CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Three weeks before West Virginians head to the polls, the U.S. Senate campaign for state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday two events for this week with two Republicans who have helped already Morrisey this election cycle.
Morrisey will take part in a “get-out-the-vote” event Thursday in St. Marys with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. Vice President Mike Pence will be in Bridgeport on Saturday for a rally in support of Morrisey’s bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
Thursday’s event will be held at SimEx Vinyl Extrusions in St. Marys. As for Saturday’s rally, that will take place at Engine & Airframe Solutions Worldwide.
Morrisey said Paul shares the same values as conservatives in West Virginia.
“Senator Rand Paul is committed to fighting for many of the same conservative West Virginia values we need in the U.S. Senate, so I’m excited to have him join me on the campaign trail,” he said in a campaign release. “On the issues of life, the Second Amendment, tax cuts, and secure borders, Senator Paul is an advocate for the values we share and our Make America Great Again agenda.”
Paul campaigned for Morrisey in May, touting Morrisey’s political values in a speech in Huntington.
“I think the definition of outsider is someone who, if they are elected, will still challenge the establishment. I don’t think he (Morrisey) becomes part of the establishment,” he said.
Paul also described Morrisey as the “only constitutional conservative” running for the seat.
Pence’s return to the Mountain State comes nearly three months after the vice president’s participation in an event on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. All of West Virginia’s federal lawmakers — with the exception of Manchin — voted for the legislation.
“When he actually had the opportunity to vote to cut your taxes, Joe voted no. When the time came to cut taxes on West Virginia’s farmers and energy producers and businesses large and small, Joe voted no,” Pence said.
“I think West Virginia deserves a senator who will stand with this president and fight for the priorities of the people of West Virginia every single day,” he later added.
Morrisey said in a press release Pence and President Donald Trump need a “conservative fighter” in Washington.
“Like President Trump and West Virginia voters, Vice President Pence knows that Joe Manchin can’t be trusted to fight for our West Virginia values,” he noted.
Trump has twice visited West Virginia so far before Election Day; he held a rally Aug. 21 in Charleston and a similar event Sept. 29 in Wheeling in Morrisey’s support.
This week’s visits come as political analysis organizations say the Senate race is in Manchin’s favor.
According to records submitted to the Federal Elections Commission on Monday, Morrisey raised more than $1.8 million in the last quarter compared to Manchin’s $1.5 million. The incumbent has $4.2 million in cash on hand, while Morrisey has around $1.6 million.
Donald Trump Jr. is also slated to return to West Virginia. The president’s eldest son, who took part in a campaign fundraiser back in June, will rally on Monday for the attorney general at Heritage Hall in Inwood.