First District Congressman Alan Mollohan will likely be facing opposition when he runs for reelection next year.

More than half a dozen Republicans have either filed precandidacy papers or expressed an interest in challenging the longtime Congressman in 2010.

Former state Republican Party Chair David McKinley is among them.

He says he's giving the idea 'serious' consideration.  "We're in the process of doing our due diligence now and trying to understand what the issues may be or how to focus better on those issues," McKinley said on Tuesday's MetroNews Talkline.

McKinley says Congressman Mollohan, who was first elected in 1982, is not representing the views of those he represents.

"The First District has voted very conservatively over the years and they rejected the notion of change that (President Barack) Obama was talking about in his campaign overwhelmingly."  McKinley says he's wondering why Congressman Mollohan is supporting many of the President's initiatives when 60% of voters in the First District voted, last year, for Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain.

"It's an opportunity in 2010 for people to have a referendum on these changes," he says.

"Do we want to have the things that are being promoted over there?  Is this, in West Virginia, is this what we want in the health care bill?  Is this what we want to have in the nationalization of the auto industry?"

McKinley has not yet filed precandidacy papers.  Those Republicans who have are Daniel Scott Swisher, Thomas Stark, Randy Smith and Cindy Hall.

Randolph County State Senator Clark Barnes is considering a run, while reports indicate Morgantown Developer Mac Warner says he'll make a decision soon on whether he'll be getting into the race.

Congressman Mollohan ran unopposed in 2008.