Me, Oct. 5, 2008:
Meshea Poore (pictured at right) was in from Charleston giving a recruitment speech to numerous leaders in the community so they can learn to recruit more volunteers and organize GOTV efforts. Clem had raved about Meshea after meeting her at the DNC in Denver and from the way she gets people "Fired up! Ready to go!" you can just tell she's going to be a rising star in the West Virginia Democratic Party.
Meshea Poore on Facebook today:
Heading over to the WV House Chambers to take the oath of office @ 12pm to officially serve in the 80th Legislature. Thank you 31st Voters and all my Supporters. This is a great Honor!!
Keep an eye on this one.
Update
By request, here's some more on Poore. Here's the press release when she was first appointed to serve as delegate to replace the outgoing Carrie Webster:
12/18/2009 CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin today appointed Meshea L. Poore of Charleston to fill the recently vacated seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates 31st District. She replaces Carrie L. Webster, who resigned her position earlier this month to become a Kanawha County circuit judge.
"Meshea is well-qualified for this position and she is committed to serving her district," Manchin said. "Meshea will bring a high level of energy to the Legislature and I look forward to working with her to continue our state’s progress."
Poore, a Democrat, campaigned for the 31st House of Delegates District seat in 2008, coming in a close second place for the seat. She is the sole practitioner in her own law firm and she was a Kanawha County public defender from 2004 through 2009.
She is a member of the West Virginia State Bar and the Alabama State Bar Association, and serves on the board of West Virginia Legal Aid. Poore received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Howard University in Washington and a law degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, La.
She also worked for U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., and was a law clerk for firms in Alabama and Louisiana. The Capital High School graduate was born in Charleston and raised in the West Side.
Poore said she wants to thank everyone for their support and she is eager to start in her new role.
"I would like to thank the governor for giving me this opportunity to serve the residents of the 31st District and the State of West Virginia. I look forward to working with my fellow colleagues in moving the state forward."
Here's a diary posted by one of our community members that had kicked off our site's Draft Meshea Poore movement in 2009 to fill the vacancy.
She won her first full term in 2010 and was sworn in at noon today. When the National Organization for Marriage had their rally, the gay equality group Fairness WV had a counter rally and Poore was one of those who spoke in support.