypes of female newscasters.

If a middle-age white guy with the same resume ran for office, it's automatically assumed he'll "rise to the occasion" or "grow in the job." In our society, fewer people give woman the same benefit of the doubt.

A positioning challenge for Tennant is not to get trapped into a experienced/inexperienced = insider/outsider framing. Instead she'll want to go with something more like "forward-looking ideas with the ability to make them happen." (Optimal positioning depends on who she's running against.)

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by: Clem Guttata @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 11:12:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Charlotte Pritt (0.00 / 0)

A lot of those people are still around.  Dems put Cecil Underwood back in office rather than see Charlotte Pritt as governor.  

That would be her weakness.

BTW I'm liberal and the Mountaineer pics don't turn me off.

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by: MadAnne @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 15:07:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

low-information only (0.00 / 0)

Not a big issue... I think it's only if someone doesn't know the back story that it is confusing and/or potentially off-putting.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 15:38:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The Pritt Factor (0.00 / 0)

I thought this might be partially addressed in Clinton's strong showing during the last primary.  Maybe that was just because a woman was running against someone some of our more narrow minded West Virginians felt even less comfortable supporting.

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by: Jeremiah @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 17:49:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm not talking about the voters, they chose Pritt in the (0.00 / 0)

primary.  I'm talking about the party leadership.  Manchin wasn't the only one involved in Dems for Underwood.

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by: MadAnne @ Sun Nov 28, 2010 at 02:18:01 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

After all these years I'm not sure it was because she was (0.00 / 0)

a woman or because she wasn't a party insider.

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by: MadAnne @ Sun Nov 28, 2010 at 02:42:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I remember this so well (0.00 / 0)

The corporate Dems in the party were out there pushing lies. It was nearly impossible to get an editorial published to counter them. I remember a friend of mine told me her  father  belonged to a group who was meeting regularly to help get her elected. These were 60 year-old union members who knew she'd support them. She told me they wrote 20 editorials to the Clarksburg paper and none of them were published. A couple of weeks before the election Cecil Highland, owner of the newspaper, appeared on the front page of his own paper with Underwood. As digusting as that was I found it more disgusting when Manchin supported Underwood.  

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by: sl26 @ Mon Nov 29, 2010 at 04:09:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Blast From The Past (0.00 / 0)

RE: Pritt

I think part of her loss was being a woman. Fact, I know it was.

I think part was when she ran as an independant that meant that Dems that might have towed the party line despite being sexist didn't.

I think part was that she was common folk and WV and WV politics especially is clannish and tribal.

I think the other part was she ran a terrible campaign the time she lost to Underwood. I mean she ran such an amazing campaign against Caperton and carried herself unbelieveably well but her campaign against Underwood was so disjointed it was like a completely difft person was running.

BUT- RE the newspapers. I'm a liberal but sometimes the Gazette even is to the left of me.

When the Gazette who was very left in their views came out against Pritt and endorsed Underwood I vowed that if Pritt lost I would never pay for another issue of the Gazette again. I used to buy it every day. That was what? 14 years ago?? I have never bought a copy of the Gazette since. What hypocrites!

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by: Hollowdweller @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 at 19:12:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

differences for male and female job applicants (0.00 / 0)

Partially on topic... males and females are held to different standards in job application processes.

For example: The beauty premium

Attractive men (who included their photos with their CVs) got almost twice as high a "call-back" rate as plain-looking men. Attractive women enjoyed no such premium.

The researchers suggested that the best explanation for the lack of a female beauty premium was female jealousy. So much for the sisterhood.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 14:01:24 PM UTC

Other 2012 candidate news (0.00 / 0)

In news of another 2012 candidate (we just don't know what office yet). Davis Recuses Self From Election Case:

On Nov. 22, Davis advised Court Clerk Rory Perry that she was stepping out of the debate regarding West Virginia Citizen Action Group's petition arguing that state code says a special election should occur.

"Please be advised that, because I have announced publicly my intention to be a candidate, in some capacity, on the 2012 election ballot, I have determined that, out of an abundance of caution, it is appropriate that I voluntarily recuse myself from participating in this matter," Davis wrote. "Participation in the election process is a cherished and guarded right of the citizens of the State of West Virginia.

"In order to promote confidence in the integrity of the system by which our citizens choose their elected officials, I believe it is of the utmost importance that even appearances of conflicting interests should be avoided whenever possible."

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by: Clem Guttata @ Sat Nov 27, 2010 at 15:40:39 PM UTC

So what office do you think? (0.00 / 0)

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by: MadAnne @ Sun Nov 28, 2010 at 02:19:30 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

really don't know (4.00 / 1)

I think she'd love to be Gov., just like several dozen other pols around the state. Manchin made it look easy so lots of folks are itching to give it a try.

But, there's a long way from being interested to running. And, there's a lot of other important candidate recruitment ahead, too. (There could be easily end up being a half dozen competitive Congressional+state-wide races in 2012.)

With so much up in the air, it's really hard to predict. We still have two major unknowns:

1) Exactly when the special election for Gov. happens, and
2) What the 2012 congressional and state house districts will look like.

The Jan. 2012 filing period is going to be major crazy.

If the small handful of strong Republican candidates signal early what races they are running for, that will make it easier for the crowded field of Dems to sort themselves out.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Sun Nov 28, 2010 at 10:41:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Natalie (0.00 / 0)

Great gal, plenty of pluck - but she has no experience that prepares her to be CEO of the entire state of West Virginia; Its really as simple as that. Would much rather see her focus on becoming the new state Dem Party chair, where the skills she does have could be put to good use. Then maybe, down the road, who knows. But she's just not ready yet.  

