Vanderbilt Political Review Spring 2014 | Page 21

SPRING 2014 Hillary Clinton (D) West Virginia Democrats are also offering their secretary of state as a Senate candidate in 2014. Natalie Tennant (D) is looking to fill the seat left vacant by the six-term Senator Jay Rockefeller (D), who is retiring. Rockefeller is a legend in West Virginia politics and enjoyed a formidable incumbency advantage while the state became increasingly more conservative. Tennant, on the other hand, has a tough race ahead in the state that voted for Mitt Romney by a twenty-seven point margin in 2012. This election is special in that U.S. Congresswomen Shelley Capito Moore (R) is the front-runner in the GOP primary. Therefore, any advantage that Tennant would have solely from her gender is negated if she faces Moore in the general election. Regardless of the outcome, however, the Mountain State will likely elect its first female T