Democratic candidate Michele Rusen and Republican candidate Jason Wharton Saturday appeared before the group Men and Women Against Discrimination.

Wharton, who has served as an assistant to current prosecutor Ginny Conley, said he's proud of the prosecutor's office's record in fighting drug crimes.

"By attacking the drug problem," Wharton said, "you get to a lot of the other problems that are being seen through the crime statistics here in Wood County and nationwide."

Rusen described the prosecutor as the top crime fighting official in the county, who also has to maintain good relations with the public.

"There are all kinds of variables," she said, "but I think people should be treated the same, regardless of who they are."

The two candidates also discussed their roles, and those of law enforcement, in child custody cases, as well as a recently-passed law setting penalties for falsely reporting child abuse offenders.