A Very Special Episode

Special Election Clip Show

Today, on a very special edition of the Deeth Blog, we have special elections:

A Democratic win in a weirdly timed special election for West Virginia governor, completing the musical chairs that began last year with Robert Byrd's death. David Nir at Kos:

Tomblin and Barack Obama are nothing alike, and West Virginia looks very different from the country as a whole — plus, it's not a swing state and isn't a factor in the president's re-election plans. Don't get me wrong: This is a very good win for Democrats. There's just no reason to read anything into it.

True that, but a Democratic loss would have given the GOP some bragging rights, so denying them that is a plus in itself.

Remember last month when Sheriff Joe Arpaio came in for Republican sheriff candidate Rick LaMere in Jones County? Yeah, the voters didn't care:

Chief Deputy Greg Graver was elected sheriff in Tuesday’s special election, garnering 71.9 percent of the votes cast.

In second place was Rick LaMere with 14.7 percent, followed by (appointed, Democratic) incumbent Harvey DeSotel with 12.8 percent and Scotty Shover with less than 1 percent.

Sheriff elections can get odd, and special elections called by petition have kind of a recall dynamic. But can somebody tell me what's in the water in the Jones County when a guy, even the chief deputy, running as an independent knocks off the appointee with 72 percent?!?

And you can't talk specials without checking in on The Battle of Marion. Politico picks up on Ann Romney's noon visit for Cindy Golding and plays up the "but she turned Bachmann away" angle.

In other stuff, the Fort Madison Daily Democrat - great name, hearkening back to the once and future days of the partisan press - sits down with the retiring Gene Fraise to reminisce about his three decade legislative career.

And in The New Republic, veteran journalist Walter Shapiro declares Chris Christie will never be president:

Christie may be deluding himself with his implicit belief that his time will come again during another presidential cycle. In truth, the combination of a weak Republican field and a vulnerable Democratic incumbent is a shimmering opportunity that may appear only once in Christie’s political lifetime.

Barack Obama saw his opportunity and took it. So did Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton did not and waited four years too long. They only beg you once, Chris.