BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – “It’s a great opportunity for all of those that are running just to come and meet the other candidates, to hear the issues, and to just reach out,” says candidate Lacy Watson (D), who’s running for West Virginia Congress.
The Meet the Candidates forum was held Thursday morning in the Tamarack Conference Center. It was a chance for voters to meet the state and Raleigh County candidates for the upcoming primary elections.
“Someone needs to step up and make something happen. We can talk about change all day long and I will be that voice,” says Tom Moseley (R), running for the 44th House of Delegates.
An annual event hosted by the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce, many topics were put on the table at the forum for discussion.
Those running for the state’s soon-to-be first congressional district, the house of delegates, and the Raleigh County Commission, among other platforms, had a chance at the podium to address their own topics of concern.
A popular issue at the forum, keeping people in the state.
“Until we start working on revitalizing our communities, our neighborhoods, and start strengthening where we live, we’re not going to create that environment that’s going to create jobs and help Beckley,” Tony Martin (D) says, a candidate for the House of Delegates.
“We want West Virginia to be a place that two decades down the road our kids are going to want to stay,” adds another House of Delegates candidate, Christian Martine (D).
Other issues that came up ranged from improving the school system to bettering the quality of the area’s drinking water.
The current U.S Congresswoman for West Virginia, Carol Miller’s main focus was on energy in the Mountain State.
“I’m very passionate about the energy industry and all of the things that West Virginia has done throughout the last 150 years to heat our homes, and provide our energy,” Miller (R) says.
Each candidate was given a brief opportunity to speak and promote their solutions leading up to the elections on May 10.
