Republican candidates for the 1st District seat Sarah Minear, Mac Warner and Patty Levenson gathered Monday at a congressional candidates forum organized by the Parkersburg Tea Party. (Photos by Natalee Seely)

PARKERSBURG — Six Republican candidates seeking to unseat incumbent Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., in the state’s 1st Congressional District attended a forum Monday evening to introduce themselves and answer questions from the public. About 75 people gathered at the Judge Black Annex on Market Street for the congressional candidate forum organized by the Parkersburg Tea Party. Mollohan and the other Democrat in the congressional race, state Sen. Mike Oliverio, D-Monongalia, did not attend the forum. Event organizer Sandra Staats said all candidates were invited. Each candidate was invited to make a five-minute introduction to the audience before a question and answer session. Candidates spoke on job creation, federal government regulations and threats to the coal industry in West Virginia. Cindy Hall, owner of a real estate and management company in Wheeling, called herself a social and fiscal conservative.