A Republican Jefferson County Commissioner thinks it’s “terrific” that Republican U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito will run for the U.S. Senate seat occupied by Democrat Jay Rockefeller in 2014.
A Democratic Jefferson County Commissioner criticized Capito for “jumping the gun” by announcing so early.
A Democratic state senator took the opportunity to announce that he is “seriously” thinking of making a run for Capito’s House seat.
And two Eastern Panhandle executive directors of economic development authorities praised Capito for her support of local projects and predicted that she would be more supportive from a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Capito, who turned 59 on Monday, represents the Second Congressional District, which stretches across the middle of West Virginia from Charles Town to Charleston, including all of the Eastern Panhandle. She just won her seventh two-year term in the House.
Rockefeller, 75, has not said if he will seek a sixth term in the senate. He said Capito called him last week to tell him she was running.
“I will absolutely support her,” Jefferson County Commissioner Walt Pellish said of Capito’s announcement.
Currently the only Republican on the five-member commission, Pellish, of Shepherdstown, W.Va., said Capito “will do a terrific job” if she makes it to the U.S. Senate. “She has a good business mind, she’s analytical and she can make tough decisions.”
Dale Manuel, one of the four Democrats on the commission, said a win by Capito “will not be good for the district. It will be counter-productive. Jay Rockefeller has standing in the Senate, he’s well-respected and he’s a ranking member.”
Manuel criticized Capito for announcing her candidacy so soon after the presidential election earlier this month. “Everybody’s worn out with campaign fatigue,” he said.
State Sen. Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson/Berkeley, had little to say about Capito’s announcement. Instead he used the news to promote that he is seriously considering running for the U.S. House seat she will vacate.
He said he was thinking of running even if she stayed in the House.
“I won’t make a decision until after the holidays or even after the legislative session ends next year,” he said. “This will be a serious decision. I will not run a nickel-and-dime campaign. I’d have to raise a minimum of $1.5 million,” Snyder said.
“There are a number of people in Kanawha County who will run for the seat, but I’ll be the only candidate from the Eastern Panhandle,” he said.
Steve Christian, executive director of the Berkeley County Development Authority, said Capito has been an effective representative who has been involved in and supportive several projects, primarily for the infrastructure that was needed to get them started. “Such baseline support helps to bolster private investment. Congresswoman Capito has been a good cheerleader for the Eastern Panhandle.”
John Reisenweber, Christian’s counterpart in the Jefferson County Development Authority, has a long history with Capito. He ran her Eastern Panhandle regional office for five years between 2002 and 2007.
He said he believes Capito has a good chance of wining a seat in the U.S. Senate whether Rockefeller runs again or not. “I’m very pleased that she’s announced,” he said.
