Ohio County to Have Delegate Election

By JOSELYN KING
WHEELING — Ohio County Republicans will see an election this January to choose delegates to the state GOP presidential convention in February.

That is because the number of delegate candidates filing for the convention exceeded the number slated to represent Ohio County at the convention, which is set for the morning of Feb. 5 at the Charleston Civic Center.

Bob Fish, executive director of the West Virginia GOP Convention Inc., said he was surprised to find delegate elections will be necessary in 31 of the state’s 55 counties. Ohio County, however, is the only Northern Panhandle county where the number of at-large candidates filing exceeds the number of slots.

In counties where delegate numbers fall short, county GOP chairmen will make appointments for representation.

The delegate candidates, when filing, were asked to indicate which presidential candidate they were supporting, and they could choose from among nine candidates — Rudolph Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Alan Keyes, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and Gene Zarwell.

The majority of the delegate candidates both locally and across the state, however, remain uncommitted to any GOP presidential candidates. State figures show that more than 40 percent of the delegates are uncommitted to a candidate.

Among those expressing their support, Paul holds a slight lead over Romney, followed more distantly by Huckabee, McCain and Giuliani.

Ohio County

A total of 33 delegates are needed in Ohio County, including 17 at-large delegates. As of Friday, 30 potential delegates were listed as having filed, and among them were 23 at-large candidates. As such, an election will happen in January among the 23 at-large delegate candidates to fill the 17 slots.

Those filing to be delegates to the convention and their affiliations are as follows:

Members of the West Virginia Legislature and the state and county GOP executive committees are automatically delegates to the convention, and their names are italicized on the Ohio County list. Their names will not appear on the convention delegate ballot.

Uncommitted — 14: Michael Adam Bush, Brent Alan Bush, James M. Gilligan, Patsy Glessner, James Grogan, Adelaide T. Luchetti, Paula McClure, Andy McKenzie, Laura Reed, Charlie Schlegel, Mark Seitz, Gregory W. Smith, Laura S. Traylor, and Martin J. Wright Jr.

Romney — 10: Joyce Crow, Barry Crow, Michael Galloway, Nancy Green, Ashley Jay, Robert “Les” McNinch, Jeannette Wakim, Chris Wakim, Laura Wakim and Bob Yeater.

Giuliani — 4: William H. Hefner, Elgine Heceta McCardle, Gil White and Nicole Zimmerman.

Paul — 2: Patrick Bierkortte and Jack Rose.

Fish planned to add a handful of names to the delegate lists, including more from the county executive committee. He said county GOP Chairman Marty Wright will have the authority to name delegates to replace executive committee members not filing.

Marshall County

Marshall County is to send 27 delegates to Charleston in February, but only 15 have filed for the opportunity.

Uncommitted — 9: Fred Brunner, Brian Dayton, C. William Harris, Brian Long, Ronald Morris, Brian O’Donnell, David M. Quinlin, Debbie Thomas and James R. Thomas.

Thompson — 3: Mary Davis, Steven. W. Davis and Donna Ferrel.

Paul — 1: J. Michael Eagan.

Giuliani — 1: Lauren Myers.

Hancock County

In Hancock County, 19 have filed to be delegates to the state convention, and 27 delegates are needed.

Uncommitted — 10: Peggy Bahnsen, Holly Bell, Dawn James, Clay M. Harris, Edward Kochman, Catherine Kochman, Tim Michaud, Edie Mitchell, Elizabeth Whelan, Linda Wickstrom.

Thompson — 5: William H. Avery, John “Doc” Bahnsen, Roy James, Rebecca Ann Wargo and Jeffrey P. Wargo.

McCain — 2: Patrick McGeehan and Charlie Mitchell.

Romney — 1: M. Eric Frankovitch.

Paul — 1: Mellissa Maher.

Brooke County

The county will send six delegates to Charleston, and thus far six have filed for the honor.

Uncommitted — 2: Nila McCord Boyd and Marilyn R. McCord.

Giuliani — 2: Lynn Davis and Eric Freeland.

Thompson — 2: Johnathan F. Absher and Maria Jane Mercer.

Wetzel County

Five delegates have filed for the convention, though 21 will come from Wetzel County.

Uncommitted — 3: Serenity R. Hunt, Nathan J. Hunt and Wayne Allen Weber.

Romney — 2 : Barbara Brasher and Joseph B. Ingold.

Tyler County

Tyler County has 21 delegate spots at the state GOP convention, and five have filed to fill them.

Uncommitted — 4: Michael V. Smith, Debra Kay Smith, Candy L. Warner and Rebecca Wells.

Paul — 1: Chris C. Wyatt.