CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — During their lone U.S. Senate debate before November’s election, Republican Shelley Moore Capito lumped Democrat Natalie Tennant in with President Barack Obama. Secretary of State Tennant countered by painting Capito, a seventh-term congresswoman, as too friendly to Wall Street.
The two are vying for retiring Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s open seat. It’s a key race to sway a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, and one where both candidates have vowed to take moderate stances in the upper chamber.
Both candidates, however, said the other was in lock-step with their party on major issues, and those politics were hurting West Virginia. The debate was broadcast live across the state.
Though Tennant supported Obama in 2008 and 2012, the two-term secretary of state agreed with Capito at the debate that the president’s proposal to limit carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants hurts coal jobs.
Tennant continued claiming Capito benefited personally from insider information on a congressional banking committee. Capito said it’s an unfounded, desperate attack.
Capito laid all of the recent coal layoffs directly at the feet of Obama and Washington, D.C. Democrats, despite the difficult market conditions the industry also faces.
“Every single mining job that’s lost is attributable to the policies of President Obama, Harry Reid, who is supporting my opponent’s election,” said Capito, who has the coal industry’s support.
Tennant touted the support of the United Mine Workers of America. Tennant said she doesn’t disagree with scientists about climate change, which Obama’s energy policies aim to curb.
Capito said she doesn’t “necessarily think the climate is changing,” but told reporters afterward she misspoke and does think people contribute to climate change.
Tennant criticized Capito’s multiple votes for House Republican budget, which lays out cuts to a variety of domestic programs. She attacked Capito on Medicare, since GOP budgets would have shifted future recipients into subsidy-based health insurance option on the open market.
“I will not balance the budget on the backs of seniors,” Tennant said.
Capito said there needs to be a realistic, bipartisan effort to acknowledge and address problems with funding Medicare.
“There’s going to be no Medicare if we don’t lay down the arms, stop the name calling, stop the scare tactics and face the problem,” Capito said.
Capito, who voted many times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, said the law has some “very good things” in it, like covering patients with pre-existing conditions. She said she would work to find a way to cover the 150,000 or so patients who have coverage under expanded Medicaid.
Tennant, who voiced support for many of the same popular parts of the law, said she wouldn’t repeal it. She has said she would change unpopular parts. She would delay penalties for individuals not carrying insurance.
With $3.4 million left in her account, Capito has a 3-to-1 cash edge heading down the homestretch. She has been considered the favorite from early on in the race.
Three third-party candidates weren’t included: Bob Henry Baber, Mountain Party; John Buckley, Libertarian Party; and Phil Hudok, Constitution Party.
In late August, Capito and Tennant last met in a West Virginia Chamber of Commerce forum.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.