Dominion Post; Nov 9, 2006 - Cindy Frich blames 'smears' for election loss Publication: The Dominion Post; Date: Nov 9, 2006C Section: Front Page; Page: 1 <H1>Cindy Frich blames 'smears' for election loss</H1> <H1>Delegate says Dems' and unions' mailings distort perceptions</H1> <H2>BY GARY GRAY The Dominion Post</H2> One day after losing her bid for a third term, <B>Delegate Cindy Frich</B>, R-Monongalia, blamed a campaign to smear her character and a lack of debate for her defeat. <P>"The state's Democratic Executive Committee was successful in distorting peoples' perceptions through mass mailings," she said Wednesday. "The labor unions also mailed stuff to general voters [the general public] Saturday and Monday. They were horrible smears." <P><B>Frich</B> finished fifth Tuesday in the race for four seats in the state's 44th House of Delegates District, receiving 9,002 votes. She had served two terms and thought she had a good chance to return to Charleston. <P>Instead, Democratic challengers Alex Shook and Barbara Evans Fleischauer and incumbents Bob Beach and Charlene Marshall were the top four vote-getters. <P><B>Frich</B> said she was surprised Shook received the most votes (11,364). "He has no voting record," she said about Shook, a Morgantown lawyer. <P><B>Frich</B> also said labor-union mailings claimed she had not stood up against privatizing Social Security and that she had voted against a minimum-wage bill. <P>"These are federal matters, and I'm not serving in Congress," she said. "This is just politics. I've never been bought. And during my campaign, I did not pander or make false promises." <P>In one advertisement, <B>Frich</B> is depicted dangling at the end of a puppeteer's ropes. The ad claims <B>Frich</B> is "one of his hand-picked candidates," referring to Don Blankenship's contribution to her campaign. <P>"It was pretty sick," she said. <P>Jim Manilla, a fellow Republican candidate in the race and current Morgantown city councilman, said he was surprised <B>Frich</B> didn't make the cut. <P>"I didn't feel like I was personally attacked in any way, but some of the ads were tacky," he said. "And I was really surprised she didn't make the top four. She is a hard worker, and she does her homework." <P><B>Frich</B> said she hasn't decided whether she will run again in 2008. <P>"I just don't know, but I do know I'm proud of what I've accomplished," she said. "I would not change anything." <P><B>Frich</B> was involved in lowering auto insurance premiums, privatizing worker's compensation and malpractice reform. She also was the lead sponsor of a bill to reduce the state's food tax. <P>"I think it's wrong that the Democrats have had a majority in the Legislature for 73 years," she said. "We need Republicans in there. One-party control is not good." <P><B>Frich</B> also advocated stronger public debate during campaigns. <P>"Prior to elections, we need — whether it is open, public debate, or on television, radio or newspaper — greater debate," she said. "It would also be better to have a single representative for each district. This is too confusing for voters." <HTML>