Democratic businessman mulling run for Sen. Rockefeller's seat

Another Democrat, West Virginia businessman Ralph Baxter, has emerged as a possible contender for retiring Sen. Jay Rockefeller's (D-W.Va.) seat in 2014.

"Now that Sen. Rockefeller is not seeking reelection, a Democrat needs to step up and run. I'm flattered my name is being mentioned and I will think about it," Baxter told the Wheeling News-Register.

Rockefeller announced last week that he will not seek reelection in 2014, setting off a scramble for Democrats to position themselves as possible contenders.

West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, former state Democratic Party Chairman Mike Callaghan, Supreme Court Justice Robin Davis and Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) have all said they're considering a run, and a top Democratic recruit, former Sen. Carte Goodwin, has not ruled it out.

Republicans already have their top recruit in Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who announced her intentions to pursue the seat late last year.

Baxter served as CEO of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, a global law firm with administrative offices in Wheeling, W.Va. While the News-Register reports Baxter travels to the firm's offices across the nation and the globe, his office is in New York and he grew up in California, which could open him up to charges from Republicans that he's opportunistically moving to the state to pursue a Senate seat, and doesn't truly live there.

However, he told the paper he's looking forward to moving his family to Wheeling in the coming year, and plans to meet with students, parents and teachers across the state and get further involved with the West Virginia Education Alliance.

"It will be part of what I bring to the table at the West Virginia Education Alliance," Baxter said. "But the real reason to do this is to prepare me to do something — something to give back to my state. I go at this not knowing what that will be."

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