MORGANTOWN – Congressional candidates Alex Mooney and Barry Wendell fielded a series of questions from The Dominion Post this week. Here is a look at some of their answers.
Mooney, of Charles Town, is the incumbent and represents the current 2nd district, covering 17 counties stretching across the middle of the state from the Eastern Panhandle to the Kentucky border. Wendell lives in Morgantown and served two terms on Morgantown City Council.
They are vying for the seat in the new 2nd District, which covers 27 northern counties – following the loss of a House seat and redistricting last year.
In their introductions, both noted that they moved here from other states.
Mooney, seeking a fifth term, and his wife, Grace, have raised their children in West Virginia, he said. “We’re blessed to be West Virginians by choice.
Wendell said he’s lived in Morgantown for 10 years. He and his husband, Rabbi Joe Hample, came here when Hample was selected to serve as spiritual leader of the Tree of Life Congregation.
Their first question dealt with the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v Wade and returned abortion law to the states – and whether they agree or disagree with efforts of both sides of the aisle in Congress to still pass some kind of national abortion law.
Wendell said, “I would support a national law to allow abortion in all states.” He favors Roe’s position to allow abortion for any reason if the fetus is nonviable.
He cited an experience from the community of his youth. In the mid 1950s, several expectant mothers contracted Rubella (then called German measles) and learned their children would be severely disabled.
One mother chose to give birth, he said. Her son was unable to speak and not toilet trained in his 20s. But raising him was her choice. Others chose abortion. “I’ve been pro choice forever.”
Mooney said he supports a proposal by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., for a national ban after 15 weeks. At that stage, the baby can feel pain and has a heartbeat.
He agrees with President Biden, he said, that human life begins at conception. “The killing of an unborn child is a tragedy. I think West Virginians embrace life. I think a society that can’t defend innocent defenseless life in the womb sends a terrible message about us as humans.”
Mooney said he believes that life beginning at conception is a “biological fact.”
With West Virginia losing a House member, and its political clout there weakening by a third, the candidates took a question on how they would keep the state’s interests at the forefront.
Wendell said, “What we need to do is to try to rebuild the population.” Business tax cuts and recruiting new businesses will be only a slight help.
It would be more helpful if the Legislature and the state as a whole were more welcoming, he said, “to people from the outside, people from different religions, immigration status, gay and lesbian people. I think that would build back the population and give us more representation.”
In the meantime, he said, it will be necessary to make alliances on both sides of the aisle in the House to advance mutual interests or to achieve compromises.
Mooney agrees on the importance of forming coalitions among both parties and among rural states in general. He said he has good relationships there already. “We’re better when we’re stronger together.”
He noted that back in the 1950s, West Virginia had six House members and has shrunk steadily. “We could use more growth.” West Virginia’s appeal became more apparent to many when COVID drove people out of the big cities and into the haven of West Virginia.
On the topic of fossil fuels and the transition to green energy, Mooney said we are an all-of-the-above state. “I don’t think government should be picking the winners and the losers in the energy industry.”
The are many renewable options, he said. “The concern I would have is the attempts to shut down coal or oil and gas from what I think are pretty extremist, so-called environmental reasons.
It’s hypocritical to shut down U.S. production and import dirtier fuel from other, often unfriendly countries, he said. Coal is 90% cleaner than it used to be and we can keep developing that technology.
Wendell said he opposes mountaintop removal mining and supports enforcing clean air and clean water regulations.
There are, he said, already subsidies for coal and natural gas in the form of unenforced environmental regulations, zoning and pooling and unitization for natural gas production.
Electric car subsidies are good, he said, but those driving a 1990 Pontiac still couldn’t afford an EV. “Any change has to be more gradual as far as gas and oil.” But we can retrain coal workers who’ve lost jobs and promote new jobs through such things as setting up solar energy.
The candidates also took a question on the topic of federally descheduling medical cannabis to open up more research opportunities for its uses and effects.
Mooney said, “That’s a real hot potato down here” in D.C. He opposes recreational use but supported prescribing it for veterans. He supports further research on its effects and legislation to do that.
He’s open to different points of view and information, he said. He’s voted for medical cannabis banking but not to take it off Schedule 1 to enable recreational use.
Wendell said he agrees that medical cannabis should be legal. For recreational marijuana, the criminal penalties are too harsh. “Its not addictive and it doesn’t get you all that high.”
Harsh penalties, he said, were enacted to demonize certain populations. “I don’t think it’s all that terrible.” It’s less addictive than nicotine and doesn’t impair as much as alcohol.
Tweet David Beard @dbeardtdp Email dbeard@dominionpost.com
