WVGOP Announces Its Presidential Nominating Convention‎

In Case You Missed It…
Yesterday, the West Virginia Republican Presidential Convention announced the details of its presidential nominating convention on February 5, 2008. Here's a few articles recapping the announcement.

The Hill: Victory in W. Va. could spread to other states
"The West Virginia GOP could announce its pick for president by 2:30 p.m. Eastern time on Feb. 5, potentially giving that candidate a boost in states where polls close hours later. More than a dozen states have moved their primaries to so-called Super Duper Tuesday, including delegate-rich California, New York and New Jersey. West Virginia's unique nominating convention could make a lot of noise during the traditional tedium of Election Day. While the state is not on the tip of most pundits' tongues, that could change if a winner is announced as early as 11:30 a.m. on the West Coast….Read more at:
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/victory-in-w.-va.-could-spread-to-other-states-2007-06-07.html

NBC News: WV WANTS TO BE A PLAYER ON FEB. 5
In the latest effort by a state to increase its significance in the presidential nominating process, West Virginia Republicans held a conference call with reporters earlier today to discuss their brand-new presidential convention, which will be held on Tsunami Tuesday, February 5, 2008. The hook is that the results of the winner-take-all convention will be known as late as 4:00 pm ET that day -- meaning it will be the first of the 20-odd Tsunami Tuesday states to report its results. "It will be something that will be interesting to people in West Virginia," said Robert Fish, CEO of the state's presidential convention.
Read more at: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/06/07/217497.aspx

Parkersburg News and Sentinel: GOP makes radical changes
In an effort to have more say in the presidential primary election Republican party officials have made significant changes to their 2008 state convention. "As you know, many of the states are looking at the process in order to see how they can be effective in influencing the ultimate choosing of president," state Republican official Bob Fish said. "This move allows us to make a decision while there is still a decision to be made." In 2000, 16 states held primaries on Super Tuesday, the largest presidential primary election day in U.S. history. Fish said the 2008 "Super Duper Tuesday," will have 23 states holding primary elections, including West Virginia, which he referred to as a "tipping point state." Read more at: http://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=17190

Wheeling Intelligencer: W.Va. GOP To Have Early Voice in 2008
West Virginia will be the sixth state to weigh in on the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, and the first to announce its choice on the new "Super Duper Tuesday." National attention — as well as Republican presidential candidates and their campaign dollars — should be focused on West Virginia Feb. 5, 2008, when the first-ever State GOP Presidential Convention happens in Charleston. State Democrats will meet in April to select their nominee. The state Republican convention begins at 9 a.m. on Feb. 5, with the final selection announced as early as noon and probably no later that 4:30, said state GOP Presidential Convention Chairman Bob Fish. West Virginia will be the first state to make its presidential selection on Super Duper Tuesday. Read more at: http://theintelligencer.net/community/articles.asp?articleID=20473

Republican Gazette: West Virginia Republicans will cast first votes in the nation for president
Republicans in West Virginia will cast the first votes for president in the entire nation because of the GOP's move to a state convention format for selecting delegates to the national convention. Prior to the Feb. 5 state convention, county conventions and online voting for delegates to the state convention will begin Jan. 1, meaning Republicans at the county level will be casting votes for president before anyone else in the country. Read more at: http://www.abernathystrategies.com/republicangazette.html

National Journal's Hotline: WEST VIRGINIA (2/5 GOP caucuses; 5/13 primary): The Early Bird Picks The Nominee?
The WV GOP may choose its WH nominee by 2:30 p.m. EST 2/5, "potentially giving that candidate a boost in states where polls close later." Convention chief exec. Robert Fish: "I believe it can have a big impact. ... This can give a winning characteristic to one of the campaigns." …UMich prof. John Jackson says evidence from Jimmy Carter's early concession in '80 "suggests that if West Coast voters think the race is over, they are less likely to turn out." He "added that on a day when reporters and network news producers are twiddling their thumbs and begging for news before the polls close, the... announcement will be like food to a starving village" (Youngman, The Hill, 6/7).

West Virginia MetroNews: GOP To Hold Convention
The Republican Party in West Virginia is looking to earn a little publicity come "Super Duper Tuesday" February, 5th 2008. Super Duper Tuesday will be when close to 20 states will hold their primary elections and party nominations for president will be revealed. However in West Virginia the Republican Party will hold the first presidential nominating convention in the state. They will be electing 18 of 30 delegates who will represent West Virginia in Minneapolis at the presidential convention next August. Read more at: http://www.wvmetronews.com/index_forsub.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=19542

WTAP News: G.O.P. State Convention
"It provides such a huge amount of grass roots input, with county caucuses, the opportunity for any West Virginian to be a delegate to this convention," says convention C.E.O. Bob Fish, "the opportunity for the national media interest we believe is going to bring to it, really helps West Virginia help claim its rightful position as a 'tipping point' state." Read more at: http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/7893027.html