The Thirteenth Delegate District’s Republican Executive Committee is holding an organizational meeting this evening, according to Delegate Joshua Higginbotham.
Higginbotham, who is traveling overseas, said he plans to attend the meeting electronically.
The delegate confirmed on the House floor last week what had been rumored for some time: he will be resigning his 13th District House seat. Higginbotham intends to challenge Democrat Senator Richard Lindsay of Kanawha County in the 2022 election.
Lindsay was one of just two senators who voted against the redistricting plan ultimately approved by the legislature.
Despite rumors that the state Republican Executive Committee was demanding the district meeting be held prematurely, Higginbotham indicated he understands that this session is just to organize the district committee in anticipation of his resignation.
Since the 13th is currently a multi-county district, the state party is responsible for organizing the district committee’s meetings. The district’s second delegate is Jonathan Pinson of Mason County.
Once Higginbotham resigns, the district executive committee will be responsible for providing Republican Governor Jim Justice with three recommendations to complete his term. State law seems to require that Higginbotham’s replacement also be a Republican.
It only SEEMS that way since the State Code is equally clear that a replacement county commissioner be of the same party as the member he or she is replacing for at least 60 days prior to the vacancy occurring. But that was not followed in appointing a new Mingo County Commissioner.
As is typical of the Mark Harris-led state Republican party, we received no official notice of the planned 13th District organizational meeting.
Harris and his comrades prefer to operate in secrecy, shutting out the public from their proceedings.
To be clear, however, Higginbotham was candid and immediately responded when contacted by this newspaper.
Initially, Higginbotham said he’d move if necessary to be in the same district with Lindsay. Since detailed maps are still not available, it was not immediately clear if Higginbotham will need to relocate to be eligible for Lindsay’s seat.
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Address has never concerned Berkeley County Republican Delegate Ken Reed, so I’m not sure why Higginbotham wants to actually live in his district.
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The State Senate campaign involving the possible re-election of Raleigh County Republican Rollan Roberts may be even more exciting than earlier predictions.
It has been rumored that Raleigh Delegate Mick Bates switched his party registration from Democrat to Republican to challenge Roberts in the May GOP primary.
Now, another potential Republican candidate has emerged. Fayette County Delegate Austin Haynes tells me he is interested in possibly running for the seat.
Haynes said it’s more likely that he’ll wait until 2024 to seek the job. That’s when another Republican, David “Bugs” Stover’s term ends.
Roberts, who has a character flaw for hyperbole, has already predicted his opponents will spend $400,000 to beat him. He has told supporters he needs $100,000 to keep the race competitive.
Among other things, there is lingering GOP animosity toward Roberts because he unseated incumbent Republican State Senator Lynne Arvon in the 2018 primary. Arvon had served in the House of Delegates before being appointed to the Senate.
Roberts is identified with the wing of the GOP that supported the controversial appointment of former Beckley Medical Center Chief of Staff Mark Harris as state Republican Chair.
Haynes told me he likes Bates really well and would be reluctant to enter the race if Bates files.