SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- When the 112th session of Congress begins next January, West Virginia will be without two of its most prominent members, Sen. Robert C. Byrd and Rep. Alan Mollohan.
Despite these losses, some political analysts believe West Virginia will still do well.
Byrd's death and Mollohan's defeat in the May primary represents one of the biggest changes to the state's Congressional delegation in more than two decades. Byrd served 51 years in the Senate and Mollohan has been in the House for 27.
Both had seniority on appropriations committees and steered Federal money to the state.
"Both intensely interested in the well being of their state and both of whom worked to steer resources to it," said Thomas Mann, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan research organization. "In that sense it's clearly a loss for the state but it's part of the natural dynamic in a representative body like the Congress and in a democratic system like ours so its something to be expected."
Norman Ornstein with the American Enterprise Institute agrees that a Congress without Mollohan and Byrd is a big loss to West Virginia. But he points out the future of a state isn't dictated by the amount of federal money it gets.
"The fact is that for decades where West Virginia was well taken care of it didn't exactly vault the state into the top ranks of economic prosperity compared to others," Ornstein said. "So there are limits to what this can do."
In fact, Ornstein thinks too much focus on getting federal money can protect industries that over the long run won't help a state evolve out of difficult economic conditions and move to the forefront.
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- When the 112th session of Congress begins next January, West Virginia will be without two of its most prominent members, Sen. Robert C. Byrd and Rep. Alan Mollohan.
Despite these losses, some political analysts believe West Virginia will still do well.
Byrd's death and Mollohan's defeat in the May primary represents one of the biggest changes to the state's Congressional delegation in more than two decades. Byrd served 51 years in the Senate and Mollohan has been in the House for 27.
Both had seniority on appropriations committees and steered Federal money to the state.
"Both intensely interested in the well being of their state and both of whom worked to steer resources to it," said Thomas Mann, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan research organization. "In that sense it's clearly a loss for the state but it's part of the natural dynamic in a representative body like the Congress and in a democratic system like ours so its something to be expected."
Norman Ornstein with the American Enterprise Institute agrees that a Congress without Mollohan and Byrd is a big loss to West Virginia. But he points out the future of a state isn't dictated by the amount of federal money it gets.
"The fact is that for decades where West Virginia was well taken care of it didn't exactly vault the state into the top ranks of economic prosperity compared to others," Ornstein said. "So there are limits to what this can do."
In fact, Ornstein thinks too much focus on getting federal money can protect industries that over the long run won't help a state evolve out of difficult economic conditions and move to the forefront.
Byrd was particularly good at encouraging federal agencies to locate facilities in West Virginia. Ornstein said that does create some jobs.
"But that means that you perhaps put a little bit less focus in the state on developing new industries that are going to have a significant amount of growth," he said. "Government employment is nice but it's not going to bring you that same level of economic growth."
While their positions on appropriations committees gave Byrd and Mollohan the ability over the past two decades to steer a proportionally large amount of federal money to West Virginia, Mann pointed out that congressional earmarks have come under greater scrutiny and the government is now facing big fiscal problems.
"Had those two gentlemen remained in office the likelihood of their ability to continue resources to the state would have declined a bit," Mann said.
Both Mann and Ornstein point out that West Virginia continues to have experienced representation with Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.; and Reps. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; and the state should view these two vacancies as an opportunity.
"If you get a dynamic young senator in to fill that seat it may provide a chance for a fresh look," Ornstein said.
"Pick good people to replace them and hold them to high standards," Mann said.
