A whole Virginia state

[Jerseyman4]

What do you all think?

[StevenRocks]

Bad idea. The states aren't much alike anymore.

[rusthebuss]

Bad because it would put a economic strain on Va.

[urbanvb]

I lived in WV for one year of my life and now have lived in VA over ten years. I also see very few things we have in common.

[wrldcoupe4]

I like how things are.... plus, all those West Virginia jokes would become Virginia jokes

[urbanlife]

bad for all these reasons already stated.

[electricmonk]

There are certain counties in Va that have more in common with West Va now than they do Va.

[vdogg]

bad for all these reasons already stated.

I 2nd that. On a side note, I would have loved to see a poll for this question. Though at this point it seems the numbers would be decidedly lopsided.

[Godzgud]

West Virginia is an illegal state. No offense intended. It was created by President Lincoln without the permission of the legitimate and elected government in Richmond. It was a move to reduce the power of Virginia and the Confederacy. I think that a reunification would be appropriate for the eastern counties of West Virginia who never voted to seceed from the mother state originally. Greenbriar County is one that comes to mind, but pretty much all the eastern counties were loyal to Virginia. So I would be in favor of re-absorbing the counties who belong with East Virginia. They tend to be more southern oriented and conservative.

[lammius]

^ I don't think many Virginians are crying over the loss. jk.

WV has been a state de facto for 140 years. VA would have a very difficult time making any legitimate claim to any part of WV.

[wrldcoupe4]

I don't lose sleep over it.

[rusthebuss]

I don't lose sleep over it.

Me either! The state budget would take a huge dive!

[upstate29650]

Bad because it would put a economic strain on Va.

You ain't kiddin!

They were hellbent on leaving. I see no need to let them back in! [><]

[odumonarch]

I think it would be a bad idea.

West Virginia has little in common with Virginia, plus WV is coal country. Norfolk Southern trades in a lot of coal from WV, so Norfolk Southern might have something about WV merging with VA.

But economic sense, WV has nothing in common. West Virginia's economy is really bad, and the population has stayed stagnant for at least 50 years. Plus, there are a lot of poor cities in West Virginia with the exception of Morgantown and the ones that are across the border from Winchester (Charles Town). Combining those two would put a strain on services.

WV and VA were all one until the Civil War, and managing such an enormous state required smart decisions. Now we see all of those old institutions in the western part of state (Staunton, C-ville) instead of being in the central part of the state. Those people had something in their minds about WV separating from VA during the Civil War (vote for federal government or Confederacy), and there were some counties in WV that voted for the Confederacy, and some in VA that voted for the federal government. I see some differences along the VA-WV border.

[Cotuit]

The two states would go from 4 Senators to 2. Doesn't seem like a very good idea to me. Especially for WV, as the remaining Senators would in effect be elected by Virginians, not West Virginians since there are so many more voters in Virginia.

[Cadeho]

There were counties in northern Va that voted to join WVa but didn't go.

If we were to reunite WVa with Va, why stop there? Let's reunite Va with all its former posessions. Kentucky was a county. Illinois was another county of Va. We gave up Ohio. We should take all of that back... Ky, Wv, Oh, In, Il, Mi, Wi, and Mn. That'll never happen...

[calwinston]

Why was this question even asked?! Adding West Virginia to Virgina would put added strain on Virginia! Also their is no economic benefit to Virginia. The addition would only benefit West Virginia (by way of more money). No way!

[zeppelin14]

West Virginia is an illegal state. No offense intended. It was created by President Lincoln without the permission of the legitimate and elected government in Richmond. It was a move to reduce the power of Virginia and the Confederacy. I think that a reunification would be appropriate for the eastern counties of West Virginia who never voted to seceed from the mother state originally. Greenbriar County is one that comes to mind, but pretty much all the eastern counties were loyal to Virginia. So I would be in favor of re-absorbing the counties who belong with East Virginia. They tend to be more southern oriented and conservative.

I know this is 6 years old, but you REALLY need to brush up on your history. Lincoln did not create West Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia in 1860 was very much divided, A third of the state (what is now WV) did not agree with the other two-thirds (Va) about subjects such as slavery and secession. The location of where WV is was very vulnerable to the Union and the citizens of the north-western part of the state feared they would be the first attacked by the Union. After the majority of the states of the Confederacy seceded, Virginia joined a year later after the attack on Fort Sumter, SC. Fearing an invasion by the Union, and not seeing eye to eye with the rest of the state, West Virginia seceded from Virginia in 1861 and it was approved by Congress, not Lincoln.

West Virginia would NOT give up their statehood to join Virginia again. That is purely foolish.

[chris722]

Nothing in common between the two. Nothing at all.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Meh, I would'nt see much of a gain in anything if we came together.... all we'd really be gaining is Charleston....