The National Republican Senatorial Committee will limit itself to candidate recruiting in West Virginia’s upcoming GOP Senate primary. With Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R., W. Va.) opting out of the race, the field is open:

“I haven’t made any commitment to get involved in the primary,” [NRSC chairman Sen. John] Cornyn said. “I think in this environment, it’s best to let the primary voters do their thing and select the candidate. Because — I think particularly in this environment — folks are less interested in what people who work in Washington have to say.”

The AP reports that five Republicans have filed paperwork to challenge Joe Manchin, West Virginia’s popular Democratic governor, among others, for the seat previously held by the late senator Robert Byrd :

Industrialist and media owner John Raese is the best known among the Republicans who filed Thursday. . . The Republicans include Albert Howard of San Pedro, Calif., who ran in New Hampshire’s 2008 Republican presidential primary, winning just 44 votes. Another GOP candidate, Marion County resident Lynette Kennedy McQuain, is also running for the House of Delegates. State law allows for such dual candidacies.

Clark Barnes, a state senator, will announce his intentions later today. Friday is the filing deadline for GOP hopefuls. The special-election primary will be on August 28.