12 Facts About Cleve Benedict

Cleveland Keith Benedict was born on March 21,1935 and is an American politician.

Cleve Benedict held several appointed positions in the Republican state administration of Arch Moore from 1969 to 1977.

Cleve Benedict was the Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives in the 2nd congressional district in 1980.

Cleve Benedict won the general election and was appointed to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In 1982, Benedict decided, at the urging of Howard Baker, to forgo re-election and challenge incumbent senator Robert C Byrd in the statewide race for the United States Senate.

Cleve Benedict was unsuccessful, although his campaign made great note of Byrd's record of high office in the Ku Klux Klan, his avoidance of service in World War II, and the fact that Byrd, then alone among members of Congress, owned no home in the state he represented.

Cleve Benedict's campaign represented the last serious and well-funded effort to unseat Byrd, spending $1,098,218.

Cleve Benedict was then appointed as a deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Energy.

Cleve Benedict chose not to seek re-election in 1992, choosing instead to run for Governor of West Virginia.

Cleve Benedict has since retired to his dairy farm and has eschewed overtures to again seek elective office.

Cleve Benedict was a delegate to the 1996 Republican National Convention; however, he supported Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlotte Pritt, who had run against Benedict and Caperton in the 1992 governor's race.

Again in 2000, Benedict was elected as a delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention committed to George W Bush.