While we don't agree with Rep. Nick Rahall on every topic, he is a good congressman for his district and deserves to be re-elected.

Rahall himself points to his years of experience and his accessibility to voters. His 36 years of seniority give him ranking member status on committees when Republicans are in control of the House of Representatives and committee chairmanships when Democrats are in power. He is in his district most weekends and operates four district offices through which people can reach him.

Just in his current term, his accomplishments include successful fights to reauthorize funding for transportation and aviation. Rahall helped to defeat an effort by some Republicans to cut 30 percent out of transportation spending, including 30 percent of federal highway funds that come to West Virginia. Congress reauthorized the bill for two years and three months, instead of the usual six years. "In today's climate, that's a major, major victory," Rahall said.

He also helped to reauthorize federal aviation legislation that funds the next generation of airport safety measures and provides subsidies to keep open airports designated for "essential air service." In West Virginia, those include airports at Beckley, Clarksburg, Lewisburg, Morgantown and Parkersburg.

He supports extended tax cuts for the middle class, but not for the highest incomes. The nation must eliminate the deficit, and some spending cuts are good, he says. But deep across-the-board spending cuts would strangle the economic recovery. "You can't just take a meat ax approach," he said. "We didn't get into this situation overnight and we won't fix it overnight."