BUCKHANNON — On Friday, the Khan campaign announced that Beth Zickefoose Day will be serving as Asad Khan’s (D) official campaign manager. Day presently serves as a member of the Central West Virginia Republican Women, which is a division of the local GOP that works exclusively to elect Republican candidates. Several republicans in the community have called for her removal from the Central West Virginia Republican Women (CWVRW) for helping a staunch Democrat attain an elected position. Multiple members of the CWVRW have confirmed to Mountaineer Journal that they are in the process of removing Day from her position. On Monday, Day also reportedly walked out of a CWVRW Christmas Dinner to avoid confrontation over her affiliation with the Khan campaign.
In response to public criticism, Day issued a press release titled, How Can a Conservative Christian Possibly Be A Campaign Manager for a Liberal Muslim (If That’s What You Want to Label Us).
“So I know I have many people wondering how I could possibly be a campaign manager for Asad Khan and I would love to explain. When I was first asked about being his campaign manager it was more in jest (or so I thought) and I laughed and said, yes, we can be the poster children showing them how it’s done! Of course, he knows I’m a Republican and most definitely, a Trump supporter. He laughed when he saw my pink Tumblr that Kody Pedersen got me that says ‘Yes, I’m a Trump girl, Get Over It’ and then says ‘Oh, it’s even got his signature on it, it’s official!’ And we both laughed and went on. Yesterday, I told him to leave my Trump bumper sticker alone and we laughed and went on LOL. How can that be? One word. Respect. We respect each other’s opinions and each other’s right to have those opinions. I’m tired of the vast division that mainstream media and social media keeps stirring in this country and I’m simply tired of the hate.
I’ve been known to argue with a Lib a time or 200 (x10) but would I act that way face to face? I would hope not and I’m probably not the minority. So, if a person doesn’t act that way in person then maybe that’s we need–more of face-to-face. Sit down with someone you don’t agree with, have a civil discussion over a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet tea and you may find we’re closer in person then the way we act online. And the odds are great that if you’re involved in politics online, you’re a keyboard warrior and what’s that going to accomplish? I compared it to me raking the leaves off the deck in the fall with a wind advisory coming, no doubt. But it just drives me crazy to get those leaves off of there and in no time at all there’s more back on. Not much accomplished. Same as arguing politics online. It’s just spewing more hate and creating division. I’ll make my voice heard at the ballot box. No matter who we think is right or wrong, just how wide are we going to let this chasm go? I’m tired of the arguing and the hatefulness. Does that mean I’m completely done with it? I’m sure probably not entirely but it’s certainly going to be curtailed. You can disagree with me because you have that right! We can simply agree to disagree. Easy peasy. And isn’t respect some form of love? If not, what’s the opposite of respect?”
Mountaineer Journal asked Day how she could campaign for a candidate that she did not ideologically support.
“I missed where I said I was voting for him,” Day stated. “Oh, that’s because I didn’t. I don’t even live in city limits. I’m not going door to door telling people they need to vote for him. I’m supporting him in his right to run. Before anyone is a Republican, Democrat or whatever political party they adhere to, they are an American. I’m supporting, my fellow American. And may the best man win. It doesn’t have to make sense to you. It’s how I feel. I’m tired of the hate and the divide and I’m reminded of the saying ‘you’re either part of the problem, or part of the solution’. Spewing more hate and division cannot in any way, shape or form be part of the solution. It doesn’t have to make sense to you. We simply agree to disagree.”
When asked by Mountaineer Journal if she supported Khan’s campaign, Day also couldn’t confirm her personal support.
“Well, at this point I support his right to run. Have I heard his ideas for city council? No. But I haven’t heard any candidate’s positions on city council. So, I can’t say I disagree with any of them. But it’s all a moot point because I can’t vote in the city anyway,” Day continued. “Maybe I don’t know his ‘policy positions’ but I do know he stands for equality for all and that’s good enough for me at this point. Policy positions will come later.”
In October, Khan called a downtown gathering of Trump supporters (organized by the Central West Virginia Republican Women) “Nazis, idiots, racists, bigots” and members of the “Klan.” Day was in attendance of this event, as a “Trump supporter.”