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National figures head to West Virginia days before election

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The national spotlight has been on West Virginia during this election cycle with a few key races appearing on the ballot and national figures campaigning in the state.

The attention will only get bigger on Friday when national figures, including President Donald Trump, campaign in the state ahead of finding out the winners on Election Day of West Virginia’s U.S. Senate seat and U.S. House seats in the 2nd and 3rd districts.

Trump will be making his fifth stop in West Virginia and second in Huntington since announcing his run for president in June 2015 with a stop at the Huntington Tri-State Airport for a Make America Great Again rally.

His last visit to the state was a stop in Wheeling in September.

The rally will be held in Hangar Three where Trump is expected to talk up GOP candidates in the state such as U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Morrisey and U.S. House candidate for West Virginia’s 3rd District Carol Miller.

Lara Trump

“His message is very clear,” said Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of President Trump and campaign adviser. “‘If you’re happy with the job I am doing and want to see it continue, you have to get out and you have to vote for Republicans like Patrick Morrisey and Carol Miller on November 6.’

“I think he wants to come back here to say thank you, too. These are the people who put him into office. These are the forgotten men and women in America who had been left behind and forgotten about. Their factories have closed down and he really wants to say thank you and make sure people understand the importance of getting out on Tuesday and voting for Republicans.”

The airport sits in the 3rd Congressional District where Miller, a current delegate for Cabell County, is facing state Sen. Richard Ojeda, D Logan, for the U.S. House seat.

Carol Miller, Republican candidate for U.S. Congress

Lara Trump was campaigning with Miller in Huntington Thursday and will be at the rally Friday.

“Carol Miller was endorsed by the president for a reason,” she said. “Miller understands why he is so important to this country. He is the right man for the job for right now and she wants to support him and vote alongside him.

“I couldn’t be more proud to be here today for her, campaigning alongside her. I think she is genuine, I think she cares greatly about the citizens of this state and her district, and I think she would be a great asset to the president.”

The race between Miller and Ojeda is not the only heated congressional race in the state, as current 2nd District Rep.Alex Mooney is squaring off against Democratic competitor Talley Sergent.

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D Mass.

Campaigning on Friday with Sergent is Rep. Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of Robert Kennedy, grandnephew of John F. Kennedy and current 4th District Congressman from Massachusetts.

A rally will be held at the South Charleston Fire Station #1 at 11:30 a.m. Kennedy expressed Sergent’s campaign work on Thursday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”

“What Talley has shown, and we have seen this across the country this year particularly, is that if you don’t show up, if you’re not willing to sit down in places in perhaps in place we have sat down and visited enough, if you’re not willing to get that personal connection, you’re certainly not going to be able to get people’s votes,” he said.

Talley Sergent

“That is what my family has always stood for and believed about politics. That this at its core it’s about people and Talley believes that to her bones.”

One of the issues that Kennedy and Sergent will focus on is health care.

“This is an issue that is extremely important for West Virginia,” Kennedy said. “Talley knows it, she believes it, she has made her campaign about it. I think there is a real contrast in what she believes and what Mr. Mooney believes. That is reflected in their records and I think that is one of the key points in this election.”