WHEELING - Officials at the National Republican Congressional Committee believe a potentially contentious Democratic primary election in West Virginia's 1st District congressional race could benefit a future Republican nominee.

The NRCC also isn't worried a strong GOP primary in West Virginia's 1st Congressional District will hurt Republican chances to take the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va.

State Sen. Michael Oliverio, D-Monongalia, has announced he will challenge Mollohan in the May 11 Democratic primary election.

The NRCC, based in Washington, is the group charged with recruiting GOP candidates and funding their congressional campaigns.

"I think with Mollohan, he is not in a position financially where he would be able to afford (a primary election)," said NRCC spokesman Andy Sere. "It is so rare for an incumbent member of Congress to be challenged by credible officials - especially after being in office for 27 years."

Mollohan's most recent financial statement shows him with about $65,000 in his campaign coffers to start the campaign.

Sere termed West Virginia's 1st District "a conservative district," and he believes a Democratic primary will force Mollohan to be more left-leaning on his stances.

"That is not a good thing for him to do in this election," Sere continued. "It sends a signal to the average voter that there must be something wrong with the job he is doing if an elected official is stepping up to challenge him."

Messages left with the NRCC's Democratic equivalent, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, were not returned.

Six Republican candidates have filed in the 1st District race. They are Wheeling residents Cindy Hall, Patricia Levenson and David McKinley, Mac Warner and Sarah Minear of Morgantown and Thomas Stark of Parkersburg.

"At the end of the day, this is a net positive," Sere said of the large number of GOP candidates. "It's an indication that there is a widespread sentiment that Mollohan has lost touch with people he represents. If he were not truly vulnerable, you wouldn't have this level of interest.

"From a practical standpoint, contested primary elections turn out to be productive for whoever the eventual nominee is. It forces them to put together a campaign infrastructure ready to win much sooner than if they had no primary," Sere said.

The candidate has a chance to build a network of supporters and build their political identity "before the attack ads start coming," he continued.

"Donors are motivated to give earlier in a campaign, and I think that there are a lot of practical benefits to our eventual nominee - especially when West Virginia's primary occurs so early in the election season," Sere added.

And it is McKinley whom the NRCC has recruited for the race.

"We're getting ready for a tough campaign," said Richie Parsons, campaign manager for McKinley. "We're doing the preparation and putting together a campaign for the long haul. We want to make sure we have the best-equipped candidate to face Mollohan in the fall."

Robert Rupp, a political science professor at West Virginia Wesleyan College, agreed the large number of candidates in the race shows Mollohan "is vulnerable."

"I wouldn't think they would make the effort if they didn't think it was worth it," he said.

Rupp noted that while the NRCC's support typically is coveted by candidates, that might not be the case during the 2010 election year.

"This could be the year of the anti-incumbent ... of the anti-establishment," he added.

But Rupp also predicted the large number of candidates could split whatever support there is for an anti-establishment candidate. As such, a lengthy ballot could benefit the NRCC-supported candidate.

He pointed out that McKinley, Warner and Minear each has name recognition in the district.

"Two of the three (McKinley and Minear), have already been elected to office, and they all have money," Rupp said. "This is intriguing, and different than what Mollohan faced in the past."