HUNTINGTON – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Williams has issued a formal challenge to Republican opponent Patrick Morrissey, calling for a public debate to address issues facing West Virginia and its citizens.
Morrissey said he was ready for the debate.
In issuing his challenge on Sept. 12, Williams stressed the “urgent need” for voters to hear directly from candidates on the most pressing issues, including public safety, education, economic development and the opioid epidemic that continues to devastate West Virginia.
Morrissey | Photo courtesy of
“The people of West Virginia deserve a leader who is not afraid to answer tough questions,” said Williams, who is mayor of Huntington. He said he believes public debate is the best way for voters to make an informed decision.
Morrissey agreed.
“There will be some discussions in the coming days and weeks. I look forward to them because I think it will be a real contrast in terms of experience and vision,” Morrisey said during a Sept. 13 appearance on WAJR radio in Morgantown.
“And I think that (a public debate) is important. I’m excited about it and we’ll talk to a few people and see what happens in terms of timing. But we’re definitely committed and I think I can say with a high degree of certainty that there will be a debate.”
No details about the possible debate. No date, moderator or location selected.
Jonathan Ewing, Morrissey’s campaign manager, echoed his boss’s comments.
“Patrick Morrissey has always made it clear that he will debate and discuss his strong record of fighting for the people of West Virginia,” Ewing said in a press release. “Our campaign wants to show voters a stark contrast between Patrick’s bold vision for the Mountain State and the politics of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ failed policies.”
In a recent MetroNews poll, Morrissey maintained a 49-35 lead in the contest. The remaining 16 percent had no preference or named another candidate.
Also running for the seat currently held by Republican Jim Justice are Libertarian Party candidate Erika Kolenich, Constitution Party candidate Marshall Wilson and Mountain Party candidate Chase Linko-Looper.
Kolenich, the Buckhannon attorney, believes she, too, should be able to participate in the debate.
“It’s been more than a decade since the duopoly allowed a third-party candidate to participate in a gubernatorial debate,” Kolenich said in a Sept. 12 press release. “If a candidate qualifies for the gubernatorial ballot, they should be heard. Now is the time, West Virginia!”
During a radio appearance, Morrisey said independent candidates should be allowed to take part in the debate if they gain enough voter support.
“If you have a certain number of votes in the polls, because otherwise things get pretty unwieldy,” Morrisey said Friday. “Look, if someone has 15 percent of the vote, yeah, they should probably get in. But, you know, you want to focus. If you have an hour, an hour and a half, you want to focus on the people who are going to be the most likely to be elected.”
The general election will be held on November 5.
