CHARLESTON – San Brown Petsonk officially will face off against incumbent Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey in this fall's general election.
Petsonk claimed victory June 23 when Isaac Sponaugle announced he wouldn't seek a recount in the close Democratic primary. Petsonk ended up defeated Sponaugle by 145 votes in the statewide election, likely the closest such race in state history. Sponaugle led after the votes were counted in the June 9 primary by about 700 votes, but canvassing pushed Petsonk into the lead.
“I am not going to ask for a recount,” Sponaugle said. The Pendleton County attorney had until 10 p.m. June 23 to decide if he would pursue a recount. “It’s too expensive to ask for a recount statewide.”
Sponaugle
Sponaugle would've had to put up a $300 bond in each of the state's 55 counties for the recount. And that cost likely would grow.
“It’s driving me crazy not having an accurate count but the finances kick in at some point,” Sponaugle said on MetroNews' "Talkline" program with host Hoppy Kercheval. “I could take a shot at it in a couple of counties, but realistically your errors would be scattered across the state."
Sponaugle said he conceded to Petsonk and offered his support in the fall race against Morrisey, who is seeking a third term..
"We're all out to elect an attorney general who'll protect our people, our health care and our friends fighting with substance use disorder," Petsonk said in an email. "Let's remind our family, friends and neighbors that this attorney general's race is about protecting our most basic needs as West Virginians.
"We must provide real compensation and support for the thousands of workers who have lost their jobs, wages and healthcare. We must reverse the massive decline in the number of consumer protection settlements coming out of the attorney general's office. Consumer protection is the heart of the attorney general's job, and Morrisey has dropped the ball on educating the public and promoting the rights of working families.
"My career has been about delivering solutions to strengthen our communities and to ensure we receive the wages and benefits that we’ve earned here in West Virginia. Standing up for your family and mine. For our towns. For our neighbors. We can’t afford to have an attorney general who lacks the skills or the commitment to protect us any longer. It's time for a change."
The Democratic Attorneys General Association already is going after Morrisey.
“Patrick Morrisey is the Matt Bevin of West Virginia politics, and it is time for him to go home to Washington, D.C., or New Jersey," the group said in a statement. "He is seriously out of touch with West Virginians, and as a carpetbagger, he was always more interested in what West Virginia could do for his political ambitions than what he could do for the people of West Virginia.
"Morrisey continues to plow forward with a lawsuit to undermine health insurance for nearly 750,000 West Virginians with pre-existing conditions and who are at risk of losing health care coverage. And at a time when communities across the state continue to be devastated by the opioid epidemic, Morrisey blocked local efforts to find justice for people ravaged by the opioid crisis.
" There is a reason he is known as Pain Pill Pat, and there is a reason West Virginians rejected his run for U.S. Senate two years ago. It’s past time that West Virginia had an attorney general who puts the needs of West Virginia families above his own ambitions.”
On the other hand, the Republican Attorneys General Association is attacking Petsonk.
"Why is lawless liberal Democrat attorney general candidate Sam Petsonk silent on the reckless 'defund the police' movement that is sweeping across America and into West Virginia’s cities?" the group asked in its own email statement. "As the aspiring top law enforcement officer in West Virginia, Petsonk must immediately condemn the dangerous Democrat plan to 'defund the police' that will lead to absolute communities of chaos.
"In the Mountain State, defunding the police would lead to more crime, more drug overdoses, and more violence. Law enforcement officers throughout the state put their lives on the line every day to keep families safe and the movement to defund them is ridiculous and directly endangers communities. ...
"In contrast, strong conservative Republican Patrick Morrisey is the only candidate for West Virginia Attorney General who openly opposes the radical liberal attempts to dismantle law enforcement. Morrisey witnessed firsthand the disastrous results when multiple police academy classes were cancelled and praised the renewed law and order when classes were reinstated by Governor Jim Justice.
"Democrat Sam Petsonk’s refusal to decry the dangerous plea to defund the police means that he is onboard with chaos and will make West Virginia less safe."