Photo caption: Four of the Republican men vying to be the state’s next governor, Moore Capito, Chris Miller, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Secretary of State Mac Warner, participated in a debate at the West Virginia Chamber Annual Business Summit held at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on Aug. 31, 2023. Capito, Miller and Warner will participate in MetroNews’ gubernatorial debate in December, but Morrisey has declined. (Amelia Ferrell Knisely | West Virginia Watch)
BY: CAITY COYNE – OCTOBER 20, 2023 2:05 PM
At least three Republican candidates for the 2024 gubernatorial race — Moore Capito, Mac Warner and Chris Miller — will participate in a debate on Dec. 7 moderated by Hoppy Kercheval, host of MetroNews’ “Talkline” radio show.
According to MetroNews — which will broadcast the debate statewide — current Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is also vying for the executive office, has declined to participate.
In a recorded statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Morrisey said he would prefer to debate after the Jan. 27 filing deadline. He proposed working in a “collaborative” manner to create a series of three debates for candidates before the May 14 primary election.
“Debate should play a central role in the healthy functioning of any democracy, and so today I’m challenging my opponents to come together to work with me to develop the rules, the format, the location and do so in a manner collaborative with the media, sponsors and others,” Morrisey said in the recording. “We could have a series of three debates that West Virginians remember for a long time. I also think it’s important that the media doesn’t solely decide all the rules of engagement. The stakes for our state are huge in this gubernatorial primary so I want to make sure we get it right.”
Despite being the last to file, Morrisey currently leads the Republicans for money raised (about $1.9 million) and cash-on-hand ($1.5 million) for the 2024 election, according to financial statements filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office. He is followed by current state Sen. Capito, with $1.4 million raised so far; car salesmen and son of U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., Chris Miller, with $1.2 million raised and current Secretary of State Warner, who has raised nearly $400,000.
The primary is wide open as Republican Gov. Jim Justice pursues a seat in the U.S. Senate. On the Democratic side, there are no official candidates filed yet for the position. Cecil Silva, a Boone County farmer who previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for the state House of Delegates as a Republican, filed to run for governor as a Democrat but withdrew his bid in July, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams has informally announced that he will campaign for the position as a Democrat, but has yet to file candidacy paperwork.
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