WESPAC News

WESPAC Makes Primary Election Endorsements for 2008

WESPAC, the political action committee of the West Virginia State Medical Association, has made its endorsements in the 2008 Primary Election races. Of all the important races this election cycle, the most critical is that of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. WESPAC has taken a lead on this race and is focusing its efforts in getting two healthcare friendly candidates elected Justice Elliott E. Spike Maynard and Beth Walker.

Additionally four physicians are among the many candidates endorsed by WESPAC in the House and Senate races. WESPAC recognizes that we need true healthcare advocates in the Legislature who can bring their knowledge and expertise to the table to help create workable solutions. Who better than physicians themselves?

Dr. Marshall Long (D) is a current member of the House of Delegates from Mercer County’s 25th District and is running for re-election. Dr. Long is a family practice physician in Princeton. Dr. Margaret Anne Staggers (D) is also a current Member of the House running for re-election. Dr. Staggers is from Fayette County’s 29th House District and is an emergency medicine physician. Dr. Frederick Gillespie (R) is an ophthalmologist in Parkersburg. Dr Gillespie is running for election to Wood County’s 10th House District. Dr. Dan Foster (D) is a current member of the Senate running for re-election to the 17^th District in Kanawha County. Dr Foster is a retired surgeon and is currently a hospital administrator. See the Full List of Endorsements.

Supreme Court Race - #1 Most Important Race this Election

Why is the West Virginia Supreme Court race so important to you? The West Virginia Supreme Court has the final word on numerous issues critical to the practice of medicine. Our hard fought medical liability reform legislation has been under attack nearly since its passage. Of the five seats on our Supreme Court two are up for election. It only takes three votes to uphold or crumble our medical liability reforms. It is critical that West Virginia elect justices who will uphold our reforms.

WESPAC has endorsed Justice Spike Maynard (D) for re-election and Beth Walker (R) to fill the seat vacated by retiring Justice Larry Starcher. Both Maynard and Walker will bring balance and integrity to the court and have indicated their support for upholding the current medical liability laws. Of the remaining candidates the only other one who has publicly stated his support for the medical liability reforms is Menis Ketchum (D).

Justice Elliott E. “Spike” Maynard, Democrat for West Virginia Supreme Court

Justice Elliott E. “Spike” Maynard, a lifelong West Virginia resident, was born in Williamson in Mingo County, West Virginia. He graduated from Belfry High School in 1960. He earned his B.S. from Florida Southern College in 1967 and his J.D. from West Virginia University in 1974. He joined the United States Air Force in 1961, and was attached to a reconnaissance group during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Thereafter, he was assigned to the 306th Bomb Wing in the Strategic Air Command, and was honorably released in 1966.

From 1968 to 1970 he was Managing Director of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce. He was engaged in the private practice of law in Williamson from 1974 to 1981.

In 1976, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Mingo County and was re-elected in 1980. In 1981 Governor John D. Rockefeller, IV, appointed him as Judge of the Thirtieth Judicial Circuit. He was twice elected judge of that circuit. In November 1996, Maynard was elected to the West Virginia Supreme Court and this year is currently serving as Chief Justice.

He has been involved for over thirty years with the Boy Scouts of America and was District Chairman of the Mingo-Pike District and District Chairman of the Chief Cornstalk District. He has served on the Board of the Buckskin Council and received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest volunteer award in scouting.

Justice Maynard is a member of the American Judges Association, the American Bar Association, the American Judicature Society, the West Virginia Bar Association, a former Member of National District Attorneys Association, and a member of the Charleston Rotary Club and other fraternal organizations. In November 1996, he was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals. He served as chief justice in 2000 and 2004.

Beth Walker, Republican for West Virginia Supreme Court

Beth Walker is a partner in the Charleston office of Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP. Since joining the firm seventeen years ago, she has concentrated her practice on labor and employment law. She has also served in firm management as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and as the firm’s Human Resources chair.

Beth advises large and small employers in a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, energy, health care, financial services, professional services and associations and retail sales.

She also frequently represents higher education entities, municipalities, counties and boards of education in the public sector. The excellence of Beth’s skills as a lawyer have been recognized by her being included in Best Lawyers in America, published by Woodward/White. She is also listed in America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, published by Chambers USA.

A 1987 summa cum laude graduate of Hillsdale College, Beth earned her law degree in 1990 from The Ohio State University, where she was Articles Editor for The Ohio State Law Journal. She currently serves on the Alumni Executive Board of Hillsdale College.

Beth is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Sixth Circuits, District Courts in West Virginia and Ohio and the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

In 1999, Beth was selected to participate in Leadership West Virginia and now serves on that organization’s Board of Directors. She is a past president of the board of Kanawha Pastoral Counseling Center and currently serves as Vice Chair of the board of directors of Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council. Beth is vice chair of the Human Resources Committee for the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Beth is married to Mike Walker, Executive Vice President of Cecil I. Walker Machinery Co., a family-owned company that distributes construction equipment. They reside in South Charleston.

Beth Walker is running for the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia because West Virginians deserve a fair and impartial court system. As a lawyer, Beth understands the importance of the role of the Supreme Court as an independent branch of government.

Independent Voter Alert

Independent voters and voters who marked ‘no party affiliation” on their voter registration form, for the first time this election, will be able to vote in the Democratic, Republican  or Mountain Party’s Primary on May 13.  However, what most don’t understand is that you must request the partisan ballot of your choice otherwise you will be handed the non-partisan ballot which only lets you vote for School Board candidates.

Poll workers by law are not allowed to offer a partisan ballot.

When you go to vote, remember to specifically ask for a democratic or republican ballot before entering the voting booth.  Otherwise you will be seriously limited on the races for which you can vote.

Early Voting Is Going On Now

Voting has never been so convenient. Now no one should have an excuse for not voting. Below is information from the Secretary of State on early voting. Check online at www.wvvotes.com or with your county clerk for early voting hours and location.

WHERE? — The Clerk of the County Commission (County Clerk) holds the responsibility for early voting. The location will be in the County Courthouse or on the property of the courthouse.

WHEN? — See the Absentee Calendar at www.wvvotes.com for specific dates and Early Voting Hours by County. The regular period of early voting in person begins twenty days before the election and continues until three days before the election. Voting is available during regular business hours and may be available two Saturdays before the election.

HOW? — Go to the County Clerk's Office and ask to vote early in-person. You will then vote as you would on election day, in a voting booth just as at the precinct. If a paper ballot is used, your voted ballot will be sealed in an envelope and placed in the ballot box.

On election day, your ballot will go to the precinct where it will be counted or placed with other ballots for computer tabulation.