Blankenship aims to re-emerge in W.VA. Senate race

CHARLESTON, W.VA. — Despite losing the Republican primary in a distant third place, convicted ex-coal baron Don Blankenship announced Monday that he will continue his bid for U.S. Senate as a third-party candidate, though it’s unclear if the move violates West Virginia’s “sore loser” law.

Blankenship, an ex-convict who has told probation officials that Las Vegas is his home, will run as a member of the Constitution Party, which nominated him by a unanimous vote.

West Virginia secretary of state spokesman Steve Adams said Blankenship has officially switched his party affiliation to the Constitution Party. But Adams has said West Virginia’s “sore loser” or “sour grapes” law prohibits candidates affiliated with a major party who lose in a primary from changing their registra- tion to a minor party to take advantage of later filing deadlines.

In comments made before Monday’s announcement, Mike Queen, who is communications director for Secretary of State Mac Warner, said Blankenship wouldn’t be allowed to run in a general election.

Blankenship would “most likely have to bring a legal action to force the secretary to approve his candidacy,” Queen told the Charleston Gazette-mail.

On Monday, the office referred questions to its chief legal counsel, Steve Connolly, who said it was premature to focus on the legality of Blankenship’s third-party candidacy.

“The only tangible thing we have right now is a party registry,” Connolly said. “We don’t have certificates of nomination or anything more than his press release. Once somebody files, then we’ll come to a decision. As of right now, we don’t have anything in front of us to decide.”

The race is expected to be highly competitive and could help decide control of the Senate as Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin seeks re-election.