Oct. 21, 2006
 
KIM WOLFE: Unscripted Public Forum Ready; Bought Cut-Out Surrogate of Rahall to Debate; Sheriff Claims to Represent Typical Southern WV Resident Better Than Opponent
 
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
 
Huntington, WV (HNN) -- Cabell County Sheriff Kim Wolfe feels “comfortable” allowing the voters and citizens an opportunity to “ask any question they want in an unscripted open forum.”
 
Wolfe explained, “I don’t claim to have all the answers people want to hear, but, at least, I’ll answer as best I can.”
 
So far, incumbent U.S. Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, D-WV, has refused to appear at any forum or debate with Sheriff Wolfe.
 
“We sent him a registered letter requesting any open forum and they have not responded,” Wolfe said.
 
Despite Rahall’s refusal to appear together with his challenger, WSAZ told Wolfe that he will be allowed to participate in the station’s candidate forum, even though Rahall will not be present.
 
The sheriff, who often travels with the Marshall University football team, takes the rebuff in good stride.
 
“We’ll go as many places we can, but I did get an appropriate cut out of [Rahall] I take as a surrogate. You can ask him questions, but I don’t know what kind of response you will get,” Wolfe noted with a slight smile.
 
During a Health Care Candidate Forum Friday evening, Oct. 20, 2006 at Marshall University, Wolfe told a small gathering of medical students that the “first priority” of national government should be to protect and serve.
 
He credited a prescription plan passed during the last Congressional session as helping his 86-year-old mother.
 
She did have to pay $200-$300 for medications from her meager social security check. After the prescription plan took effect, her bills went down to about $10 per month.
 
The two-term sheriff and Congressional candidate indicated that both the state and national levels of government must determine health care priorities. “In the private sector there has to be a marriage to provide [health care] to people through different types of incentives.”
 
West Virginia needs to better address “preventive” options, too that would attack obesity, alcohol and smoking at a young age.
 
And, the state need more doctors practicing in rural areas.
 
“I hope when you graduate from medical school, you stay in West Virginia.
 
I’ve traveled many country roads in Southern West Virginia and there are many people down there that need quality health care.” Explaining his life-long residency, Wolfe said, “I represent the people of southern West Virginia better than Nick Rahall.”