WEST VIRGINIA DEMS HAVE NEW CHAIR - Callaghan Replaces Maroney

(01/18/2003)
The West Virginia Democratic Party will soon have a change at the top of the organization.

Long-time party chairman Pat Maroney has resigned in favor of State Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Callaghan.

Callaghan will begin working with the party next week as chair designee. He will also be the chief spokesman for the Democratic Party. Callaghan was hired two years ago by Governor Wise to run DEP.

Chairman Maroney will help Callaghan with the transition and will stay a member of the state executive committee.

Maroney said he has been thinking about resigning for a few months. Maroney has been Democratic Party Chairman for seven years, the second longest tenure in state political history.

Maroney says party defeats in the November general election did not figure into his decision. He says the Democratic Party still has the best message for state residents.