EDITORIAL: Conservatives Heading Towards Consistent Raese

If someone would have told us after Sen Byrd died that a Republican had a great chance to pick up that West Virginia Senate seat, we would have laughed. For years West Virginia has been a conservative state in Presidential politics but at the Senate level they have kept sending back the same two liberals although we have to admit that we respected Robert Byrd in his younger days a lot more then we ever have Rockefeller. Have to believe if he was younger, he would have been fighting alongside Republicans against Obama.

That said Manchin is no Robert Byrd. In fact he is an Obama supporter who we believe would mirror Rockefeller with his votes. People of Virginia are beginning to see through Manchin as a typical Democrat with no core values who will say anything to get elected.

Oct. 18, 2010

EDITORIAL: Conservatives Heading Towards Consistent Raese
Over and over again, West Virginians have seen Governor Manchin on our TV screens, defending every extreme measure the Obama Administration has put forward over the past two years. Many asked: "Is the Governor's conservatism so shallow that he is willing to trade it for Obama's favor? Does he have no sincere convictions, other than being a political player?"

On the other side of the political aisle, John Raese may not be as slick at politics as Governor Manchin. But Raese has consistently shown one characteristic that Manchin has shown this year that he clearly lacks: bedrock conservative convictions.

Anyone who has watched Raese over the years knows that he has always advocated strong conservative beliefs on everything from less taxes, less government, a strong military, the right to life, and a better job-creating climate for nearly three decades now. John Raese doesn't change his views back and forth like a politician might.

But Raese does listen to the public and works their views into his approach to decision-making. This was as evidenced by his impressive barnstorming campaign this year, travelling the whole state, every day, with his wife, Elizabeth. They have almost become folk heroes, the Bonnie and Clyde of this year's election, popping up everywhere in their white campaign van.

Only the Raeses aren't holding up banks like Bonnie and Clyde did; rather, they're holding up the state's establishment and bringing power back to the people. It's about time.

John Raese listens to us because he is a businessman, one who is constantly gathering needed information to make the tough decisions for his family limestone business every day. We deserve that kind of depth and judgment in a U.S. Senator in these pressing times.

So Raese has years of training for this kind of job and is capable, as evidenced by the growth of his family business on his watch. Let's see what he can do for us in Washington. At least we'll know where he stands, which is more than we can get out of Manchin these days.

Source: Editor, Huntington News.net