Capehart ignores GOP rivals, wants to debate Moore

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Capehart has asked rivalDan Moore to ignore six other primary candidates and engage with himin a series of one-on-one debates.

Capehart sent a letter Thursday to Moore requesting that theyengage in a series of Lincoln/Douglas-style debates beginning in twoweeks, the same week as Gov. Bob Wise's State of the State address.

The former tax and revenue secretary under Gov. Cecil Underwoodcited a Monday Associated Press story in which political analystsrated him and Moore as front-runners. The analysts also described thecrowded Republican primary as the most wide-open in recent WestVirginia history.

"Dan, this is a golden opportunity for you and I - and the party,for that matter - to take our case to the citizens," Capehart'sletter said. "West Virginia Republicans can raise the bar by movingbeyond packaged sound bites, vague platitudes and quick quips."

"We want to get a debate going between Dan and our campaign," saidJeremy Maynard, Capehart's campaign manager. "We don't want tooverwhelm the voters with four or five other candidates on onestage."

Moore, a Mingo County auto dealer and former bank executive, saidThursday that Capehart's request struck him as "premature."

Though Moore hadn't seen Capehart's letter, when a copy of it wasread to him he said, "I'm not sure what value would be gained by justthe two of us meeting. I think it might be presumptuous for us toexclude other candidates.

"At the proper time I would have no problem discussing the issueswith Mr. Capehart or anyone else, but it's presumptuous to do whathe's suggesting," Moore added.

State Republican Chairman Kris Warner said Capehart and Moorearen't the only serious candidates. He said Delegate Larry Faircloth,D-Berkeley, and Monty Warner and Dr. Doug McKinney all have a shot atwinning the nomination.

"Larry Faircloth, with the time he has served in the Legislature,has been elected many, many more times than Dan Moore or RobCapehart," Warner said "Dr. McKinney is a serious candidate. MontyWarner, with his ability and military career, is a serious candidate.To exclude those candidates would not be right for the RepublicanParty."

Other Republicans who have filed precandidacy papers for thegovernor's race could not immediately be reached.

The official filing period for the May 11 primary runs from Jan.12-31.