Lori Rea

Halfway through the 2010 West Virginia election candidate filing period the local political races are starting to take shape.

Shepherdstown resident Lori Rea has filed to run against Shepherdstown resident and incumbent state Delegate John Doyle, D-Jefferson, in the Democratic primary for the 57th District, which encompasses northern Jefferson County. Barring any additional filings from the Republican side, the winner of the 57th District Democratic primary will face off against Republican Elliot Simon of Harpers Ferry in primary election.

Republican Eric L. Householder has filed to run for the 56th district seat, which encompasses south-western Jefferson County. As of Wednesday afternoon, only Householder and incumbent Democrat Terry L. Walker have filed to run for the 56th District seat.

Incumbent Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, whose 16th Senate District encompasses all of Jefferson County and most of Berkeley County, will face Democrat Patrick Hale Murphy in the primary election. As of Wednesday, no Republicans have filed to run for the 16th Senate District. Sen. Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson, who also represents the 16th Senate District is not up for election this year.

Turning to federal political races, Charles Town resident Virginia Lynch Graf has filed to run against five-term incumbent Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito in the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses all of Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties before turning slightly to the south, where it then stretches west all the way to the Ohio river, encompassing the city of Charleston as well.

Elliott Simon

Capito, as of Wednesday, had not filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State for the 2010 election, however her press secretary, Jonathan Coffin, says Capito “definitely intends to run for re-election.”

The county-wide campaigns are also beginning to take shape. As of Wednesday, Democrat Rhonda Lehman has filed to run against incumbent Jennifer Maghan for the office of County Clerk. Incumbent Democrats Jim Surkamp and Dale Manuel have filed to run for re-election to the County Commission along with Republican hopeful Walt Pellish. Republican Derek Lambert and Democrat Ruth McQuade have filed pre-candidacy paperwork with the Jefferson County Clerk’s office, but as of Wednesday neither had filed their official candidacy paperwork.

West Virginia’s candidate filing period runs through Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010. Primary elections will be held on May, 11, 2010, with the general election occurring on Nov. 2, 2010. A full list of candidates, updated in real time, can be seen on the web page of the West Virginia Secretary of State at www.sos.wv.gov.

John Doyle