State of West Virginia secondary Archives: on Homeland Security
Bill Cole:
Honor and support military as guardians of our freedoms
We as a nation may be war weary, but the threats to our freedom and the quality of life we value have never been higher.
Our freedoms are paid for in time, sacrifice, injury and sadly death by the men and women we must always honor--our veterans.
Source: 2016 West Virginia governor campaign website BillColeWV.com
May 2, 2016
Jay Wolfe:
Military tribunals ok; monitoring domestic communications ok
Q: Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical? A: Yes.
Q:
Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
A: No.
Source: West Virginia Congressional 2008 Political Courage Test
Aug 8, 2008
Jay Wolfe:
Expand missile defense; support pre-emptive military strikes
Q: Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?A: No.
Q: Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to US national security?
A:
Yes.
Q: Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
A: Yes.
Q: Should the US expand its missile defense shield?
A: Yes.
Source: West Virginia Congressional 2008 Political Courage Test
Aug 8, 2008
Jim Justice:
More programs for National Guard and veterans
The National Guard has brought in 300 jobs in the last year--and it's created an economic impact on the State of West Virginia of $361,000,000. Think about the Mountaineer Challenge Academy [a National Guard residential program for earning high
school diplomas]. Think about young men and women that are just absolutely lost. Last year, they're going to have above a 90% graduation rate. And those people are on their way.
Now, let me jump to the veterans.
Our veterans, we owe all to. We all know that. We are able to exempt their retirement. Good stuff. There's a few other things that we're able to do right now that you'll see in the budget, good stuff.
But I can tell you just this: For any of us here that think that we don't owe every single thing that we have to our vets, we're just plain wrong.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to West Virginia legislature
Jan 9, 2019
John Buckley:
National Defense Authorization Act is Big Brother spying
A government big enough to give you all the things you want is also big enough to take away from you all that you have. Whether the government is acting as Big Brother or as Big Nanny, it is a threat to our liberty, to our right to live our lives as we
each see fit. There is a unifying thread to many issues of privacy and property rights: the National Security Agency's warrantless spying on phone calls, the authority affirmed by the National Defense Authorization Act to confine American citizens
without Constitutional protection whatsoever--indefinitely!--on mere suspicion of "association" (whatever that means) with terrorism, law enforcement agencies tracing the movements of our automobiles, the increased militarization of domestic law
enforcement: These actions reveal a government out of control, treating Americans as conquered subjects. It reminds one of the Hunger Games, where the "districts" had to be kept down lest they undermine the authority of the central government.
Source: 2014 West Virginia Senate campaign website JohnBuckley.org
Aug 31, 2014
John Buckley:
Opposes NSA spying & foreign policy meddling
While politics is usually portrayed as a contest of Republican v. Democrat, conservative v. liberal, red v. blue, that's narrow, old-fashioned thinking. It's "analog" politics in a digital age. I'm more "conservative" than the Republican candidate; and
I'm also tackling issues like NSA spying, reduced foreign policy meddling around the world, and the failed "War on Drugs" that my Democrat opponent is apparently afraid to touch.
Source: Charleston Daily Mail on 2014 West Virginia Senate race
Aug 12, 2014
Paula Jean Swearengin:
Rein in our bloated military budget
Q: What measures would you support to address the budget deficit and the national debt?A: Rein in our bloated military budget and eliminate wasteful spending. Reduce Agribusiness subsidies. Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies entirely.
Allow the federal government to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers. Replace the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction with a refundable credit to reduce the artificial incentive for developers and investors to finance high-end home construction.
Source: The Herald-Dispatch on 2018 West Virginia Senatorial race
Mar 27, 2018
Shelley Moore Capito:
Weak Iraq policy let ISIS foment into power
[At a West Virginia Public Broadcasting debate, the two candidates] discussed the Middle East, with Tennant saying Congress should debate whether to send ground troops to fight the growing ISIS movement. Capito called it a failure of the
Obama administration: "Because of the president's really weak policies in Iraq, we find ourselves in the position where this terrorist group has been fomenting," Capito argued, "without raising money and raising membership."
Source: The Associated Press on 2014 West Virginia Senate debate
Oct 14, 2014
Alex Mooney:
Prioritize the well-being of our service members & veterans
Mooney will always prioritize the health and well-being of our service members, veterans, and their families. Since taking office he has helped the House pass more than 26 veterans-related pieces of legislation aimed at improving Veterans Affairs and
other services, increasing economic opportunity, and honoring our veterans. Mooney cosponsored H.R. 577, which will allow veterans living more than 40 miles from the nearest VA facility to obtain quality healthcare at local facilities.
Source: 2024 West Virginia Senate campaign website MooneyForWV.com
Apr 24, 2023
Mac Warner:
Would highly recommend military service to any young person
And he believes strongly that the military has played a large part in his success, his brother's, his children's and other family members. "I would highly recommend military service to any young person," Warner said. "For the people who serve,
there are trying times, but when you finish and reflect, you realize you've been exposed to and been a part of something special, something that mattered and made a difference."
Source: The State Journal on 2024 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Jul 26, 2021
Glenn Elliott:
Beyond healthcare, our veterans deserve robust support
I will fight for improved access to healthcare for all veterans, ensuring that our V.A. facilities not only meet but exceed the needs of our heroes. Beyond healthcare, our veterans deserve robust support as they reintegrate into civilian life, including
job training programs, educational opportunities, and community support systems that recognize and respect their unique contributions to our country and our commonwealth. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
Source: 2024 West Virginia Senate campaign website ElliottForWV.com
Jun 18, 2024
Tom Willis:
End woke policies in the military; honor the warrior ethos
Fix the VA. End woke policies in the military.
Honor the warrior ethos and defend our troops.
Source: 2026 West Virginia Senate campaign website TomWillis.com
Oct 23, 2025
Tom Willis:
Enlisted in W.V. National Guard, then US Army Special Forces
Willis's special forces training translates well to the campaign trail: Knowing how to quickly build rapport, forge connections, broker deals and appeal to various constituencies. "Nobody in the military can build rapport better," Willis said of the
Special Forces. "That's what we do for our country under difficult circumstances. Politics is one handshake at a time."Although West Virginia has one of the biggest veteran populations in the country, there is currently no veteran serving in its
Congressional delegation. "That's an anomaly we plan to correct," Willis said.
A Special Forces Distinguished Honor Graduate, Willis joined the West Virginia National Guard in 2000, starting out in the enlisted ranks and eventually becoming executive
officer of a US Army Special Forces Battalion. He deployed to Afghanistan, Macedonia, Peru and Bahrain. He often served as a liaison, working closely with the Peruvian military on counter-narcotics operations and with the Kuwaiti military fighting ISIS.
Source: Task & Purpose e-zzine on 2018 West Virginia Senate race
May 3, 2025
Page last updated: Feb 06, 2026