By J. Miles Layton
Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN — Congressional candidate Mike Oliverio has challenged Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) to a series of debates across West Virginia’s northern district.
Mollohan has not had to debate any opponent in the Democratic Party’s primary in decades, mainly because he has run unopposed or faced token opposition.
The Mollohan campaign has not issued a statement about whether or not he will accept the challenge.
Neil Berch, a WVU associate professor of political science, said if Mollohan accepted Oliverio’s challenge, it would elevate Oliverio’s candidacy — not a good tactical move in this primary. However, Berch said, debates in the primary are uncommon.
