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PARKERSBURG -- The Wood County Republican Executive Committee is urging Republican voters in Wood County not to support the candidacy of Robert Fehrenbacher as a Republican for the new 11th House District seat.
In a press release sent out Wednesday, Wood County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Rob Cornelius said the committee met Tuesday night in Parkersburg and voted to publicly disclaim Fehrenbacher's candidacy with 90 percent of the legal voting members present voting for the resolution.
"The Committee understands that the Fehrenbacher candidacy, if somehow victorious in May, puts a strong Republican seat in the Legislature at risk," Cornelius said. "In the strongest possible terms, this Committee is advising Republican voters not to vote for Robert Fehrenbacher for House of Delegates."
The new District 11 House seat was created through redistricting and the establishment of 100 single-representative districts. Incumbent Republican Roger Conley is also running for the seat and Harry Deitzler is the only candidate in the Democratic primary for the seat.
The new district takes in all of Vienna, parts of North Parkersburg, and nearby unincorporated areas.
The issue is when Fehrenbacher originally started his candidacy saying he was affiliated with the Republican Party in a certificate of candidacy filed Jan. 24 with the Secretary of State when at the time he was not affiliated with a political party. When he found out, Fehrenbacher immediately changed his registration.
"I filed in good faith believing I was a Republican," Fehrenbacher said Wednesday, adding he has always voted Republican and supported Republican candidates and values.
He said the law talks about "knowingly" making false representation which he did not do.
The accusation that he fabricated something falsely is not in his nature, Fehrenbacher said.
Cornelius said if a Republican wins this fall in the general election, whose candidacy was ineligible when filed, the losing Democrat is likely to sue.
"In that case, our legal advisors indicate that there is a substantial probability of Mr. Fehrenbacher being unable to be seated by the body, or potentially to serve at all," Cornelius said. "We want Wood County to be fully represented by Republicans in Charleston as quickly as legally possible this fall.
"Any chance of this seat being lost in a court fight, to any Democrat, because an unaffiliated candidate misrepresented in a sworn statement that he was a Republican, is unacceptable."
Conley has indicated he would take legal action as well.
It is the job of the executive committee to make sure as many Republicans are elected as possible.
"This legally deficient candidacy puts our majority and our hard work in jeopardy," Cornelius said.
He said it "is incredibly rare" for the Wood County Republican Committee to involve itself in contested primary elections. Its by-laws demand neutrality and do not allow partisan candidate endorsements.
"This is not an endorsement, but an attempt to educate our primary voters when an unlawful act is being perpetrated against them that risks the loss of an office to a Democrat," Cornelius said.
He said Fehrenbacher should have suspended his campaign when the mistake was discovered.
Fehrenbacher said Wednesday he was not informed of the Tuesday meeting or the vote by the Executive Committee.
"I am disappointed this discussion took place and I was not given the opportunity to represent myself or address the allegations," he said.
He prides himself on his honesty, integrity and truthfulness.
"I filed in good faith believing I was a Republican," he said, adding he took immediate action to correct the situation when it was brought to his attention.
"I am going to continue to run as a conservative Republican to represent the good people of Wood County in District 11," Fehrenbacher said. "When I signed the paper to run for the House of Delegates, I signed as a Republican in good faith believing I was a registered Republican.
"Never did I knowingly misrepresent my party affiliation and as soon as I became aware I was not registered as a Republican I took immediate action to remedy that."
Fehrenbacher said he is continuing with his campaign to the May 10 primary election.
"It is my intention to continue to campaign positively to improve the future of Wood County and West Virginia per my platform which is aligned with Conservative Republican values," he said. "The voters are given the right to choose who they want to represent them in Charleston and I hope they choose me."
Cornelius said they welcome conservatives from all parties to join more than 26,000 Republicans in Wood County, on any date.
"But the standard for those running for election to office as a certified Republican is higher," he said. "They have to follow the law to be eligible and qualified to serve. That's not what has happened here."
He said it was up to the West Virginia Secretary of State or the State Elections Commission if appropriate complaints are investigated, and they determine intent.
"(Fehrenbacher) ignored the law, and then campaigned as Republican when he simply was not one," Cornelius said.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com