Barth In, Unger Out as 2008 Filing Deadline Passes

A non-starter, and the 11th-hour (literally) filing it prompted, marked the final day for candidates to file for offices on the 2008 ballot.

As The Associated Press reports, Anne Barth, longtime aide to U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, entered the Democratic race to challenge U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd.

She filed after state Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, announced he would not enter the fray.

As AP notes, Unger "had already raised at least $150,000 and lined up support from the state’s two U.S. House Democrats and some of their congressional colleagues."

This backing included special attention from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. And besides launching a congressional campaign web site, Unger had also picked up an AFL-CIO endorsement.

But most conspicuous, and controversial, was the on-stage endorsement from Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, during last year's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner.

AP also has a rundown of some of the other contested races at the top of the ballot.

In addition to its array of helpful links and newsfeeds, WVHotline has been compiling comprehensive rosters of all House of Delegates and state Senate candidacy filings. All 100 House seats are up this year, as are half the seats in the 34-member Senate.