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Weld, Newbrough vie for republican nomination for West Virginia's 1st Senate District seat


{p}Two republicans are vying for the nomination in West Virginia’s 1st Senate District -- incumbent Ryan Weld and Jack Newbrough.{/p}

Two republicans are vying for the nomination in West Virginia’s 1st Senate District -- incumbent Ryan Weld and Jack Newbrough.

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Two republicans are vying for the nomination in West Virginia’s 1st Senate District -- incumbent Ryan Weld and Jack Newbrough.

Weld was elected in 2016 and says when he ran, he promised to make substance abuse and veteran’s issues two main priorities, and he says he has done just that.

"I’ve gotten several pieces of legislation -- 39 in total signed into law on those issues -- as well as many others. I think substance abuse and veteran’s issues are really something that are I’ve been really able to make a mark in,” Weld said.

Weld says he will continue to focus on these issues in the future as well.

"I’m running because I love my job,” he said. “I love representing the people of the place where I grew up and live now.”

Being available to help his constituents is something Weld prides himself on, and he says that is one of the most important parts of the job.

When asked about the state’s response to coronavirus, Weld said power and authority of the governor to close and prohibitive during the pandemic was a topic of much discussion and he believes those discussions will turn into future legislation to balance health and constitutional rights.

"Looking forward, how can we reform state law to ensure we find that balance and ensure the right decisions are made?” he asked.

Newbrough is a truck driver from Weirton who is running because he believes politics in West Virginia are in a sad state. He says that the state needs a common-sense, blue-collar individual.

“I think that’s what politics are to me -- common sense,” he said. “It’s basically you go in there, you look at a bill, if it sounds too good to be true, most likely it’s not going to be true.”

Newbrough is passionate about making sure the unborn have a voice, lowering taxes, taking care of veterans, and the drug issue in the state.

"Throwing more money at the issue isn’t helping the problem, somewhere along the line more counseling needs to be involved,” he said.

Newbrough believes the governor overstepped during the coronavirus shutdowns and that he should not have the authority to shut things down. He wants to see a change made in the future.

"My main focus is that I want to make sure if this ever happens to the residents of West Virginia, hopefully we can be the poster child for other states, that governors can only take things so far, and I think that’s what we have to look at now,” Newbrough said.

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