Senator Kessler on the campaign trail

Kessler- A true democrat, an Obama democrat (0.00 / 0)

Kessler is probably not gonna win and that's too bad because he is the only one with the courage to call himself an Obama Democrat in this state

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by: michelking @ Fri Apr 08, 2011 at 03:02:52 AM UTC

Kessler is the one. (4.00 / 2)

If by "impressive", you mean folks with name recognition and some cash, I guess so.  But Kessler is the only one with the integrity, leadership, intelligence and vision to excel in the Governorship.  The rest of these candidate have terrible shortcomings.  

Earl Ray ran an illegal business for 15 years (gray machines run by Southern Amusement, his company from about 1980 to 1985), which should by itself question his fitness for office.  If not that, then his total lack of leadership since being in office as Acting Governor.

Thompson is bought and paid for by unions and trial lawyers, with a little bit of natural resource sprinkled in.  And he will get his marching orders from them and execute them.

Natalie is what I would describe as "all hate, no cowgirl".  It has always baffled me why she has gotten so much support from progressives.  She has never even taken a public position on abortion, which seems to be why that Emily's list group has endorsed her.

Finally, as much as I like him, Big John appears to have some serious issues with his political minions he has placed all over the state and paid ridiculous amount of money to promote his political interests.  Now we read in the Daily Mail today that these same employees have given him 38k in campaign donations.  Show me one other example of an agency head's employees giving that much to their employer running for high office.  It stinks to high heaven.

There is one very easy way we can avoid embarassment, and a likely loss in the October General to Ireland, who is a VERY strong candidate: VOTE KESSLER in 2011.

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by: StraightshooterWV @ Fri Apr 08, 2011 at 04:19:13 AM UTC

Correction (4.00 / 1)

"All HAT, no cowgirl".  Not "Hate".  Natalie is nice enough; she is just not fit to be our next Governor.

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by: StraightshooterWV @ Fri Apr 08, 2011 at 04:20:35 AM UTC

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Straight (4.00 / 2)

Tearing down other candidates, in one case by claiming supporting labor and the rule of law is a bad thing and by ignoring the reality of the public stances another candidate has taken, is not a way to build support for your candidate. It just isn't.  

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 Apr 08, 2011 at 11:42:02 AM UTC

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What first interested me about Kessler (4.00 / 1)

Easy... he personally responds to inquiries and letters. While some WV legislators are reticent or even negligent in responding to constituents' concerns, Senator Kessler has always written me back --- not staffed but personally.

I write him maybe once or twice every legislative session, but he still takes the time to get back with me. Other legislators have not been so kind to even acknowledge receipt. For instance, the guy is in the middle of traveling here and there running for governor, but he still finds the time to write me.

Can the same be said of other legislators running for Governor?

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by: WV26003 @ Fri Apr 08, 2011 at 20:31:56 PM UTC

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WV26003 (4.00 / 1)

Recently I heard from a Kessler supporter about a really moving, hand-written letter she received from Thompson so I have heard it said of at least one other legislator running for governor

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 @ Sat Apr 09, 2011 at 12:05:28 PM UTC

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The same Thompson who (0.00 / 0)

who is still afraid to answer any questions about the equal rights bill?

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by: WV26003 @ Sat Apr 09, 2011 at 16:32:38 PM UTC

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WV26003 (4.00 / 1)

Yes, but that's no longer my issue. According to a search of this site, I've written 312 posts and comments about gay equality. But after your whining and bashing and lying about me (re: you claimed I wouldn't criticize Manchin on DADT AFTER I had), I'm no longer interested in advocating about the issue any more because of you. So congratulations, after I've written hundreds more blog posts and comments on gay equality on this site than even you have, you've succeeded where Manchin, Capito and everyone opposed to equality failed. There's other issues I'd rather put my energy into advocating for that are important to me and the supporters don't lie about me or constantly go out of their way to bash me.  

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 @ Sat Apr 09, 2011 at 18:46:32 PM UTC

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You should have heard him this week (0.00 / 0)

He was on AM1600 in Wheeling, and it was pathetic.

I'm glad to know, Carnacki, that I am so powerful and influential in your life as to somehow stop your advocacy of LGBT equality.

All it reveals is that you weren't a true supporter of LGBT equality in the first place.

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by: WV26003 @ Sat Apr 09, 2011 at 22:27:17 PM UTC

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WV26003 (4.00 / 1)

I could point out your support for Kessler shows you're not a real supporter of choice for women and you're not a real supporter of the environment since Kessler says mountaintop removal is a "necessary evil" and places jobs ahead of the environment.

