WHEELING W.Va. — President Donald Trump will be making his seventh visit to West Virginia on Saturday, this time to Wheeling.
The doors will open at 4 p.m. at Wheeling’s Wesbanco Arena and the event gets underway at 7 p.m. There has been a buzz around Wheeling and the surrounding area for the event since it was announced, according to Ohio County Republican Executive Committee Chair Elgine McCardle.
“It’s very exciting that the president has chosen Wheeling,” McCardle said. “His seventh visit to the state shows his dedication and interest in the state. We expect a packed arena and volunteers have been coming out and they are extremely excited. I think it’ll be a great rally on Saturday. The excitement is definitely in the air and the arena will rock.”
The president will be joined on stage by Gov. Jim Justice and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Morrisey is squaring off against U.S. Senator Joe Manchin for Manchin’s seat in the November General Election.
“I absolutely think this will give Morrisey a boost,” McCardle said. “I think the last rally in Charleston gave him a boost and this will garner people in the Northern Panhandle, get them excited and get them out to vote.”
McCardle expects state Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, First District Congressman David McKinley, Del. Erikka Storch, and House of Delegates candidate Dalton Haas to be in attendance at what is expected to be a standing room only crowd of around 7,000 people.
“Any time you have a president that comes into your town, it rallies the base,” McCardle said. “The local base will get out and vote. The visit can not do anything but help candidates around here, especially with how popular he is around here.”
Trump’s most recent stop in West Virginia was in Charleston on Tuesday, August 21, where he rallied with Morrisey. As reported by The Hill on Thursday, an internal GOP poll, 1892 Polling, has Manchin and Morrisey tied at 45 percent.
The latest MetroNews poll had Manchin leading Morrisey 46 percent to 38 percent with 16 percent undecided.
“We need to put Trump in the places where it’s most strategic,” GOP National Spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany said on MetroNews Talkline. “Where he is most able to make a difference and turn the tide in a race. West Virginia, I would argue is among the top five states where that can be done.”
“He’s been there two times in five weeks. He wants to be very active on the campaign trail heading into November 6th, which is quickly approaching. I do think you will see him all over the country coming up, West Virginia included.”