2023-10-11 08:07:00
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) – West Virginia republican candidates got the chance to introduce themselves to the community at Tuesday night’s G.O.P. candidate forum.
The forum highlighted candidates running for a variety of positions including congressional candidates, gubernatorial candidates, secretary of state candidates, and more.
Each had five minutes to introduce themselves. They also set up booths in a separate room so that people might ask them questions followingwards.
State Auditor Candidate Caleb Hanna told WTAP that, if elected, he would not fund school books that are pro-LGBT nor books that he says are sexual and aimed at younger audiences.
“We need to start teaching our kids how to read, instead of teaching them how to go to hell,” he said during his speech.
Hanna put examples of books he wouldn’t fund at his booth. That included Let’s Talk regarding it: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human, Eleanor & Park, The Pronoun Book, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, among others.
Hanna also discussed tax breaks.
“We have to crack down on all these companies that want to come to our state. They don’t believe in our faith, our constitution, our people. They want to attack us every single day but yet they want our money. They want big tax breaks to come here. When I’m auditor, they’re done,” he said.
Tricia Jackson, another state auditor candidate, emphasized financial transparency.
“Any organization that receives your money, I want checkbooks opened so they can be held accountable to you for their funds by fully disclosing their revenues and expenses for you to see what they’re doing with those funds,” she said.
Jackson also said she’d work to make the WV checkbook easier to navigate. Hanna said that he’d make it available on phones.
Jackson is currently serving as Jefferson County commissioner while Hanna acts as a West Virginia Delegate.
Two attorney general hopefuls shared their platforms as well.
Candidate Mike Stuart said, “My solution to prison overcrowding is build another prison.”
Candidate J.B. McCuskey’s stand-in (he had someone speak for him at the event) said,“…, reform our criminal justice system to ensure all are held accountable while providing drug treatment options to those who might benefit.”
Stuart said that he’ll investigate CPS while McCuskey’s event representative emphasized foster care.
“…, prioritize our foster care crisis and mental health resources for communities suffering from addiction, poor infrastructure, and lack of economic opportunities,” the representative said.
McCuskey’s event representative emphasized the public integrity and fraud unit McCuskey initiated during his time as state auditor.
Stuart highlighted his work prosecuting supreme court justices for corruption, as well as cases involving elder fraud, drugs, etc. during his time as U.S. attorney.
“We took enough fentanyl off the streets to kill more than 40 million people,” he said.
McCuskey’s spokesperson for the event listed multiple other points of focus such as delivering educational opportunities and pushing back once morest Washington overreach and special interests.
Stuart touched on what consequences should be for killing a police officer in an ambush.
“If you ambush law enforcement in the line of duty, leading to death, the death penalty should be on the table. We need to bring it back,” he said.
Both attorney general candidates emphasized their anti-abortion stance and how they’ll defend the second amendment.
Agriculture commissioner candidates’ platforms were one of the multiple others highlighted.
Candidate Roy Ramey, a farmer and veteran, emphasized cutting back on regulations that he says make it hard to be a farmer in West Virginia.
“There’s been 1,122 farms we’ve lost in West Virginia,” he said.
Ramey cited inspiration from Congressman Thomas Massie, saying that he wants to pass similar legislation to the Prime Act and Food Fresh Dairy Act at the state level. Ramey believes this would increase the number of farms and meat slaughter facilities that want to open up in West Virginia.
Ramey also plans on having a big education focus.
Another agriculture commissioner candidate Kent Leonhardt who is also the current agriculture commissioner among other positions and is also a farmer, was not at the event but sent in a letter to be read.
It stated that agriculture efficiency has caused consolidation, pointing to his own farm as an example, which used to be three. He added that farmers markets have tripled due to deregulation and that red meat production is up 50% since he became commissioner. Leonhardt also stated that his office has brought in “initially 300 good paying jobs” through the Aseptic drink processing facility.
Multiple other candidates spoke at the event. WTAP was not able to attend the hours long event in full.
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