Or I could point out that I've written hundreds of more times on LGBT equality than you which would say if you're a "true supporter" you're a piss poor one since you say I wasn't and yet I somehow have managed to do so much more than you.

If you believe those hundreds of posts and comments I wrote about gay equality constituting hundreds of hours of volunteering show no real support LGBT, then you're as lacking in intelligence as you are in understanding how to be an effective advocate for your cause.

Because of your immaturity and self-absorption, you are unable to grasp that your lying and other actions have negative consequences. I don't remember you once expressing appreciation for the support, so why do you care that I'll no longer advocate on the issue. If you had spent nearly as much time trying to be a positive advocate for your cause instead of bashing and lying about a supporter perhaps you'd understand. But you haven't so good luck with your strategy of constantly tearing down supporters. Let me know how that works out for you.

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 @ Sun Apr 10, 2011 at 01:08:06 AM UTC

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You make me like Thompson. (4.00 / 1)

Natalie attends the Roe v Wade gala, I take that as public support.

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by: MadAnne @ Sun Apr 10, 2011 at 22:08:35 PM UTC

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Kessler can't win. Period. (4.00 / 1)

Aside from the fact that he's anti-choice and lots of photos on Facebook with Karen Cross to put an explanation point on that position.  He cannot win.  He is in single digits in the polls and has little money.  
A vote for him is a wasted vote.  
The only public poll done in this race - PPP at the end of January shows Natalie has the best chance to beat Betty.  

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by: wvdemgrl @ Sun Apr 10, 2011 at 23:31:56 PM UTC

You're wrong. (0.00 / 0)

Kessler is just starting to get his brand out there.  He took the Eastern Panhandle.by storm this weekend.  The PPP poll didn't even include Kessler bc he didn't announce yet.  He's definitely not going to win bc of money, but with five candidates, money becomes diluted. And he rolled out his first TV ad campaign this weekend in NCWV and NP so he is a player on TV.  It baffles me that ppl think folks up north will blindly vote for someone bc they run more TV ads.  Finally, remember there is plenty of news to be coming out over the next few weeks.  That particularly applies to madame Secretary.

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by: StraightshooterWV @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 00:27:00 AM UTC

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They underestimate (0.00 / 0)

Straightshooter, some on here underestimate the amount of resentment we in the Northern Panhandle have about politicians in the central and southern parts of the State.

Many up here don't care if Kessler is a Democrat or a Republican --- only that he is not from Charleston or Fairmont.  

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by: WV26003 @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 03:11:55 AM UTC

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regional politics (4.00 / 1)

Kessler would do a fine job if elected, but the field is just too crowded for that to happen.

Even if he cleans up big time in N. Panhandle (say > 50% of vote in 5-6 counties), he just does not have name recognition or natural base of voters in rest of state to consistently get >20% needed to compete with front-runner ERT.

Also, I don't think it helps so much for Kessler supporters to talk up differences between Northern Panhandle and the rest of the state. The more I hear about him being such a great NP advocate, the more I fear he won't represent the interests of the entire state.

I want a Gov. that brings all West Virginians together, not someone who further divides us.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 10:53:19 AM UTC

Clem (0.00 / 0)

I don't think those differences between the Northern Panhandle and the rest of the state really exist judging from the votes for Joe Manchin for senate. For a region supposedly that is opposed to politicians from the rest of the state, Manchin picked up 55.7 percent of the vote in Marshall County, 2 points better than his statewide average of 53.7 percent, 52 percent to Raese's 46 and Jesse's 1.4 percent in Ohio County, 60 percent in Brooke County, and 55 percent in Hancock County. If the voters there have disdain for politicians and the politics from Charleston and other parts of the state, they sure have a funny way of showing it.

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 @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 15:54:44 PM UTC

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Two points re pandhandle strategy (4.00 / 1)

1 - it is a given that Kessler will dominate the NP as long as he doesn't take it for granted.  I was more talking about the EP, where he just had a great campaign tour and they loved him.  The EP was no motivated period in the Manchin primary (7 percent turnout), but if someone like Kessler gotv's in the EP, that could be a gamechangee.

2 - who is talking about dividing the state?  I think all the panhandle folks want is to feel they are being represented, period.  And they don't feel that way right now.

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by: StraightshooterWV @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 16:47:02 PM UTC

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