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GOP candidates for 11th senatorial district face off at forum

ELKINS -- Two Republicans vying for the 11th District state senatorial position spoke during a recent candidate forum hosted by the Randolph County Republican Executive Committee at the Elks Lodge.

Incumbent Robert Karnes and challenger Robbie Morris, who are set to square off in the May 14 primary election, were each given three minutes to speak during the forum.

Karnes, who first won election to a District 11 seat in 2014 and was elected again in 2020, was first to speak.

"Whenever I stood up here 10 years ago and ran for state senate the first time, I made a series of commitments and promises to the voters of Randolph County and the six other counties I represent," Karnes said.

"I'm Pro-Life and that's the way I'm going to vote. I support the Second Amendment and that's the way I'm going to vote. I'm for creating jobs and that's the way I'm going to vote. I support lower taxes and that's the way I'm going to vote.

"A lot of time people say it's the easiest thing in the world to get re-elected when you're an incumbent, because there are so many incumbent advantages," Karnes said. "But I actually think there are a few disadvantages to being an incumbent. And that is everything I said in 2014, you can go look and see if I did everything I said I would do.

"Can you trust this guy for another four years when he stands up here today and says he's going to continue pushing to cut taxes, when he stands up here and says he's going to continue to fight for the unborn, when he says he's going to continue to fight for your freedom for second amendment rights? I've got a record and you can go look and see if I did everything I said I was going to do. And if I did do what I said I was going to do, then you can trust I will continue to do what I say I will do."

Karnes said while he's been in office he has been a part of West Virginia passing the largest tax cut in the state's history, passing a Pro-Life Amendment to the State Constitution, and pushing forward many Second Amendment issues. 

"I think that if you look at what I said and look at what I have done, you will see that I have a proven track record that I will do what I say I will do," Karnes said.  

Morris, who has served as executive director of the Randolph County Development Authority and the West Virginia Wood Technology Center for the past 12 years, spoke about what it's been like on the campaign trail.

"Over the last several months while I've been out campaigning and going through the 11th District, you may have noticed in a lot of my Facebook posts that I've been saying how blessed I am to live in the 11th District," Morris said. "It's truly an amazing part of this wonderful state and as I talk to people about the issues that are important to them, I talk with them and I listen to them.

"One of the things they talk about is the phrase 'politician,' and I remind them that I'm not a politician, I'm a public servant. And a public servant is what I do on a day-in, day-out basis in creating jobs, facilitating growth in our communities, advertising whether it's Randolph County or West Virginia as a whole, as a great place to live, to work and raise a family.

"Public service is what I want to take to the West Virginia State Senate," Morris said. "Too often people worry about minute issues, or they worry about themselves, or they worry about all these other things that don't end up mattering to people back home.

"I've heard a lot of things people need. They need water, it's 2024 and people are still begging for water, the water from their wells is red.

"They are begging for broadband. As chairman of the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council, I have overseen massive expansion of broadband throughout the state and we have more coming, ensuring that all of those dollars are spent in the way they are intended to, not in the way it's happened in years past where we ended up blowing hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money and yet nobody has broadband. We are making sure addresses are served and passed with the best technology available."

During his speech Morris also talked about the state's population problem, Corridor H, tourism, and ongoing projects that will help boost the economy. 

"I have results as well, I promised to build our business base, I promised to improve infrastructure, and I promised to make Randolph County and West Virginia the absolute best it could be," he said. "Over my career I have dedicated myself to doing that and I look forward to doing that not only in my current position, but as your next state senator."

Mandy Smith Weirich is running as a Democratic candidate for the District 11 seat.

Early voting will take place in Randolph County from May 1 to May 11 at the Wees Annex on Randolph Avenue in Elkins and at the Russell Memorial Public Library in Mill Creek.