West Virginia Gov. Won’t Seek Re-Election
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 13, 2003
Charleston, WV (LifeNews.com) — Pro-abortion Gov. Bob Wise (D-WV) won’t seek re-election in 2004 because of an extramarital affair.
Wise, who racked up a solid pro-abortion voting record as a member of Congress before running for Governor, was linked with Angela Masci, an employee at the West Virginia Development Office. Masci, 35, was married at the time of the affair and has since divorced.
"I’ve caused my wife significant pain,” Wise said Tuesday. "We’re dealing with it.”
After reports of the affair became public, Sandy Wise has not been seen in public with her husband. The couple have two children.
The news was a pleasant surprise for pro-life advocates in the state.
"West Virginians for Life looks forward to the possibility of a pro-life Governor to replace Bob Wise," Charlotte Sneed, president of the statewide pro-life group, told LifeNews.com.
"Pro-lifers in the state know that Wise vetoed the Woman’s Right to Know bill in 2002. In 2003, faced with a certain override, he allowed the bill to become law without his signature."
The legislation would have required abortion facilities to provide women considering abortion with information about fetal development, abortion risks and alternatives. Research presented before the legislature indicated it will reduce abortions in the state by one-third.
"Wise was a darling of the abortion industry, receiving out of state money for his campaigns," Sneed added.
Four Democrats and four Republicans had filed pre-candidacy papers with the secretary of state’s office. Both parties have pro-life candidates for the governor’s post.
Joe Maintain, currently Secretary of State, has already announced his intention to run. Maintain, a Democrat, formerly a Senator in the West Virginia legislature, has a one hundred per cent pro-life voting record and has been a stalwart friend of the unborn.
We would no longer be shut out of the Governor’s office. If Joe Maintain becomes our next Governor, we will have a true champion for the babies in a significant position," Sneed concluded.
