State of West Virginia secondary Archives: on Families & Children
Joe Manchin III:
5 basic promises to our children: healthy, safe, cared-for
I want my administration to be remembered for fighting hard everyday to keep five basic promises to our children. - The 1st promise: Every child should have a caring adult in their lives.
- The 2nd promise: Every child should have a safe place.
And that is not always their home. It could be their church and in more cases than not it's their school.
- The 3rd promise: Every child should have a healthy start. I am proposing a 3-part Healthy Start Initiative that will give our children the skills
they need to fight the growing epidemics of childhood obesity, Type II Diabetes and heart disease.
- The 4th promise: Every child should have a marketable skill. Some students would excel with a 2-year community college degree or specialized
technical school training, and we should give those options equal attention when talking with today's students.
- And the 5th promise: Every child should be taught to be a caring adult and be given an opportunity to serve their communities.
Source: 2005 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature
Feb 9, 2005
Joe Manchin III:
Opposes gay marriage personally, but accepts as settled law
Q: Support gay miarriage?Joe Manchin (D): Opposes personally, but accepts as settled law.
Patrick Morrisey (R): No. "Disappointed" with legalization.
Source: 2018 CampusElect Issue Guide on West Virginia Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Michael Folk:
Civil union contracts for same-sex couples, but no marriage
Q: Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?A: Yes.
Q: Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
A: If two individuals of the same sex want to enter into a "contract" for whatever purpose, then they should be
able to "contract" for hospital visitation, etc... Not marriage.
Q: Should sexual orientation be included in anti-discrimination laws?
A: No.
Q: Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in West Virginia's anti-discrimination laws?
A: No.
Source: West Virginia State 2012 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2012
Michael Folk:
Wrong incentives put kids in foster care instead of families
On foster care: "They have taken some of these kids that the grandparents want to take care of and instead put them in foster care, because they get federal money," Folk said. "If there is a willing, able and competent grandparent that wants to
take care of those children, the families should get those kids first, and it is not happening because of that federal, twisted incentive that should not be there."
Source: Martinsburg Journal-News on 2020 West Virginia Governor race
Feb 20, 2020
Patrick Morrisey:
Disappointed with legalization of gay marriage
Q: Support gay miarriage?Joe Manchin (D): Opposes personally, but accepts as settled law.
Patrick Morrisey (R): No. "Disappointed" with legalization.
Source: 2018 CampusElect Issue Guide on West Virginia Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Paula Jean Swearengin:
Make 6 months of family leave available to all parents
Expand the earned income tax credit by $1 trillion for families raising children. Make 6 months of family leave available to all parents -- both women and men.
Build and fund of a new network of childcare centers.
Source: 2018 West Virginia Senate campaign website PaulaJean2018.com
Jul 17, 2017
Ron Stollings:
We need to invest in first 1,000 days of a child's life
Our family unit has been shattered as many of our children have lost one or both of their parents. They are being raised by grandparents or other family members. Many children face obstacles before they even show up for school. I worry about so
many children in our state. We have 10,000 homeless children, 7,000 foster children and 300 children who are missing. We need to invest in the first 1,000 days of a child's life, as we know that's critical in their future ability to learn.
Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail on 2020 West Virginia Governor race
Dec 23, 2019
Glenn Elliott:
Support families with comprehensive child care solutions
My mission in the Senate will be to advocate for comprehensive child care solutions that support our families, fortify our workforce, and foster our future. This means championing policies that subsidize child-care costs, enhance the quality of care,
and build the infrastructure of care facilities our state desperately needs. It's time to ensure that child care becomes a cornerstone of our social infrastructure, as fundamental as the roads we travel on and the bridges that connect us.
Source: 2024 West Virginia Senate campaign website ElliottForWV.com
Jun 18, 2024
Glenn Elliott:
Strengthen the middle class: invest in child care
Strengthening the middle class is another priority of this campaign. For decades, we have seen the middle class shrink to where it once was. Investing in child care and workforce development, creating a fairer tax structure,
and keeping costs low will create an environment for the middle class in this country to grow. We must relearn the lesson that when the middle class does well, our society does well.
Source: Candidate Connection on 2024 West Virginia Senate race
Aug 8, 2024
JB McCuskey:
Divorce reform: waiting period & mutual consent
Q: Where minor children are involved, divorce laws should be reformed to include mutual consent of both parents and an increased waiting period, unless there is fault or abuse?
A: Strongly Agree
Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide 2014 West Virginia Rep Dist.35 race
May 13, 2014
Page last updated: Feb 06, 2026