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by: twilight campfighter @ Tue Nov 30, 2010 at 13:47:52 PM UTC

thank you (0.00 / 0)

Thank you for making my point so vividly.

Women political candidates are always held to a different standard than men. Female job candidates have to have more experience than male ones to be seen as equally qualified (and, even then are usually paid less for the same work). Compounding matters, Tennant is fighting negative stereotypes of female newscasters.

If a middle-age white guy with the same resume ran for office, it's automatically assumed he'll "rise to the occasion" or "grow in the job." In our society, fewer people give woman the same benefit of the doubt.

You say: "Great gal... but she has no experience that prepares her to be CEO of the entire state of West Virginia." We could be equally dismissive of the background of every other first term Gov. of WV. Yet, somehow, it has generally worked out.

Personally, I think she's just as qualified as any other candidate running. Besides, I think it's pointless to get into a pissing match about qualifications--tell me what your candidate is going to do once they get into office. That's what I want to hear about.

And, really, the more often I hear a condescending sexist comment like that about a candidate, the more sympathetic I am to them.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 at 00:26:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

c'mon now (0.00 / 0)

"Great gal" is no different than "fine fellow."  

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by: twilight campfighter @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 at 15:02:58 PM UTC

brass tacks (4.00 / 1)

But if you want to get down to it, in my opinion, Natalie blew the Lincoln County voting debacle last cycle when she had the opportunity to assert herself, show some guts and leadership and risk rankling the old boy network. She didn't. In fact, she was almost passive. She didn't make a visit down there herself, and as far as what I'm told by locals down there she didn't even designate a staffer (much less a team) to be down there and ride herd over the situation. Not only a big disappointment - but an opportunity missed. You may have not heard much detail about it in the Eastern Panhandle, but her performance was noted by pols at the statehouse and you're sure to hear more about it when/if she decides to run.  

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by: twilight campfighter @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 at 17:14:30 PM UTC

absentees (0.00 / 0)

I assume this is what you're referring to. There's no telling what is (or isn't) going on with this behind the scenes, but here's a press release from the SOS website.

Tennant: Ready To Clear Up "Ambiguous" State Code

8/17/2010

   Charleston, W.Va. - Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant said today her staff is ready to work with state lawmakers to clear up the section of state code that deals with absentee voting.

   A recent decision by Raleigh County Circuit Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick said parts of the code were "ambiguous," resulting in more than 300 contested absentee ballots being thrown out in the Lincoln County primary election.

   Both of Lincoln County's circuit judges recused themselves.

   Throwing out the contested ballots reversed the outcome of the circuit clerk primary election.

   "There are sections of code that are open to interpretation, and my office has always been open to discussing code and working with state lawmakers to make changes if change is needed," Tennant said.

   "During the 2010 Primary Election, 54 of West Virginia's 55 counties had no problems with absentee ballot applications or absentee voting. In the past 12 years there have been minimal changes made to the absentee ballot application. The wording used on the absentee ballot application is taken directly from state code. The code is very clear on what must be included on the absentee ballot application, including what reasons can be given for absentee voting and who must sign the absentee ballot application."

   Tennant also said she would like to meet with Judge Kirkpatrick to discuss the sections of code that he felt were ambiguous and hear his suggestions on how to make the absentee voting process better. Tennant said she also plans on forming a blue ribbon panel of election experts to take a close look at entire chapter of state code that deals with elections.

   The Secretary of State pointed out that there are several sections of code that conflict or that may lend themselves to conflicting interpretations.

   "The elections code needs to be closely examined," Tennant said. "The people of Lincoln County deserve it, and the people of West Virginia deserve it."

   More training on absentee voting rules could also be part of the solution, Tennant added.

Background from the primary -- May 12, 2010 -- Problems Persist in Lincoln Primary

One state media outlet reported May 11 a paper-jammed voting machine caused alarm and a candidate allegedly spent an extended amount of time inside a polling place.

Lincoln County was already drawing attention in the week before the election. Sen. Ron Stollings and Lincoln County commissioner candidate Phoebe Harless complained Lincoln County had an unusually high number of absentee ballots. Both candidates alleged Lincoln County had four times the number of absentee ballots compared to Kanawha County, which has nearly 10 times the population of Lincoln.

Allegations were also made that individuals were bringing residents ballots that were already filed out with a slate of candidates for voters to sign.

Stollings filed an election complaint May 7 with the Secretary of State's office, but his complaint never came to fruition.

The West Virginia State Supreme Court of Appeals rejected the petition May 10 seeking to compel county election officials to challenge absentee ballots. The justices ruled Harless' and Stollings' petition was premature and lacking of such details as sworn statements.

[snip]

Lincoln County has been in the election spotlight before. For years, people have grumbled about alleged voter fraud in the county. And former assessor Jerry Weaver and ex-county clerk Greg Stowers were both convicted of tampering with elections. Both men served one-and-a-half year sentences for vote buying and using their offices for political influence.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 at 11:40:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I have no idea (0.00 / 0)

Where she stands on any of the issues.

I've met her a time or two and think she's a fantastic campaigner but I'd like to hear from anyone who has any idea where she would actually be on any issue.

By the way I love muskets and shoot one all the time so that's a plus for me!

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by: Hollowdweller @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 at 19:15:20 PM UTC