Longtime West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw is sticking to his original debate decision.
He says he has no intention of debating Patrick Morrisey, the Republican AG candidate, before the November General Election. To do so, McGraw says, would only draw more attention to Morrisey, a Jefferson County lawyer.
"I don’t know any reason to advance the cause of a man who has shown up in West Virginia, whose life history has been one of opposing the interests of the people," McGraw said on Tuesday’s MetroNews Talkline.
McGraw, who has served as AG since 1992, is seeking another four year term in the November General Election.
Over the past 20 years, he estimates those in his office have collected almost $2 billion in judgments for consumer protection and antitrust violations. McGraw says he wants to continue that work.
He claims Morrisey, who has a 20 year long legal career that includes time on Capitol Hill, wants to kill consumer protections.
McGraw says he’s dealt with challengers like Morrisey before now. "They usually can’t draw attention to themselves on their own. What they have to do is to have a foil to attack against."
Calling it a "distraction," McGraw says he will not apologize for his actions during a run in with a campaign tracker, who was working for Morrisey, in Cabell County last month.
McGraw confronted the man and took his camera at the Milton Pumpkin Festival Parade. The camera was later returned and the video was posted on YouTube. Morrisey has referred to it as an "attack."
"It’s not the kind of thing that has a place in a political campaign," McGraw says of the incident.
The attorney general is the chief legal officer in West Virginia.
Prior to being elected Attorney General, McGraw served for 12 years on the state Supreme Court.
McGraw’s appearance on Tuesday’s MetroNews Talkline is part of series of interviews Hoppy Kercheval is conducting with the statewide candidates leading up to the General Election.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 6th.