Staff Writer
The Register-Herald
BECKLEY —
On Sept. 7 in Bluefield and then again on Oct. 26 in Beckley, the candidates for the 3rd Congressional District race, incumbent Democrat Nick Rahall and his Republican challenger Elliott “Spike” Maynard, will come together for live, televised debates.
The Register-Herald, along with the Bluefield Daily Telegraph and WVVA TV-6, have teamed up to organize and stage this event because we feel it is our responsibility as the region’s information leaders to do whatever we can to make sure the electorate has every opportunity to inform and educate itself as to who the candidates are and how they stand on a variety of issues.
Both campaigns immediately said yes to our invitation to spend one hour on each evening, in a live format, to answer questions that will not only be posed by representatives of these three media outlets, but from the public as well.
As the dates draw closer, we will be asking for your input and ideas when it comes to information you deem important when you go to the polls on Nov. 2 to elect our congressman for the next two years. We will select citizens to appear and ask questions during the debates.
We all agree a debate format provides voters with a deeper look at who the candidates are, how they handle themselves, what they believe in and how they react to random inquiries.
It is a vital part of the mix for citizens to develop a more thorough understanding of who these people are that want to represent you and want your vote.
Read, listen and learn about the candidates. We’re committed to playing our part in helping you become a better informed voter.
