West Virginia gubernatorial candidates to debate Oct. 30, Williams campaign says

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams spoke back-to-back at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Business Summit at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (Amelia Ferrell Knisely | West Virginia Watch)

A date has been set for a debate between Republican Patrick Morrisey and Democrat Steve Williams, candidates for governor of West Virginia. 

The two will debate on Oct. 30, which is less than a week before the general election, a spokesperson for Williams’ campaign confirmed in an email Monday. The spokesperson did not respond to questions about where the debate would take place or who would moderate. 

Taylor Van Virk, a spokeswoman for Morrisey’s campaign, said in an email late Monday evening the campaign is in “talks with sponsors to get something scheduled, but details have not been finalized.”

Early voting for the 2024 general election ends Nov. 2.

Williams, the mayor of Huntington, challenged Morrisey, the state’s attorney general, to the debate earlier this month. In response, Morrisey’s campaign manager said that Morrisey “always made it clear he will debate and discuss his strong record of fighting for West Virginians.”

According to an August poll of registered voters, Morrisey held a 49% to 35% lead over Williams in the race.

Williams and Morrisey are two of five people who filed to run for governor, according to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office. Also running are Constitution Party candidate S. Marshall Wilson, Mountain Party candidate Chase Linko-Looper and Libertarian Erika Klie Kolenich. It was not clear Monday whether any other candidates had been invited to debate. 

The winner of the gubernatorial race will take the place of Gov. Jim Justice, who is running for Joe Manchin’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Justice, a Republican, said last week he would not debate opponent Glenn Elliott. Justice cited his strong performance in the primary election as his reason not to debate Elliott, the former mayor of Wheeling. 

“The people of this state know me. They know me and they know me really well,” he told a reporter for West Virginia MetroNews. “I’ve done almost zero campaigning.” 

In the Eastern Panhandle, state Senate candidates Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, and Democratic challenger John Doyle are planning two debates: one on Oct. 1 at the Robert C. Byrd Center at Shepherd University. 

The date for a second debate in Inwood in Berkeley County has not been announced. 

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting starts Oct. 23. 

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comments from Morrisey’s campaign.

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