HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Three candidates seeking the Republican nomination in the race for U.S. Senate in West Virginia squared off during a debate on WSAZ-TV Tuesday but it was a candidate who wasn’t invited that raised eyebrows early in the face off.
Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship stood between Third District Congressman Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Blankenship was wearing a Tom Willis for Senate hat. When asked by co-moderator Tim Irr about the hat Blankenship took advantage of the opportunity.
“He’s a veteran. He’s a good guy and he deserves an equal chance to unseat the establishment,” Blankenship said.
When contacted by MetroNews after the debate Willis called it a noble gesture by Blankenship.
“The voters of West Virginia deserve to hear from all six of the candidates so they can make an informed decision,” Willis said.
The hat had its own Twitter account minutes after the debate was over.
All-Cotton, As The Pilgrims Intended. https://t.co/IBeNXRp7Hh
— Tom Willis Hat (@TomWillisHat) April 24, 2018
Jenkins and Morrisey went after each other in the hour-long debate–taking part in several heated exchanges following questions from Irr and co-moderator Amanda Barren.
Morrisey said Jenkins voted for a cap and trade bill while a member of the state Senate. Jenkins shot back that Morrisey wasn’t telling the truth.
“Patrick Morrisey is simply lying,” Jenkins said.
“That’s not true,” Morrisey interrupted. “I can prove it, unlike you Evan.”
In another exchange Jenkins criticized Morrisey for his “New Jersey values.”
“Patrick you grew up in New York and New Jersey. You ran for Congress from New Jersey on your New Jersey values. You’ve lobbied in Washington for over a decade for the drug industry. You don’t know anything about coal. I guess you’re good at filing lawsuits,” Jenkins said.
Morrisey said there’s a clear difference between himself and Jenkins.
“I’m the proven conservative in this race. Evan Jenkins has a long deep record of being liberal on many causes and I think that’s why he’s hurting right now in the polls,” Morrisey said.
Although a new poll released by Fox News Tuesday evening showed Jenkins ahead of both Morrisey and Blankenship with a large number of voters still undecided less than two weeks from election day.
As Jenkins and Morrisey were touting their accomplishments in what is now a red state, Blankenship apologized to those watching.
“I need to apologize to the public that I created both of these Republicans in West Virginia by making it popular to be a Republican in West Virginia long before one of them moved from being a Democrat and the other one moved here from New Jersey. So I apologize for that,” Blankenship said.
Questions focused on the opioid crisis, coal, jobs, health care and marijuana.
On health care, specifically Obamacare, Blankenship said creating good jobs would take care of the problem.
“Politicians love the slogan of cut taxes in an election year. It’s always good to cut taxes in most people’s view. The bottom line is you have to create jobs by having companies come in here that can create those jobs and pay big wages and pay big health care,” he said.
Via the numbers in the Fox News poll, Jenkins, Morrisey and Blankenship will debate again next Tuesday night in Morgantown. It will be televised nationally by Fox News.