Morrisey details why he’s seeking West Virginia governorship
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey speaks during a press conference at the state Capitol in Charleston in February 2022. (AP Photo)
PARKERSBURG — Attorney General Patrick Morrisey stopped by The Parkersburg News and Sentinel on Wednesday to talk about his plans to seek the Republican nomination for Governor of West Virginia after making the announcement Tuesday from his home county of Jefferson. He said he’s making his way around the state to talk about it. “We wanted to get to a lot of places early because it’s important for people to know the stakes involved in this race,” Morrisey said. “West Virginia needs a conservative governor. Someone with a proven record of accomplishment. Who has taken on all the big fights and challenges that our state has had in recent years and has won time after time, after time. No one else in the race can say that.” Morrisey has served as the state’s Attorney General since 2012 and said the transition into the governor’s office is a natural one. He said as Attorney General he has been working on all of the challenges West Virginia has been facing already. “On issue after issue, whether it’s economic, or social, or cultural, we have taken on the fights, protecting our jobs,” Morrisey said. “We won the West Virginia EPA case which protected energy jobs.” Morrisey said as governor he would get every agency in West Virginia to leverage the energy economy to grow. “I want to be West Virginia’s energy governor, among other things,” Morrisey said. “I think that focus and dedication is a natural transition from where I served as the attorney general.” Morrisey said inflation and the drug epidemic are some of the biggest things Wood County residents now face. He said inflation is hurting those who are living pay check to pay check and that further reductions in taxes and reduced regulations for expanded business opportunities in the state could help to combat that inflation. “When we look at the tax cuts, we need to go even farther,” he said. Morrisey said the state needs to make sure the money set aside to fight the opioid epidemic is available to go after fentanyl. “Which is the new threat the Mid-Ohio Valley and Wood County are facing,” Morrisey said. “That’s one of the reasons why I’ve called for fentanyl to be listed as a weapon of mass destruction. As governor, I’m going to try to build a broad state coalition. So, it’s not just the West Virginia governor calling on that, it’s going to be many governors across the country. I think that’s important.” Morrisey said he plans to return to the Mid-Ohio Valley and that he loves the people here. He said he’s tried to be an active attorney general and that he plans to take his experience and record of getting conservative things done there to the governor’s office. “And we’re going to make West Virginia proud,” Morrisey said. “West Virginia’s voice will never go quietly into the night when I’m governor. We’re going to be strong.” Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.comLocal News
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