KEARNEYSVILLE, W.Va. — U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Alex Mooney was joined by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, at a rally in Kearneysville, Thursday evening with hundreds of people from the Eastern Panhandle in attendance.
Over 300 were in Jefferson County for the rally at the RSD Horse Auctions in Kearneysville. Mooney and other candidates for office in West Virginia are in the final stretch of their campaign before the Primary Election May 14. The 2nd District U.S. Congressman was thankful for Cruz’s support.
“It means a lot considering he has a race of his own but he needs help,” said Mooney.
Cruz, who is in a key race to keep his seat in Texas, talked about why he made the trip to the Mountain State.
“I’m supporting Alex because I know who he is,” Cruz said following Thursday’s campaign rally. “He’s walked the walk.”
Cruz said Mooney is not one to make empty promises while on the campaign trail. He called Mooney a warrior.
“Alex has been standing and fighting for the people of West Virginia while in Congress,” said Cruz.
Congressman Mooney says he’s has been narrowing the gap between himself and the front-runner for the U.S. Senate seat Governor Jim Justice. Mooney took more jabs at the governor, again calling him a Democrat.
“He’s just like Joe Manchin, he’s Joe Manchin 2.0,” Mooney said. “He’s Democrat-lite and voters don’t want that anymore from Republicans.”
Cruz said with longtime U.S. Senator and Democrat Joe Manchin not running, “it’s a very different race.” He said rather than elect a candidate who could go toe-to-toe with a Democrat in the General Election, the focus now is on electing the candidate who will fight for conservative values.
“He will keep his word that he will faithfully fight to defend the constitution, to defend out nation, to defend freedom,” Cruz said.
Other Eastern Panhandle colleagues showed up to support Mooney including State Treasurer Riley Moore, who gave remarks, and Jefferson County Senator Patricia Rucker.