CHARLESTON — House Speaker Tim Armstead announced his resignation as a delegate today to instead run for the Supreme Court seat that was vacated after the resignation of Justice Menis Ketchum.
His announcement makes another wave in the politics of West Virginia’s Supreme Court and its ongoing impeachment controversy while also setting up a race for the new leader of the Republican majority in the House of Delegates.
Armstead, R-Kanawha, made the announcement on MetroNews’ “Talkline.” He said his resignation would be effective today.
“I’m very excited to be jumping into the campaign,” Armstead said.
He’s one of more than a dozen candidates seeking one of the two Supreme Court seats that will be on the November ballot. Today was the filing deadline.
Armstead is also among those being considered for temporary appointment to a seat.
Armstead announced in January that he would not seek re-election to his seat in the House of Delegates, hinting strongly at a Supreme Court run in 2020.
This bumps up the timetable amid controversy over the impeachment of all the remaining members of the Supreme Court — Chief Justice Margaret Workman, Justice Beth Walker and suspended Justice Allen Loughry.
Ketchum resigned the day before the impeachment process began in the House of Delegates. He faces federal charges over driving a state vehicle for personal use without claiming the perk on his taxes.
Justice Robin Davis resigned at the end of the impeachment process in the House of Delegates, blaming the Republican-led House of Delegates for a process she believed ventured too far afield of wrongdoing.
The seat vacated by Ketchum is a two-year term. The seat vacated by Davis is a six-year term.
Armstead turned over the Speaker duties during the impeachment process to Speaker Pro Tem John Overington, R-Berkeley. He asked several times if he should be recused from voting on the process or the articles but was told that he should vote as part of a class of delegates who may be interested in running for the court.
Today he said it seemed more appropriate to run for the seat vacated by Ketchum because that justice had not gone through the impeachment process but resigned instead.
“I am running for the two-year term, for the Menis Ketchum seat,” Armstead said.
“I just feel like it was more appropriate for me. Justice Ketchum resigned. We did not take action to impeach him. Obviously anyone would love to run for a longer term, but I think it is more appropriate for me to run for the seat that was vacated by Menis Ketchum and his resignation, rather than the other seat.”
House Minority Leader Tim Miley, who was Armstead’s predecessor as Speaker, said he is not surprised by Armstead’s announcement.
“The rumor for quite some time has been that the governor was going to appoint him to any vacancy that was created on the court,” said Miley, D-Harrison. “We will know in a few days whether that’s the case.
“I do give him credit, however, for giving his caucus members the courtesy of stepping down now to give them as much time as they need to select his successor.”
Armstead told the Republican caucus on Tuesday morning about his plan. He has served as House Speaker for about four years.
Republicans would select a new speaker prior to the November election.
The November election will determine whether Republicans keep the majority in the House, as well as the makeup the specific delegates who serve in the next term.
Most speculation about the new speaker has focused on House Finance Chairman Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha, and Assistant Judiciary Chairman Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay.
