, ▁which ▁was ▁vac ated ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁by ▁nine - term ▁Dem ocrat ▁Bob ▁W ise , ▁who ▁was ▁running ▁for ▁governor . ▁He ▁lost ▁a ▁three - way ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁bid ▁for ▁that ▁seat . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 5 , ▁he ▁walked ▁ 5 3 0 ▁miles ▁in ▁joining ▁Dor is ▁" G ran ny ▁D " ▁H add ock ▁in ▁her ▁cross ▁country ▁walk ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁campaign ▁fin ance ▁reform , ▁shortly ▁before ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁McC ain – Fe ing old ▁Act . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁he ▁ran ▁yet ▁again ▁for ▁his ▁old ▁post ▁as ▁secretary ▁of ▁state . ▁This ▁time , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁by ▁a ▁pl ur ality , ▁but ▁lost ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁to ▁Republican ▁Betty ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁election ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁He ch ler ▁campaign ed ▁against ▁mount aint op ▁removal ▁min ing . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁He ch ler , ▁then ▁aged ▁ 9 4 , ▁participated ▁in ▁a ▁protest ▁near ▁mount aint op ▁removal ▁min ing ▁sites ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Virginia ▁coal fields ▁in ▁the ▁Co al ▁River ▁valley ▁along ▁with ▁others . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 2 9 ▁protest ers ▁arrested ▁for ▁tres pass . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0