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Weld traveling West Virginia on AG campaign trail

DISCUSSION -- State Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, speaks during an interview Friday at The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Weld has been traveling the state since announcing his candidacy for West Virginia attorney general in April. -- Evan Bevins

PARKERSBURG – State Sen. Ryan Weld is on the campaign trail for West Virginia attorney general, both figuratively and literally.

“There’s always events going on around the state, so I haven’t been at home on Saturdays in quite a while,” he said.

The Republican senator — in his second term representing Brooke, Hancock, Ohio and a portion of Marshall County — announced his candidacy to become the state’s top lawyer in April. He’s set to take on fellow senator and former U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart in next spring’s GOP primary.

“I just essentially have one job between now and next May, and that’s get out and speak to as many West Virginians as possible,” Weld said.

He was doing that Friday in Parkersburg, planning to meet with folks in the area after speaking to the Mountaineer Breakfast Club organized by state Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants.

“Everyone can say, ‘I’m going to stand up for West Virginia. I’m going to stand up for coal. I’m going to stand up for our people,'” Weld said. “When I say that I’m going to do something, I get it done.”

Weld pointed to his legislative record on topics like substance abuse, mental health, criminal law and veterans issues to back up that claim. As an example, he pointed to legislation he sponsored reestablishing a special court to deal with veterans in the criminal justice system.

The most visible part of the attorney general’s job, Weld said, is protecting the interests of the state in the legal arena.

“It’s very important for the AG’s office to fight back against Washington trying to dictate terms to us instead of West Virginia being able to determine its own future,” he said, adding the same is true when it comes to outside entities challenging laws passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor. “As a lawyer, I can really think of no greater honor … than to be able to serve as this state’s attorney.”

But Weld also recognizes that not everyone is familiar with what the job entails. After he announced his candidacy, he said, a neighbor asked what the attorney general does.

“How do we make sure that people here in West Virginia know the AG’s office isn’t just this office in Charleston that sues D.C.?” Weld said, noting the office investigates Medicaid fraud and deals with consumer protection issues, among other topics.

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