CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., voted against the House budget backed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., in both 2011 and in 2012.

In 2011, McKinley was one of only four House Republicans to vote against it.

This year, on March 29, McKinley was one of 10 House Republicans to vote against Ryan's budget, which passed 228 to 191.

Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va., also voted against Ryan's budget, while Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. voted for it.

But a few days later - on April 17 - McKinley voted for the Ryan budget in what is called a "deem-and-pass" vote, which is attracting criticism from his challenger.

Sue Thorn, McKinley's Democratic opponent in the November election, said McKinley is misleading his constituents.

"Since taking office," Thorn stated in a recent news release, "my opponent has continually showed his allegiance to billionaires and special interests, as well as his disdain for working people.

"Voting to pass the Ryan budget is just another example of how the congressman's top 1% values don't align with the middle class values of the people of West Virginia," Thorn said.

Cutting back on federal Medicare funding is one part of Ryan's budget.

Jim Forbes, a spokesman for McKinley, said on Friday, "Congressman McKinley's voting record and public statements have been clear. He has opposed efforts that could undermine Medicare, and will continue to work to strengthen Medicare for current and future retirees."

Erin Beck, Thorn's press secretary, criticized McKinley for casting a "deem and pass" vote April 17 on Ryan's budget in the House. At the time, that vote allowed Congress to continue discussing hunting and fishing legislation.

Mike Hamilton, McKinley's chief of staff, said the votes McKinley cast against the Ryan budget "were not something he took lightly. He bucked the leadership [of the Republican Party]."

"Deem and pass" votes, Hamilton explained, are "procedural votes. For the House to move forward with their appropriation process, when the Senate has not passed the budget, they have to do this.

"Trying to claim a vote on an arcane procedural matter is the same as voting for the budget is not correct. Since then, [McKinley] has been publicly stating his concerns about why he voted against the budget in 2011 and 2012," Hamilton said.

Beck said, "McKinley has used television ads, interviews with reporters and even taxpayer-funded mass mailings to convince" voters "of his opposition to the extreme provisions in the Ryan budget."

Thorn said, "Ryan's budget is in the limelight once again now that Ryan has been selected as the Republican vice presidential nominee. Voters deserve to know the truth about whether our representatives support or oppose this budget."

Ryan, the Republican candidate for vice president, criticizes President Obama for taking $716 billion from Medicare funds to pay for health care under his Affordable Care Act.

Those cuts will not change benefits for today's Medicare recipients. But in the future, the cuts would reduce reimbursements to providers, including hospitals and private insurance companies, and attempt to curb waste, fraud and abuse.

 Thorn stressed her support of Medicare.

"Voting to end Medicare is a shameless move. Seniors deserve better than having to choose between groceries and life-saving medications.

"The Ryan budget is wrong because it would raise costs for seniors by thousands of dollars and end Medicare as we know it."

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.