Supreme Court — State and US — May Help Keep W.Va.-3 in GOP Hands

For months, conventional wisdom was that Democrats would pick up the open 3^rd District in West Virginia.  With incumbent Republican Rep. Evan Jenkins stepping down to run (unsuccessfully) for his party’s U.S. Senate nod, State Delegate Richard Ojeda seemed a slam dunk to put the district in the Democratic column.

According to an Emerson College poll conducted Sept. 13-15, Ojeda, a Mexican-American and much-decorated (two Bronze Stars) U.S. Army major, led Republican State Delegate Carol Miller, 36 percent to 31 percent.

But in the last two weeks, Miller — a farmer and daughter of the late Rep. Samuel Devine, R-Ohio — has been gaining momentum and support.  Much of this has to do with the latest developments involving the Supreme Court —that is, the U.S. Supreme Court and the West Virginia Supreme Court, to which Republican Gov. Jim Justice has just appointed Jenkins.

"Naming Evan to the court won’t hurt as he is well liked in the district," Lynn Staton, treasurer of the West Virginia Federation of Republican Women, told Newsmax, "With his name on the ballot for the unexpired court term, folks are likely to come out in higher numbers this fall."

Staton also told us that the recent battle to confirm Brett Kavanaugh "has created enthusiasm among Republicans and this will help Carol [Miller]." She added that the next poll on Ojeda and Miller "is sure to be much tighter."

Ojeda, who backed Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination in ’16, said he ended up voting for Donald Trump.  He recently told reporters he regrets that vote because "Trump hasn’t done s***!"

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.