"J" Campaign Button
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Title
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"J" Campaign Button
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Description
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Campaign button from one Senator Rockefeller IV's political campaigns.
Senator Rockefeller served six-terms as senator, and much of the items in this exhibit focus on this time. However, Rockefeller also served two terms as West Virginia's governor.
In January 1972, Rockefeller announced his candidacy for governor and overwhelmed his two opponents in the primary, setting up a fierce contest against popular incumbent Arch Moore. In the general election Moore defeated Rockefeller by 73,355 votes.
Governor Arch Moore was not allowed to run for a third consecutive term, and in 1976, Rockefeller carried every county but Barbour and Monroe.
During his first term , large segments of state government were reorganized to include the state Department of Health, the Department of Culture and History (now Department of Arts, Culture and History), and the creation of a state Department of Economic and Community Development. Rockefeller’s establishment of the position of special assistant to the governor for economic and community development was his attempt to fulfill a campaign promise to give priority to economic development. Among his achievements was the location of a $500 million coal liquefaction demonstration plant in Morgantown. However, ht also had to deal with heavy snowfalls across the state, acute fuel shortages, floods, and 111 day coal strike. In 1980, Rockefeller faced Arch Moore again. This time, Rockefeller outspent Moore 12 to 1, and won with 64, 500 votes. The state went into a recession during his second term, and in 1984 he started his U.S. Senate career.
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Date
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Date Unknown
"J" Button