GOP Fields 2nd '08 Challenger to Manchin

Eastern Panhandle businessman Bob Adams has announced plans to seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2008 and challenge incumbent Gov. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, The Associated Press reports.

Adams follows Joe Oliverio, a Republican painting contractor who previously ran for his party's nod for governor in 2004. A Clarksburg resident, Oliverio filed pre-candidacy papers in November 2005 (The Secretary of State had not added Adams to the online list of 95+ precandidates as of noon today).

Adams unsuccessfully challenged Treasurer John Perdue for that statewide office in 2004, attracting 37 percent of the vote to the incumbent Democrat's 63 percent. Adams lost by 178,183 votes.

But Adams but did carry eight of the state's 55 counties that year, including the Eastern Panhandle and some of the Potomac Highlands. However, he failed to carry that portion of Jefferson County that forms the 58th House District in the 2006 election. Incumbent Delegate Locke Wysong, then a freshman Democrat, defeated Adams with 61 percent of the vote.

Manchin won the 2004 race for governor with 64 percent of the vote. Carrying all but three counties, he bested Republican Monty Warner by 219,627 votes.

Those with articles heralding Adams' pre-candidacy filing include The Register-Herald of Beckley and WSAZ-TV. The Journal of Martinsburg has the story as well.