Candidate Sees WV Special Election as Mountaintop Mining Referendum

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Updated: 1:09 PM Jul 28, 2010 Candidate Sees WV Special Election as Mountaintop Mining Referendum CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) One of West Virginia's Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate sees the upcoming special election a referendum on mountaintop removal. Posted: 12:10 PM Jul 28, 2010 Reporter: LAWRENCE MESSINA - Associated Press Writer

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One of West Virginia's Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate sees the upcoming special election a referendum on mountaintop removal.

Ken Hechler said Tuesday his campaign will give voters a chance to weigh in against this method of coal mining.

The 95-year-old Hechler has been a vocal foe of the practice, which involves the blasting of ridgetops to expose coal seams, and the dumping of leftover rock and dirt into valleys.

Hechler is running in the August 28 primary against Gov. Joe Manchin and a former state lawmaker, Sheirl Fletcher. Hechler says Manchin may be popular, but he also believes most voters oppose the mining method.

Hechler is a former secretary of state and congressman. Ten Republicans and a Mountain Party candidate are also running.

There were supposed to be 11 Republican candidates, but filing errors by Charles Railey of Harrison County kept him off the list of certified candidates for the upcoming special election.

The 86-year-old Railey says he entered the hospital for major back surgery shortly after filing last week. He remained there through Saturday, when the secretary of state found his filing was incomplete and tried to contact him.

Officials say Railey's mistakes include failing to include his full legal name and party.

Railey says he's pursuing a write-in candidacy. The office is refunding his $1,740 filing fee.

Byrd died June 28 with slightly more than 30 months left in his term.

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