Justice, Capito campaign in Parkersburg
Republican governor candidate Moore Capito and Gov. Jim Justice answer questions at their campaign stop at the Parkersburg City Building Friday afternoon. Justice’s bulldog, Babydog, sits between them. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Moore Capito greets an attendee at his and Gov. Jim Justice’s campaign stop at the Parkersburg City Building Friday afternoon. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Republican governor candidate Moore Capito and Gov. Jim Justice answer questions at their campaign stop at the Parkersburg City Building Friday afternoon. Justice’s bulldog, Babydog, sits between them. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Moore Capito greets an attendee at his and Gov. Jim Justice’s campaign stop at the Parkersburg City Building Friday afternoon. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
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PARKERSBURG -- Moore Capito, a Republican candidate for governor of West Virginia, and current Gov. Jim Justice, a candidate for U.S. Senate, made a dual campaign stop at Parkersburg City Building Friday afternoon.
They both answered questions from attendees and spoke about their priorities in office, if elected.
Capito said he ran for governor because creating a future for West Virginia is personal to him.
"I truly believe that West Virginia is the best place to live, work and raise a family. But we have to create the opportunities so that our young people can stay here."
Capitio said he has a plan to create opportunities for safe communities for everyone to enjoy.
"That starts with providing the wraparound services so that our kids that aren't being raised by their parents at home, have the services and attention that they need. It means building workforce readiness, so that all of our high school kids that are coming out will have an opportunity to shine," he said.
Justice said he endorsed Capito because he wouldn't "reinvent the wheel," simply build on the state's recent successes, such as a $800 million tax revenue surplus.
Capito said when he got elected to the House of Delegates in 2016, West Virginia was looking at record deficits, but now is experiencing record surpluses.
"I work shoulder to shoulder with Gov. Justice to provide the largest tax cut in the history of the state to hard-working people," he said.
Capito added he is proud to have Justice's endorsement.
"He's been a consequential leader in this state. He's turned the ship around, and we're ready day one to take it to the next level," he said.
During the town hall, Parkersburg resident Andrea Kramer asked Justice about his position on the recent $11 million cut to the Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Waiver Program that was passed by the state legislature. He replied that the money was listed in his budget until the last minute.
"It was the eleventh hour and they couldn't really couldn't get it done and boom. And that's why I said your finance chair just went crazy over on the other side and boom, skies falling and everything else," he said.
Justice said 600,000 West Virginians are on Medicaid, which was also cut by $147 million in the budget.
"We hurt the most needy people in this state, 600,000 people that absolutely don't really know where to turn, I think, because of the anxiety and the uncertainty," he said.
Kramer said she asked Justice about the IDD waiver because she has an autistic son.
"Eight years ago, I came here from Virginia, in the DC area," she said. "I thought there weren't a lot of resources for my son there and here there are. Coming here is the best thing I ever did and I thank Gov. Justice for that," she said.
Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com