Last week, the Wheeling (WV) Intelligencer provided us with 800 words on the views of the Ohio Republican candidates for senate, JD Vance, and the Democratic candidate, Tim Ryan. (Additionally, the paper also published 1,800 words on the Ohio gubernatorial race.) Yesterday’s paper gave us 2,500 more words on the Vance/Ryan contest. That’s over 5,000 words on elections in which most of the Intelligencer’s readership cannot vote. Yeah, it’s all filler.

Ogden endorses Alex Mooney for Congress

The weekend Wheeling New-Register did bring an endorsement for a West Virginia candidate, however. Alex Mooney, for whom the locals didn't venture much beyond his ethics violations during the primary, received a ringing endorsement in an editorial:

Alex Mooney Right Choice for Congress

We are told:

Mooney’s experience and contacts built over eight years in Washington make him the better choice to help our state move forward.

His experience? At what? Passing important legislation? Can anyone name any? Drop "important," can anyone name any? (The News-Register certainly didn’t.) Of course, not mentioned are his ethics violations, voting against legislation then taking credit for what it does (see here and here), playing storm trooper, and his disinterest in legislation other than the far-right kind that is destined to go nowhere (see two posts down).

The editorial concludes:

And with the GOP likely to retake the House, Mooney should be well-positioned to inherit a bigger leadership role in the next Congress. That would be good for West Virginia.

Does the News-Register really believe any of this? When has Mooney ever displayed leadership, let alone, doing what is right for West Virginia? Ogden’s papers knocked this guy for 5 months when he ran against David McKinley. Now he’s the “right choice”? Once again, the paper demonstrates that on political matters, consistency and a candidates history are irrelevant -- they are first and foremost the area’s chief Republican propaganda outlet.

Tomorrow, a West Virginia newspaper will publish an article that explains some of the major differences between Mooney and his challenger, Barry Wendell. Unfortunately, the newspaper is located outside the 2nd Congressional District:

There's a sharp contrast between four-term GOP incumbent Rep. Alex Mooney and Democratic challenger Barry Wendell on infrastructure, abortion, civil rights and more. https://t.co/eR7Db2ugeT

— Charleston Gazette-Mail (@wvgazettemail) October 25, 2022

Apparently, there are some West Virginia newspapers actively trying to engage their readers in the democratic process.

*Note – This blog seldom agreed with Mooney’s primary opponent, David McKinley. That said, McKinley did his job – he was actively involved in the legislative process.