MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — U.S. Senate candidates Joe Manchin and Patrick Morrisey are set to meet for two debates in the coming weeks: Oct. 14 in Wheeling and Nov. 1 in Morgantown. Election Day is Nov. 6.
The Nov. 1 debate will be hosted by the West Virginia Broadcasters Association and held in the MetroNews studios in Morgantown. Talkline host Hoppy Kercheval will moderate.
Both candidates issue press releases about the debates.
Democrat incumbent Manchin said, “Voters want to know why Pat joined a lawsuit to allow insurance companies to deny coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, why he wanted to put our teachers in jail, and how Pat made his millions from the opioid industry.”
Republican challenger Morrisey said, “With the future of West Virginia and the Trump agenda at stake, voters deserve the opportunity to see the clear contrast between a Trump-endorsed conservative fighter and a Hillary Clinton-voting liberal.”
Michele Crist of the WV Broadcasters Association joins @HoppyKercheval to announce the November 1st debate between @Sen_JoeManchin and @MorriseyWV. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/olXERmoaao
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) August 24, 2018
Libertarian candidate Rusty Hollen will not be included. Broadcasters Association Executive Director Michele Crist said that when they host gubernatorial debates, they invite only the top two candidates. With time constraints, it’s hard to get thorough answers from just two candidates. More make it even more challenging.
Also not included will be Don Blankenship, who switched from the GOP to the Constitution Party at the end of May after failing in the GOP primary. The validity of his candidacy is subject of a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court.
The Oct. 14 debate will be held at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling and will be hosted by NCWV Media, H-D Media, and Ogden Newspapers.
The Dominion Post