West Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 2006

The West Virginia 2nd congressional district election for the 110th Congress was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Shelley Moore Capito was the nominee for the Republican Party; attorney Mike Callaghan was the nominee for the Democratic Party. Capito won with 57% of the vote to 43% for Callaghan.

Candidates

Callaghan grew up in Richwood, a small town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Nicholas County, West Virginia. He attended Richwood High School and the University of Virginia, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He then marticulated at West Virginia University's law school, where he served as editor-in-chief of the West Virginia Law Review.

For nine years, Callaghan was as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the southern district of West Virginia, serving from 1997 until 2001 as head of the criminal division. Mike focused his tenure on prosecuting crimes related to drug trafficking and white collar crime. In 2001, Mike was appointed Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection by then Governor Bob Wise.

Callaghan has served as Chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party, where he spoke out on issues related to social security and education. As Chairman, he modernized the business and political methods of the West Virginia Democratic Party by retooling the Party’s website and focusing on increasing youth involvement in politics. Callaghan was honored at the 2004 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner with the Franklin D. Roosevelt award, naming him the West Virginia Democrat of the Year.

Unlike many Democrats on the national level, he is an advocate of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. A lifelong hunter and member of the National Rifle Association, Callaghan is a supporter of right to keep and bear arms.

Polling data

No major pollster has yet conducted a survey in this district. However, the Cook Political Report has rated this district as safe Republican, and CQPolitics.com rates this district Republican favored.

Result

Capito [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/WV/H/02/ defeated] Callaghan by a 57%-43% margin.

See also

*United States House elections, 2006

External links

* [http://www.mikewv.com/ Mike Callaghan official campaign site]
* [http://www.shelleymoorecapito.com/ Shelly Moore Capito official campaign site]
* [http://www.dccc.org/races/candidates/WV_02_Mike_Callaghan.html DCCC Bio]