NEW MARTINSVILLE - A pair of challengers hoping to unseat West Virginia Congressman Alan Mollohan brewed up support among conservative-minded people at a "tea party" Saturday in New Martinsville.
About 60 local residents braved the wind and cold in front of the Wetzel County Courthouse for the event organized by The Conservative Coalition of Wetzel County. Tom Stark, of Parkersburg, and Cindy Hall, of Wheeling, gave their opinions on leadership in Washington, D.C. Several of their remarks drew applause from the crowd.
Hall and Stark said they hoped not to sound like they were campaigning, but both of them urged the public to "educate themselves."
Article Photos
Local residents listen to speakers at a “Tea Party”
in New Martinsville Saturday. The event, sponsored
by the Conservative Coalition of Wetzel County was a rally to voice conservative political viewpoints.
Photo by
Art Limann
Hall said only 31 jobs in West Virginia have been created through the federal stimulus plan. Stark said the stimulus should be revoked, as it's "just for greasing the wheels for the next election."
Both expressed the need for smaller government and answered questions. Hall said, "I think we're in a radical time. I think it's time to bring government back to the people and states." She voiced her opposition to cap and trade, government health care control and other current policies.
Stark said, "I'm on a mission. I feel it's a matter of necessity. We need to go back to constitutional principles. We need to put power back in the hands of the states. We need to take decision making and put it back in the hands of the people."
He added he thought the "fair tax was a great idea" and "government should not have any part of health care." Stark also stressed, "every bill should be available to read before it's voted on. It's going to take a lot of work."
Fran Caldwell, of New Martinsville, said she attended the event because she wants "Washington to hear."
"We hired them to keep in touch with the people and to do what we want, not just feather their own beds," she said.
Carol Knapp, also of New Martinsville, said, "I'm upset with the way our country is being run. I think it's time to do something. I don't like the socialized medicine plan being proposed. I don't like restrictions on guns, and cap and trade is going to put a lot of people out of jobs. The grass roots people do object."
Mike Clark, of New Martinsville, was one of the organizers of the "tea party." He handed out copies of the Bill of Rights, and tea bags also were distributed to those in attendance. He said the event was organized over the last two months by about seven or eight people with the goal of getting republicans and democrats together to "take our country back."
The hour-long party concluded with a shout from the crowd, "Remember the Alamo."