CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - After last week’s primary contest, two Democrats are locked in a tie to advance to a November election for the state House of Delegates.
If anticipated recounts don’t change the totals, a sitting delegate first appointed by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin could be hand-picked by party officials.
Del. Joshua Barker, D-Boone, and former Lincoln County school board member Gary McCallister are tied in House District 22. Barker led by three, but his edge disappeared during vote canvassing.
“I’ve been a high school football coach for 10 years,” said Barker, an assistant coach at Chapmanville High School. “I know what overtime’s about.”
Longtime House Clerk Gregory Gray said he couldn’t recall another race where candidates finished in a dead heat.
State code lets a Democratic executive committee for the Lincoln, Boone, Logan and Putnam county district break the tie.
A recount can be requested in any of those four southern West Virginia counties by Thursday evening, West Virginia Secretary of State spokesman Jake Glance said.
Tomblin appointed Barker to the House last July after former Democratic Del. Josh Stowers resigned.
After receiving the most votes, Del. Jeff Eldridge sealed the other Democratic primary slot in the two-seat district.
McCallister spent almost $7,800 and Barker spent $7,900 before last Tuesday’s primary, secretary of state records show.
Two Republicans await the Democratic winners in the general election: Michel Moffatt from Putnam and Justin Mullins from Lincoln.
The entire 100-seat House of Delegates is up for grabs this year with a six-seat Democratic majority on the line.
Other Democratic lawmakers appointed by Tomblin also struggled this primary election.
State Sen. Sam Cann lost to Harrison County Commissioner Mike Romano and Del. Ron Fragale fell in a four-seat district. Fragale was appointed to Cann’s House seat last February when Cann went to the Senate. Fragale was a veteran House member who lost his 2012 re-election.
Del. Tim Kinsey, appointed last June, also lost a primary in a two-seat Wayne County district.
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