You can watch West Virginia’s primary results come in here. There’s a good chance that tonight ends the political career of Allan Mollohan, a Democrat who shows up before the House Ethics Committee so often, he gets to use a special drive-through lane.
With 46 percent of precincts reporting, Democratic challenger Mike Oliverio leads Mollohan by 4,376 votes.
On my list of 99, I wrote:
Allan Mollohan, West Virginia: Mollohan is in danger of losing his primary; this probably relates to his constant complaints and the allegations of ethical misconduct against him — he has ranked among the “most corrupt members of Congress” for all four years that the group CREW has published the list. Cook Political Report currently scores this one a “toss-up.” For all West Virginia races, bear in mind that Obama polls terribly in this state, and Republicans are lining up to run against him.
The Republican candidate leading in this district at the moment is civil engineer and entrepreneur David McKinley.
Then there’s the 3rd district seat, where Democrat Nick Rahall is the incumbent. He’s only at 67 percent against a little-known incumbent who spent almost no money, while the GOP primary against him is a dogfight; former state supreme court justice Elliott “Spike’’ Maynard and Marty Gearhart are tied at 1,312 votes each with 26 percent of precincts reporting.
UPDATE: Already there’s some chatter that Oliverio gives Democrats a better chance to hold the seat. That argument holds some water, as he won’t have to explain a never-ending series of scandals and allegations, but note that Oliverio began his campaign by ripping Mollohan for only opposing cap-and-trade legislation at the last minute. This is a coal-mining region, where the locals know that the Obama administration’s vision on coal mining will cost this district jobs. Mollohan voted for the health-care bill, which cost him the support of the National Right to Life Committee. In other words, if opposition to the Obama agenda helped Oliverio win this primary, then the wind will be at the back of the Republican in this district in November.
Also note this: “Oliverio, 46, told a local newspaper that he would prefer to vote for a House speaker who has ‘the best interest’ of the state. He later told voters at a local chamber of commerce dinner, ‘Hopefully, there will be a better candidate than Nancy Pelosi.’”
ANOTHER UPDATE: The Associated Press calls it for Oliverio, making Allan Mollohan the first incumbent member of the House to lose his reelection bid in 2010. He’ll have company.






Comments