Parkersburg News and Sentinel
December 14, 2024
Jess Mancini
PARKERSBURG — A former Wood County Republican Party chairman is now registered as a member of the Constitution Party, which will hold its Winter Summit next month in Parkersburg.
“It’s not the conservative party I would like it to be,” Conley said.
Conley was actively involved in Republican Party politics in the state and county. The party has moved more to the left, to the point where calling someone a RINO, a Republican in name only, has no meaning because they have all become RINOs, he said.
“The Republican Party did not align with my conservative values,” Conley said. “The Constitution Party certainly aligns with my conservative values.”
The decision was Conley’s to make, as it is for everyone else to decide their party affiliations, according to Scot Heckert, current chairman of the Wood County Republican Party.
“Everybody has to decide what they want to do and approach situations,” Heckert, a member of the House of Delegates from District 13, said.
Heckert pointed out Conley was twice rejected by Republican voters.
Conley, while a member of the House of Delegates in the old 10th District, lost against political newcomer Bob Fehrenbacher in the May 2022 primary for the new District 11. Conley ran against and lost to Wood County Commissioner Blair Couch in the May 2024 primary.
“You can’t bully your way though life and get what you want,” Heckert said.
Conley will be a benefit for the party, Amy Stull, chairwoman of the West Virginia Constitution Party, said. He is an asset in the community and has influence, she said
“We are very pleased to have him,” Stull said.
Conley, who made the shift about a month ago, and Stull both said the Constitution Party has increased membership. The increase was significant this year and is at 100, Stull said.
“The difficulty is getting people away from a two-party mindset,” Stull said.
No-party registrations in Wood County are second behind the Republican Party and higher than the Democratic Party registrations, Conley said.
“It’s growing by leaps and bounds,” he said.
According to the Secretary of State, no-party registrations in Wood County rose from 14,246 in August 2022 to 15,485 in August 2024, an increase of 1,233.
In the state, no-party registrations rose from 267,355 in August 2022 to 299,104 in August 2024 while the drop in Democratic Party registration was from 380,765 in August 2022 to 354,052 in August 2024.
“People are looking for an alternative to the Democratic and Republican parties,” Conley said.
Conley’s son, Chad, also switched to the Constitution Party. His son organized a visit of S. Marshall Wilson, the Constitution Party candidate for governor, to Wood County before the general election.
The Winter Summit, described as the “first annual meeting,” will be a gathering of members and leaders to discuss platform, goals and initiatives for the coming year. The summit will be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 4, at the Rock Church, 1305 37th St., Parkersburg, and is free and open to the public.
Among those featured at the Summit will be Wilson, Stull, Constitution Party National Chairman Justin Magill and Regional Chairman Bob Goodrich.
West Virginia is in the Northeast Region of the party, Stull said.
Jess Mancini can be reached at [email protected].
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