Sen. Jeff Kessler Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Sen. Kessler Officially Files for Governor's Race

West Virginia democrats officially have a third candidate for governor after Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler officially filed paperwork Friday.
Appointed to the state Senate in 1997 and first elected to the chamber in 1998, Kessler served as Senate President from 2011 to 2014. As a current member of the Senate Confirmations, Economic Development, Finance and Rules Committees, Kessler represents West Virginia’s 2nd Senatorial District.

The 60-year-old Marshall County native was the first to file pre-candidacy papers for the governor’s race last year.

“Our people are hurting. West Virginia is facing a budget crisis,” said Kessler in a news release Friday.

“We can’t endure any further economic neglect. West Virginia needs a leader who isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right and make the tough decisions when necessary. I have a record of fighting for people and what West Virginians hold dear, and I am proud of the work I have done.”

The West Virginia primary election is May 10, 2016.

Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates Receive Union Support

The United Mine Workers of America threw its support behind businessman Jim Justice in the West Virginia Governor’s race.

Fellow Democratic candidate Jeff Kessler also picked up a union endorsement Thursday — The Bricklayers District Council of West Virginia.

UMWA President Cecil Roberts said in a news release that the union’s vote to support Justice was unanimous.

The UMWA represents more than 35,000 active and retired coal miners in West Virginia.

Justice comes from a coal family, his father was a miner, as was his grandfather. Much of Jim Justice’s wealth has come from the coal industry.

The Bricklayers District Council of West Virginia represents bricklayers, masons and tile setters, among other tradesmen.

“Jeff Kessler has always stood alongside the hardworking men and women of West Virginia,” Director Leroy Hunter said in a news release released by the Kessler campaign. “Jeff Kessler is the real Democrat in the Democratic primary and we are proud not only to endorse, but also support him.”

Kessler is the current West Virginia Senate minority leader.

Justice Leads Cole in West Virginia Poll

Democrat Jim Justice holds a slight lead over Republican Bill Cole in the governor’s race. The MetroNews West Virginia Poll was released today.

Rex Repass of Repass Research and Consulting released the results of the West Virginia Poll this morning at the state chamber’s business summit in White Sulphur Springs.

“Mr. Justice has about a nine percentage point lead over Bill Cole at this early date with 17% undecided. A lot of that may be name recognition and Mr. Justice certainly has name recognition because of his position as owners of the Greenbrier hotel. But at this point in time very early, but Mr. Justice has about a 9 percentage point lead over Bill Cole, the President of the state senate.”

Justice also leads the race over his Democratic primary opponent, Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler. Forty percent of polled voters say they favor Justice to Kessler’s 34 percent with 26 percent of voters undecided.

The poll shows that if Kessler wins the primary, Cole would beat him in the general election. 44 to 35 percent with 21 percent undecided.

The West Virginia Poll is a nonpartisan survey of public opinion and has been measuring political outcomes since 1980. MetroNews partnered with the research firm on this year’s poll.

W.Va. Sen. Kessler Files Early Paperwork for Governor Bid

State Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler has filed pre-candidacy paperwork for an open governor’s race.

The Marshall County Democrat changed the office he’s seeking Thursday in the early paperwork from “undeclared” to “governor.”

In a 2011 special election, Kessler placed fifth in the Democratic primary for governor.

He would be up for re-election in the Senate in 2016, and can’t run for both.

Kessler served as Senate president before Republicans took control of the Legislature this year.

He has criticized policies pushed by the Republican majority.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin is also considering a run at governor, a job he held for two terms.

Several Republicans are considering runs.

Pre-candidacy filing lets someone start raising and spending money for the election.

The Charleston Daily Mail first reported Kessler’s intentions.

W.Va. GOP Squashes Democrats Attempt to Stop Prevailing Wage repeal

In a close party-line vote, Republican state senators stymied a Democratic effort to stop a bill that would repeal the state’s prevailing wage.

Democrats failed in a 16-18 Senate vote Thursday to reject the repeal bill, which passed a committee Tuesday.

Democrats said the bill was being wrongly fast-tracked and a compromise between labor and business should have been considered.

“This has been coming. There was plenty of time for compromise, but that compromise was not seen nor embraced,” Sen. Herb Snyder, a Democrat from Jefferson County, said on the floor Thursday.

“What we have done is put fear in the hearts of tens of thousands of West Virginia citizens. Our citizens, Mr. President. Their fear is that they do not know, if this repeal bill passes, what their wages will be.”

Republicans say the free market should dictate wages. They expect amendments to come on the Senate floor.

The bill will be on first reading Friday and up for a vote as early as next week.

The House of Delegates has not considered yet the repeal.