I have had multiple requests to repost my commentary on redistricting, I will do so tomorrow, with some revamped numbers based on the 2008 election.  You will see the revised commentary tomorrow with multiple changes. 

But, there is no question, the 2010 election will be key to the future of the balance of power in our state.

The more Republicans, the better, but whatever way the pie is sliced, Democrats and Southern West Viriginia have big problems, especially in the state senate.

While looking ahead to redistricting isn’t the cause of the current fight for the Republican leadership of the House, Republicans can’t discount the importance of the 2010 election.

Delegate Craig Blair has openly challenged current House Minority Leader Tim Armstead. 

I hesitate to head down this road, but the seven Republicans in the House who were targeted had every reason to grumble that neither the Republican Legislative Committee or the state Republican Party came to their aid.  In fact, other than on conservative blogs, I don’t remember seeing them publicly defended.

While the state Republican party had at least tried to raise money, Republican legislators already have an avenue to raise money called the RLC.  They barely utilized it this election cycle.

I’m guessing that is at the heart of the dispute, or just the fact that the ones targeted by the Democrats had no assistance whatsoever.

Those seven Republican House candidates (along with Senator Clark Barnes who was the only Senator targeted by the state Democratic party) were targeted because they currently serve in the opposition wing of the opposition party.  They are conservative.  They don’t mind going head-on against the Democrats in the House especially those in leadership.  And, they especially don’t care if the Democrats don’t like it.  They aren’t there to make the Democrats happy to get get a pat on the head once in awhile for being good boys and girls.

The Democrats don’t like these eight because… GASP! — they actually oppose the Democrats on issues which they don’t agree.

You have two types of Republicans.  The opposition wing.  And, the Rodney King (the can’t-we-all-just-get-along) wing.

Craig is obviously from the opposition wing.  And, he has irritated the Democrats SO much (actually serving as an opposition party) that they targeted him for defeat.

After winning by a large margin, Craig is emboldened.  So, should other Republicans.  Instead of serving in the role of hand-maidens to the majority Democrats maybe the Republicans in the House and Senate should look at the success of the eight that were targeted (all of the incumbents targeted were reelected) and see how the people of their districts sent them back by large margins to FIGHT for their districts, not to simply serve as a speed bump for the Democrat platform.

Look, Minority Leader is a frustrating position and I certainly understand the position that both Don Caruth and Tim Armstead are in.  Their positions are very difficult.  And, from time to time, the conservatives rise up and you see a challenge such as this.

If you look at our most successful years where we actually got to within 4 Senators of being the majority, we didn’t do that through genuflecting at the Democrat altar.

We did it by actually challenging the Democrats.  The state party was active and battling.  In fact, they had the Democrats SO frustrated that they would be incensed every time the Republicans reported what the Democrats were going to do before they even had a chance to report it.

Republicans, the state party, the RLC were all raising money.  They were all battling with ideas and communication and fundraising.  They challenged the Democrats at every turn.

They didn’t acquiesce.  They didn’t go-along-to-get-along.  They fought.

This whole idea of being buddy-buddy with the Democrats and having the Democratic leadership pat the Republicans on the heads for being good girls and boys must stop.  It will never get us anywhere.

Sure, the Democrats respect the hell out of the Republicans now.  That’s great.  I’d rather them disrespect us and have 45 members of the House and 15 members of the Senate.

Why did the Republicans win in 1994?  Because Newt Gingrich and his band of back benchers played nicey-nice with the Democrats and they all shared respectful, academic debate sipping tea together afterward?  NO, they won because they battled the Democrats and presented the American people with a different choice.

Why did the Democrats take control in 2006?  Because they were nicey-nice to the Republicans and they all just respected the hell out of each other?  No, because they battled the Republicans at every turn and convinced the majority of our country that they deserved a shot at running Congress.

It is time for those Republicans in our Legislature to actually challenge the Democrats at every turn versus making nicey-nice with them.  Of course, there are areas they can work together.  But, there are also striking differences which the people of the state need to know about.  If the Republicans settle for scraps like a begging dog at the Democrat’s dinner table, that’s exactly what they will get, along with a nice pat on the head.

That frustration is the reason for the challenge.  The fact that Republicans are down to eight people in the Senate is another frustration after having reached 13 in 2004 with a realistic shot at possibly getting to 18 within two or four years (I still say Don Blankenship should have spent his money on five or six Senate races in 2006 versus 40 plus House races, but of course, it was his money and his call).

Not only is the frustration caused by the different view of leadership, it is caused by the fact that our loudest opposition was targeted.  And, no help came their way.