FAIRMONT — (Editor’s note: The Times West Virginian Editorial Board interviewed both Democratic candidates and five of the six Republican candidates in the  this week for the purpose of determining endorsements for the Primary Election on May 11th. Republican Cindy Hall opted not to participate.)

Democrat — Mollohan

By a unanimous vote of the TWV Editorial Board, 14-term Congressman Alan B. Mollohan is the clear choice as the Democratic candidate based on a solid career of political service that has earned him a number of critical leadership positions in Congress — most notably that of the third ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee. 

With the announcement Wednesday that Rep. David Obey, the current Appropriations chair, will retire at the end of this term, Mollohan, if re-elected, would rise to the number two position in Appropriations.

Voters in West Virginia need look no further than the accomplishments of Sen. Robert C. Byrd to realize what a powerful position that an Appropriations leadership position can be. Certainly, Mollohan has modeled himself to some degree after Sen. Byrd in this manner.

Alan Mollohan’s record of economic development in the 1st Congressional District is unparalleled in terms of his vision, his ability to create private-public partnerships, especially in high tech, and his leadership that enabled him to steer millions of dollars in federal earmarks to diversify the economy in North Central West Virginia. 

Following Sen. Byrd’s success in relocating the FBI fingerprint facility and its 3,000-plus jobs to the region, Mollohan has followed suit by enticing other federal agencies such as NASA, NOAA, the National Energy Technology Lab and the Department of Defense Biometrics Center to locate along the I-79 Corridor. 

Mollohan was instrumental in the creation of the West Virginia High Technology Consortium that has served as a high-tech business incubator that currently employs more than 1,300 people — with hundreds more to come within the next year. As a result, the high-tech sector has attracted over 200 high-tech firms to the region that did not exist a little more than a decade ago. 

Certainly Congressman Mollohan deserves much of the credit for transforming our economy from one dependent on extraction and manufacturing to one that has weathered the current economic recession much better than most. 

Otherwise, we could have much higher unemployment, foreclosures and permanent job loss than we have suffered. Our economy is still based on energy, but has evolved where health care, high-tech, higher education and government jobs represent an ever-increasing share of our diverse economy.

To those who accuse Mollohan of turning his back on coal during the vote on Cap and Trade, we think that his endorsement by the United Mine Workers speaks volumes as to his commitment to coal. It’s much better to remain at the bargaining table and have influence on the final outcome of such policy than it is to create a standoff. In the end, Mollohan voted against Cap and Trade.

Finally, to those who continue to sling mud in an attempt to raise questions regarding Mollohan’s ethics even though the Department of Justice closed the case without any formal charges filed against him following a detailed three-year investigation, that speaks for itself. In America, we are innocent until proven guilty — no matter how many times you call someone corrupt. We have great confidence that the Department of Justice completed its mission with professionalism and integrity and Mollohan was exonerated.

Republican — Minear

Former State Sen. Sarah Minear is no stranger to politics. She served 11 distinguished years where she earned a reputation as a “straight talker.” Minear served on seven standing committees, the most of any senator at the time including: Finance, Rules, Energy, Industry and Mining, and Government Organization. 

Minear was instrumental in a number of reforms that have helped to create positive change for West Virginia. These reforms include: medical malpractice reform, tort reform and the privatization of workers’ compensation. Each has helped to improve the business climate in West Virginia.

Sarah Minear is clearly a conservative — a pro-life candidate endorsed by West Virginians for Life; she supports the Second Amendment and is endorsed by the NRA; she has signed a Taxpayer Protection Pledge stating that she “has never voted for a tax increase and never will.” 

Her positions on federal issues are hard-line conservative: She is against Cap and Trade stating that it will cost over 60,000 West Virginia jobs; if elected she pledges to repeal the recently passed Obama health care bill; she would immediately attack the federal deficit by reigning in government spending. Minear is clearly for “downsizing” both the size and role of government in our lives.

She boldly promises to take a leading role in the necessary two-thirds majority vote to adopt a Balanced Budget Act. “Balancing the budget is my priority,” she told the TWV Editorial Board. The government, she stressed, should live within its constraints and not consume an increasing share of this nation’s economy. From Minear’s perspective, Washington is broken and Alan Mollohan is part of the problem.

Her diverse background in business, community service and public office makes her the best of the Republican candidates to serve in Congress and carry forth a conservative platform. 

Minear certainly has a track record of her own by which voters can gauge her abilities. She has a thorough understanding of the manner in how things are done in our nation’s capital. 

Without a doubt, Minear would resonate well with a majority of conservatives — both Republican and Democrat alike — in November’s general election. That is why she also was the unanimous choice of the TWV Editorial Board as the Republican candidate.