If it walks like a politician...

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. - A GOP candidate for West Virginia's 16th District Senate race is withdrawing from the election because he mistakenly registered as a Democrat.

Ronald Jean Moltere, 64, of Harpers Ferry recently discovered the mistake he made 10 years ago. He said he never knew he had checked Democrat instead of Republican because he voted only in general elections, not the primaries.

"It was devastating," Moltere said. "I felt like I was shot through the heart."

Moltere submitted his pre-candidacy registration as a Republican in the race to replace state Sen. John Yoder. He cannot run for office if he switches parties within 60 days before the official filing period, which begins Monday and ends Jan. 26.

Moltere said he thought about running for the Senate anyway as a Democrat but said he couldn't do that if he were "to be honest with myself and my convictions."

Three other candidates have announced plans to run for the Senate seat: former state Sen. Herb Snyder, a Democrat from Shenandoah Junction; and Republicans Bob Adams of Charles Town and Archibald Magill Smith Morgan of Rippon.