Politics is an artform here in Appalachia. Last month, leaders of the Mountain Party held a conference call with me assessing my willingness to place my name on the ballot for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Robert Byrds passing. I was thrilled.
"Can you raise the $1750 filing fee?"...."Sure".
Then, it occured to me that I wasn't talking to the real leader of the Mountain Party, Jesse Johnson, but guys who had never been on the ballot. I mentioned Jesse.
"Are you guys sure Jesse won't be filing?" They assured me Jesse was running on the ballot already...and wanted to be elected to the House before he ran for his third time as Governor in 2012. It was settled..I would file the last day. Just before calling some benefactors for the filing fee, I decided to check the Secretary of State's website. In bold was Jesse. He filed afterall...that dog.
Getting stabbed in the chest is nothing new for me, so I've decided to ditch the Mountain Party. I mentally ditched years ago when the party affiliated with the US Green party. A big mistake. The Mountain Party, with a measly 1000 members, never made the local ballots like we had hoped in the beginning. Ten years is enough.
55 Pies in the Skies will be coming to a ballot near you. Stay tuned.
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3 comments:
Hello. NO hostility, just questions, thanx. So you say you were approached to run for US Senate for the Mtn. Party? When was that? Jesse Johnson did not begin raising his funds until the bill was passed to allow candidates to run for two offices concurrently, the "Capito" clause Manchin had to compromise on, that was done sometime the weekend prior to the Friday filling deadline,around July 19th I think. Jesse did not raise the money or actually file until around 2:00pm Friday, July 23, the day of the deadline to enter. Jesse Johnson is NOT the "real leader" of the Mtn. Party, he stepped down as Chair several years ago.
I want to add the Mtn. party has made the WV ballot for the last ten years as the only third party that is legally ON the WV Voter Ballot and that status is because of Jesse Johnson running for Gov in 2004 and 2008. http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/Political_Parties_in_West_Virginia.aspx#top
There are three political parties in WV, as per the above website link to the Secretary of State's office.
I am not really sure who your grip is with here, Jesse, the Mtn. Party or both and I sincerely would like to know because as everyone we all want to be understood and to understand.
I believe, as I understand it, the Mtn. Party has been working on, over the last 10 years, to BUILD A PARTY as much as has a desire to win, but to build a grassroots party from scratch takes supporters who are committed to stick in there, highs and lows, to see a vision come to pass? The party has grown exponentially over the last 10 years. A better track record than the Dems or Reps.That vision is for WV, not the Mtn. Party or Jesse Johnson or the other MP candidates who continue to run with passion and vigor to build a party and give WV a third choice. How can we/they do that with people criticizing and tearing down? It's tough, but at least they, Jesse, has pressed through. Most things in life that are worth it are worth pressing through even when the odds are against you. I like the Harry Truman quote regarding Polls and Opinions:
"I wonder how far Moses would have gone if he’d taken a poll in Egypt? What would Jesus Christ have preached if he’d had taken a poll in Israel? Where would the Reformation have gone if Martin Luther had taken a poll? It isn’t polls or public opinion of the moment that counts. It is right and wrong and leadership— men with fortitude and honesty, and a belief in the right that makes epochs in the history of the world."
Thank you for allowing me to speak freely.
Hi again. Ok, I've done some more research on the accusations you have made against the Mtn. Party and Jesse Johnson "stabbing you in the back." Truthfully, just wanting to get the facts straight, that is all. NO hostility in my responses. I am not hear to cast disparaging looks your way or towards your blog, BUT, I am told by a reliable source that there was no "conference" call, conversation in the direction of if you could come up with the filing fee you would have been on the Primary Election Ballot, that is pure and simple.
And, 2nd, Jesse officially filed for the seat at the Secretary of States office at approximately 2:00pm, Friday, July 23rd, that is public record, after making a Press Release announcement in the Governor's Press Conference room at 1:30pm, which was video taped and covered by WCHS news that evening. I personally know this because I was present for all of this that day. I believe there 'were' posting on your Face Book page and or the Mtn. Party page that stated on Monday, July 20 that you knew you had until Friday at 5:00 to file for the US Senate office seat? I believe you live in Elkins, correct? Were you in route to Charleston while Johnson was filing? Because from what I can remember Elkins is like a 3 hour drive to Charleston and the filing deadline was 5:00pm. When you saw on the Secretary of States website that Johnson had filed had to have been AFTER 3:00PM on Friday, July 23rd...Politics may be an art form but it's also open for anyone who can make the deadlines to file. I am sorry that you did not, or your name would have been on that Primary Ballot against Mr. Johnson?
That is all I am saying....
Read it again.. "Last month, leaders of the Mountain Party held a conference call with me assessing my willingness to place my name on the ballot for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Robert Byrds passing". Nothing says "they" approached me.
Facts are facts. Frank and Gary both assured me Jesse wouldn't file. That's all. The Mountain Party burned all the grassroots in Randolph County when they associated with the US Greens.
Thanks for the lecture.
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