Tennant: Trying Again for Sec. of State

Former broadcaster Natalie Tennant has joined the field of 2008 precandidates, announcing plans this week to run for secretary of state.

The Democrat and former West Virginia University mascot told The Associated Press on Monday that she planned to kick off her campaign officially on June 20, West Virginia Day.

Tennant previously sought her party's nod for the statewide office in 2004. Amid a field of seven candidates, she finished second with 25 percent of the vote. But those 65,947 votes put her within 1,118 votes of the nominee, Ken Hechler.

This time around, Tennant is joining House Majority Leader Joe DeLong, D-Hancock, and Mountain Party member David Rao among the announced precandidates for Secretary of State. DeLong played football for WVU, while Tennant was its first (and to date only) female Mountaineer mascot. Tennant is also married to fellow broadcasting alumnus and freshman state Sen. Erik Wells, D-Kanawha.