Millions Spent to Make Sweeping Changes in State’s Political Landscape Backfires As Coal Baron's Candidates Defeated

Excepted from Beckley Register-Herald, Nov. 8, 2006

This time it didn’t work.

Massey Energy chief executive officer Don Blankenship wheeled out plenty of his gold bars – more than $2 million worth to be exact – to try to buy sweeping changes in West Virginia’s Legislature. (Ed. note: the Don’s total spending was almost $3 million.)

Given Blankenship’s past record when it comes to elections – 2-0 counting his multimillion-dollar effort to oust Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw followed by financing a campaign against a bond levy proposed by Gov. Joe Manchin to help retire some of the state’s mounting debt – many had to be wondering what would happen.

West Virginia MetroNews thought so much of the Massey CEO’s efforts they posted a special results section on their Web site for election night and labeled it "The Blankenship Factor."

Well, the people spoke and it wasn’t in Blankenship’s favor. In fact it wasn’t even close. There was no factor.

…we believe two factors played into Blankenship’s failed efforts. First and foremost, West Virginia voters simply weren’t going to buy it this time and his brash approach clearly turned the majority of people off. Secondly, Republican candidates and agendas took a beating all across the country.

In fact, we would go as far as to say that Blankenship’s ads, even though they weren’t directly linked to GOP candidate campaigns, actually hurt the Republican hopefuls more than it helped them …

Blankenship’s record is now 2-1, but never fear, 2008 isn’t that far off and you can certainly expect that if Supreme Court Justice Larry Starcher decides to seek re-election that King Don will be close by with his pocketbook and another candidate to try to put on the state’s highest court.

And just one more thing. While the final numbers aren’t in yet, the $2 million plus Blankenship spent sure could have gone a long way toward building that new elementary school over in the Marsh Fork district. It would have been money "well" spent and truly could have been something positive – for the sake of the kids.