West Virginia
What’s next for Democrats with Biden out of the presidential campaign • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — The Democratic Party has just weeks before its delegates are scheduled to vote for a presidential candidate during a virtual roll call in early August, a process that got much more complex Sunday when President Joe Biden withdrew as the presumptive nominee.
The timeline, which was set in motion months ago, provides a small window for Democratic delegates throughout the 50 states to unify around any one candidate, an uphill battle, even with Biden endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Delegates’ votes for the presidential nominee were supposed to reflect the will of voters in their home states, a hallmark of the Democratic primary process that is no longer possible.
Party leaders have insisted for weeks that Democrats must formally nominate their presidential candidate ahead of the Democratic National Convention in late August to avoid any potential issue getting their candidate’s name on the Ohio ballot.
DNC Chair Jaime Harrison released a written statement on Sunday after Biden announced he would step aside as the presumptive nominee following weeks of pressure from members of Congress and party loyalists concerned about the president’s cognitive abilities.
Harrison wrote that in “the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”
“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party,” Harrison added. “Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”
Harrison’s statement did not mention Harris or a specific date for when the Democratic Party would formally nominate a presidential candidate.
Harris wrote in a statement of her own that it is her “intention is to earn and win this nomination.”
“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election,” Harris wrote. “And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead.”
“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”
Deadlines and requirements
Co-Chairs of the Democratic National Convention Rules Committee Bishop Leah D. Daughtry and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz released a letter on Wednesday pledging the virtual roll call process would not be “rushed.”
The letter, obtained by States Newsroom, notes the various deadlines and requirements that states have for putting a presidential candidate’s name on the November ballot.
“Ballot access paperwork must be filed in the State of Washington on August 20, the second day of the in-person Convention. Deadlines in Montana and Oklahoma follow the next day, with California on August 22 and many states, including Virginia, on August 23,” Daughtry and Walz wrote.
“These filings involve notarized signatures from the candidates and party officials, and often must be filed in hard copy,” the two added. “We cannot and should not allow these timing complications to jeopardize whether the Democratic ticket appears on the ballot in must-win states.”
A public meeting about how the process will likely play out took place this weekend, with at least one more meeting expected this week, though likely with many more questions than before Biden withdrew.
Before the DNC can set the date for the virtual roll call, its Rules Committee needs to approve the rules for the convention, which will contain the format for the roll call vote. After that takes place, the DNC Chair and the DNCC Chair will announce the exact day of the roll call.
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West Virginia
Why is Popular Bracketologist Still Considering West Virginia for NCAA Tournament?
Losing to Kansas State wiped away all hope for West Virginia to make the NCAA Tournament. That seems to be the clear consensus in the Mountain State, but is there actually still a chance? Well, I guess so.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi still has West Virginia listed as a team to consider, the second team outside of the “next four out” grouping.
Lunardi’s current NCAA Tournament bubble
Last Four Byes: Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas, Ohio State
Last Four In: SMU, Santa Clara, New Mexico, Indiana
First Four Out: VCU, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati
Next Four Out: San Diego State, USC, California, Seton Hall
Next: Stanford, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona State
How is this even possible?
Short answer? I don’t really know.
My best guess as to why? Two things: the respect for the Big 12 and the opportunities left on the table, and two, an incredibly weak bubble.
Should West Virginia beat UCF on Friday, it will give the Mountaineers a 9-9 record in Big 12 play. That’s not as much of a guarantee to make the dance as having a winning record, but still, it’s an impressive mark, especially when, in this instance, they would have wins over Kansas, BYU, and sweeps over Cincinnati and UCF.
If you ask me, they still have too many bad losses for it to matter. I mean, even if they got red-hot out of nowhere and made it to the Big 12 championship game next week, is that enough? Potentially, but that’s a big IF.
The one thing WVU does have on its side is the number of Quad 1 wins, which they have five of. Virtually every other team in college basketball that has a minimum of five Quad 1 victories is expected to make the tournament. In that previously mentioned scenario, they would add at least one more Quad 1 win in the conference tournament, giving the committee something to think about.
The bubble is just incredibly weak, though. Like, how in the world is Auburn, who is 16-14 currently, the second team out of the field? Cincinnati, which WVU swept and has the same record as, is the fourth team in the “first four out” grouping.
At this point, the only path I see is for the Mountaineers to cut down the nets in Kansas City — good luck with that. We could be having a very different conversation if they didn’t lallygag their way through the first 30 minutes of the games against Utah and Kansas State.
West Virginia
Buckle up: West Virginia launching seatbelt enforcement campaign Friday
Buckle up, Upshur County. Starting Friday, March 6, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will step up seatbelt enforcement as part of a statewide Click It or Ticket campaign running through March 23.
The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) announced the high-visibility mobilization as a warm-up to the national seatbelt campaign in May. The goal is to ensure every occupant — front seat or back, driver or passenger — is buckled on every trip.
“During this mobilization, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will be out in full force. They will be strictly ticketing drivers who are unbuckled or who are transporting children not properly restrained in car seats,” said Jack McNeely, Director of the GHSP.
The numbers behind the campaign are sobering. In 2023, 40% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in West Virginia crashes were unrestrained. The state’s seatbelt usage rate has also slipped — from 91.9% in 2024 to 91.6% in 2025.
Rural drivers face elevated risk despite a common assumption that country roads are safer. In 2023, 65% of the state’s traffic fatalities occurred in rural areas, compared to 35% in urban centers.
Under West Virginia law, wearing a seatbelt is required. A citation carries a $25 fine, though McNeely says the real point isn’t the penalty.
“Click It or Ticket isn’t about the citations; it’s about saving lives,” he said. “A ticket is a wake-up call. It is far less expensive than the alternative — paying with your life or the lives of your family and friends.”
For more information about the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, visit highwaysafety.wv.gov or call 304-926-2509.

West Virginia
West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WCHS) — A West Virginia man accused of threatening to attack President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workers was federally indicted this week.
Cody Lee Smith, 20, of Clarksburg was indicted on two counts of threats to murder the president, one count of influencing and retaliating against federal officials by threat of murder and one count of influencing a federal official by threat of murder, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.
Smith is accused of making a series of public posts on Instagram encouraging and threatening the murder of Trump, those who support him, Israelis and “all government officials,” the news release said.
The indictment also alleges that Smith sent a direct message via Instagram to Donald J. Trump, Jr., stating he would kill his father by cutting his “jugular.”
In a phone call with the ICE tip line, Smith also threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg and employees staffing the tip line.
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Smith faces up to 5 years for each of the presidential threat charges and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the remaining counts.
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