By Esteban Fernandez, Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Students at Fairmont State University were less than impressed with either the Democrat or Republican gubernatorial candidate from Tuesday night’s debate.
“It was just very immature,” freshman Madolyn Long, 18, said. “I felt like there were far too many personal attacks on one another, where they would interrupt either the mediator or each other to try and defend themselves or their party.”
Republican candidate Patrick Morrisey and Democrat candidate Steve Williams met at Wallman Hall on Fairmont State University’s campus for a debate one week before election day. The event was moderated by Hoppy Kercheval.
Although the event wasn’t open to the public, the university organized a student watch party on the third floor of the nearby Falcon Center. Fairmont State students shared the space with disaffected members of the state’s Libertarian Party who had earlier tried entering the debate stage to no avail. They remained content by helping themselves to the watch party catering provided by the university. Libertarian candidate for governor Erika Kolenich pitched students after the debate on what ideas her ticket offered West Virginia voters.
Before that, however, attention focused on the two mainstream candidates. Eighteen-year-old student Dexter Simon found Morrisey to have the better presentation but said he lacked substance. Simon’s friend, Christina Brown, 19, said Morrisey had a tendency to dodge questions. Both said Morrisey’s background as an attorney helped his public speaking performance.
