CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Republican congressional candidate Jay Wolfe, a businessman and former state senator from Harrison County, told Gazette editors Friday that he's been trying to get his opponent, U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, to agree to a public debate this fall, without success.

Wolfe said Rockefeller also wouldn't debate him when the two ran against each other six years ago. Rockefeller won his third term in the 2002 election.

"He wouldn't debate me six years ago. I sent him a letter asking him to debate [this year], but I have not received an answer."

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Jay Wolfe

He also supports the death penalty. "I support protecting innocent life in a mother's womb. But when someone commits a heinous crime, such as murder, that is not innocent."

Drilling for oil is another issue, one raised on his campaign bumper sticker: "Drill Now. Wolfe: U.S. Senate."

Gasoline costs can be lowered, Wolfe believes, by drilling offshore, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and for shale oil in Rocky Mountain states.

"We haven't upset the environment by drilling [for natural gas and oil] in West Virginia," he said.

Wolfe said Rockefeller also wouldn't debate him when the two ran against each other six years ago. Rockefeller won his third term in the 2002 election.

"He wouldn't debate me six years ago. I sent him a letter asking him to debate [this year], but I have not received an answer."

Wolfe has long been an opponent of abortion. "I don't think our government should be condoning murder," he said. "We need a constitutional amendment that protects the life of an unborn child, just like in 1865, when we passed an amendment ending slavery."

He also supports the death penalty. "I support protecting innocent life in a mother's womb. But when someone commits a heinous crime, such as murder, that is not innocent."

Drilling for oil is another issue, one raised on his campaign bumper sticker: "Drill Now. Wolfe: U.S. Senate."

Gasoline costs can be lowered, Wolfe believes, by drilling offshore, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and for shale oil in Rocky Mountain states.

"We haven't upset the environment by drilling [for natural gas and oil] in West Virginia," he said.

Wolfe said he has top ratings from the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America.

Six years ago, when he first ran against Rockefeller, Wolfe received 37 percent of the vote, but raised only $136,000 in campaign funds. That year, Rockefeller raised $2.5 million in campaign funds.

"This year, he has already raised over $5 million," Wolfe said. "Of all our representatives, he is the most liberal when it comes to his voting record."

Wolfe strong opposes much federal spending, especially in areas like health care and education. "We should be compassionate," he said. "But our government cannot always do everything for everybody."

Federal income taxes, Wolfe believes, should be replaced by a 23 percent sales tax - a plan backed by Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative Washington, D.C.-based group.

Wolfe said he opposed the recent federal bailouts for AIG, Bear Stearns, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae: "That is not the responsibility of taxpayers."

Wolfe, a former insurance businessman, said economic hard times forced him to close his Sprint cell phone stores in Charleston and Parkersburg. Wolfe still has Sprint stores in Morgantown and Bridgeport.

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 348-5164.