Tomblin, Maloney to debate on TV

The two major-party candidates for governor of West Virginia will square off tonight in their only scheduled televised debate this fall.

The debate between Republican Bill Maloney and Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9. The debate is scheduled to last an hour.

The event is sponsored by the West Virginia Broadcasters Association and AARP. It will be shown locally on WSAZ, WCHS and WOWK television stations as well as some radio stations.

Tomblin narrowly defeated Maloney last year in a special election for the seat vacated by Joe Manchin, a Democrat. Manchin won a special election to fill the late U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd's unexpired term.

Tomblin won by less than 8,000 votes, with 149,202 to Maloney's 141,656.

Tomblin served 36 years in the Legislature, including 18 as Senate president, before becoming acting governor prior to last year's election.

Maloney is a longtime West Virginia businessmen who received national attention after helping with the 2010 Chilean mine rescue.