Romney Picks W.Va. Steering Committee

Delegate Bob Ashley, R-Roane, will chair a 15-member steering committee for the GOP presidential candidate's efforts in West Virginia, his campaign announced today.

Republican Party veteran campaigners and officials help fill out the rest of the team. They include: Cabell County Sheriff Kim Wolfe and his wife; Charleston lawyer Robert Ryan, who helped drum up in-state support for President Bush's Supreme Court nominees; and Mark Blankenship, who has provided poll numbers and other services for several GOP campaigns _ including the disastrous, multimillion-dollar bid by Massey Energy chief Don Blankenship (no relation) to influence the 2006 legislative races.

The Romney campaign signed up last week for the state GOP's plan to hold a nominating convention for its national delegates on "Super-Duper Tuesday," Feb. 5.

Update: Both MetroNews and The Charleston Gazette correctly point out that a number of those named to Romney's steering committee were part of President Bush's winning West Virginia campaigns in 2000 and 2004.